Muscle pain (Myalgia) can describe a wide array of physical conditions: Myofascial pain syndrome, repetitive strain injuries, spasms, sprains, muscle inflammation, etc. While there are many more conditions that fall under this category, what links these conditions together is that the pain is located within a single muscle or a muscle group.

Causes:

The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually localized, affecting just a few muscles or a small part of your body.

Systemic muscle pain — pain throughout your whole body — is more often the result of an infection, an illness or a side effect of a medication.

Treatment:

Muscle pain from minor injuries, stress or exercise is usually helped with simple home treatment. Muscle pain that occurs during an activity usually signals a "pulled" or strained muscle. These types of injuries usually respond well to R.I.C.E. therapy:

• Rest. Take a break from your normal activities.
• Ice. Place an ice pack or bag of frozen peas on the sore area for 20 minutes several times a day.
• Compression. Use a compression bandage to reduce swelling.
• Elevation. Elevate your foot to help reduce swelling.

Muscle pain from severe injuries or systemic disease is often serious and requires medical care. Get immediate medical care if you have muscle pain with:

• Trouble breathing or dizziness
• Extreme muscle weakness
• A high fever and stiff neck

Schedule an office visit if you have:

• Muscle pain, especially in your calves, that occurs with exercise and resolves with rest
• Signs of infection, such as redness and swelling, around a sore muscle
• Muscle pain after you start taking or increase the dosage of a medication — (particularly statins — medications used to control cholesterol)
• Muscle pain that doesn't improve with self-care

Ask your Healthcare Provider on how topical prescription pain medications can safely and effectively address your muscle pain. Here’s an example of a formulation commonly prescribed for muscle pain:

BioMed’s Recommended Formulation:

For more information:

1 - Healthline.com article on Muscle Aches:
http://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-aches#Overview1

2 - Mayo Clinic article on Muscle Pain:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/muscle-pain/basics/definition/sym-20050866

3 - The New York Times Health Guide, Muscle Aches:
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/muscle-aches/overview.html