However, it may be best to see a GP if you are experiencing certain problems or symptoms such as, but not limited to: Prescriptions for pain relief or other medications. Cold, flu or virus related muscle pain. Internal pain.
Orthopedic doctors and surgeons, a subset of which specialize in sports medicine, also treat pain in the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles, Dr. Henry says.
If you have muscle pain as the result of an injury or condition, or even if you have no idea how it started, schedule an appointment with an orthopedic physician at the Center for Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.
But if you've had muscle pain for more than a week, have experienced an acute episode of pain when performing a task, you experience numbness, bruising or swelling at the injury site or you can't fully move your legs or arms, don't hesitate to see a doctor.
During the physical exam, your doctor will check for swelling and points of tenderness. The location and intensity of your pain can help determine the extent and nature of the damage.
Muscle soreness should not last longer than five days. Seek medical attention if the pain doesn't subside after a week, the injured area feels numb, or you are unable to walk or move your arms or legs. These symptoms could indicate a bigger issue, such as damage to your joints or muscles.
The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually limited to just a few muscles or a small part of your body. Muscle pain that is felt throughout your whole body is most often caused by an infection, such as the flu.
"Typically, muscle soreness peaks around day three and starts diminishing afterwards. If your soreness persists beyond three days, it means you overdid it — you pushed your muscles a little too hard. But, prolonged muscle soreness can also be a sign of an injury," warns Murray.
Make an appointment with your doctor if you experience muscle pain that doesn't go away. Nearly everyone experiences muscle pain from time to time. But if your muscle pain persists despite rest, massage and similar self-care measures, make an appointment with your doctor.
You can treat most muscle strains yourself at home and don't need to see your GP. But get some medical advice if your pain and swelling get worse, or the pain doesn't get better after around seven days and you're struggling to move. A physiotherapist can help you too.
In most other scenarios, seeing a physiotherapist first is the best for treating a musculoskeletal injury. They can diagnose your problem very accurately and in a specialised way because it concerns their field (muscle and joint injuries). The effective diagnosis can lead to rapid treatment and faster recovery times.
If a doctor suspects a muscle strain, they will perform a physical examination and ask a person about their symptom history. They may also order imaging studies, such as X-rays, to make sure that the bone has not broken. As part of the diagnosis, a doctor will usually designate the injury as a grade 1, 2, or 3 strain.
“Naproxen [Aleve] and ibuprofen are better for inflammation and muscle strains. A bonus of Naproxen is you can take it twice a day versus every 4 to 6 hours like with acetaminophen. This can be more convenient for many people.”
This inflammation usually results in muscle fatigue and weakness, frequent falling, swelling of the feet and legs, and muscular and joint pain. Early symptoms in patients with myositis include: Difficulty standing up from a seated position. Difficulty climbing stairs.
Sometimes muscle pain can linger for months. Muscle pain can be felt almost anywhere in your body, including your neck, back, legs, arms and even your hands. The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries.
Soreness is considered normal if it occurs between 24-72 hours after a workout, and if it does not prevent you from completing normal daily activities. If it lasts longer than this, or is so intense that it prevents you from functioning normally, it could be a sign of significant damage.
Soreness and muscle pain can linger for days after exercise. A number of factors can affect the speed with which your muscles recover including the intensity of exercise and your own physical fitness. Sleep, exposure to stress, diet, wellbeing and other lifestyle factors can all determine how long it takes to recover.
Myasthenia gravis. Myopathy. Myositis, including polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
Polymyalgia rheumatica is a common condition that causes pain and stiffness in older adults. Symptoms include severe muscle aches and stiffness, unexplained weight loss and fatigue. Some people with polymyalgia rheumatica develop giant cell arteritis (inflammation of the arteries).
Myositis (my-o-SY-tis) is a rare type of autoimmune disease that inflames and weakens muscle fibers. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's own immune system attacks itself. In the case of myositis, the immune system attacks healthy muscle tissue, which results in inflammation, swelling, pain, and eventual weakness.
Tumors of the musculoskeletal system, both benign and malignant (known as sarcomas), frequently occur in the first 2 decades of life. Symptoms typically involve pain in or around the joints and muscle aches.
The severity of a strain can be assessed by how much strength and range of motion a person loses, and this can also provide an idea as to how long it will take to recover.
For a minor strain, symptoms can decrease in the first two weeks and take about four to six weeks to fully heal. Mild to moderate strains can take up to eight to ten weeks to heal. More severe muscle strains often require surgery and can take months to completely heal.