In medical terms, muscle pain is called “myalgia”. It can be caused by many different medical conditions, but it most commonly occurs from the muscles being strained or distended from overuse. If this is the case, it can be treated using a combination of any of the following methods:
Rest
It is best to rest for a few days after an injury to the muscles. That way, further damage won't occur. After this, it is important to resume movement because the muscles will get stiff otherwise. This makes them more susceptible to being injured again. Sometimes, doctors recommend physical therapy for muscle strains, which often sounds counterintuitive to someone who is in pain, but movement helps increase the bloodflow to the area that is needed for faster recovery.
Cold Packs
A bag of frozen peas placed on a sore group of muscles helps to bring down any swelling that is contributing to the discomfort. If you don't have any vegetables in the house, just toss a few ice cubes into a resealable plastic bag to make a cold pack. When the ice melts, put it back in the freezer for a while.
Anti-inflammatories
Acetaminophen products reduce pain, but they don't affect inflammation and swelling in the body. That is why doctors often recommend a dose of ibuprofen every few hours for muscle pain instead. It reduces the healing time of a muscle injury considerably. In fact, ibuprofen is so effective at reducing inflammation that recent studies have shown that taking it regularly may prevent a multitude of other health conditions that are caused by inflammation, such as lung cancer. When people smoke cigarettes, they develop low levels of inflammation in their body that makes them have an 80% higher risk of getting cancer. But when ibuprofen is taken, this percentage reduced.
Topical Analgesics
Doctors are finally being held accountable for the amount of painkillers that they prescribe to their patients. This is due to the high number of deaths and hospitalizations of patients who ended up overdosing from the pills. So now, many of them are recommending that their patients try natural muscle pain relief cream, along with other remedies, instead. This natural remedy for muscle pain often works better than pills because it can be applied to the exact location of the pain. It works fast, and it can be used whenever a person needs it. What is most important about this cream is that it isn't addictive.
Most cases of myalgia get better in about one week. However, if it lasts any longer than this, be sure to get to a doctor because it could be a sign of a more serious illness. Diseases like hyperthyroidism, fibromyalgia, and lupus can all cause myalgia too.