Common causes of muscle pain
You don’t have to be a gym junkie to experience muscle pain. It can be caused by:
- overuse of a muscle
- any kind of physical activity you’re not used to
- an injury (muscle strains)
- muscle tension.
Injuries such as strains may occur if you’ve been exercising or working beyond what your body is used to, or due to a sudden stretching or twisting of muscle, for example during a fall or a collision.
If you have muscle pain throughout your whole body and you can’t think of a reason why, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.
Advice for relieving muscle pain
Here are some things you can do to help relieve muscle pain caused by injury or overuse:
- Rest the affected area
- Apply ice to the area for the first few days after an injury, followed by heat for any pain that’s still there after the first few days
- You could try a pain relief option such as Nurofen.
To help relieve muscle pain caused by exercise or tension:
- Perform gentle massage
- Avoid very strenuous or high-impact activities for a while
- Use relaxation techniques, such as meditation, to reduce tension
- Try a medicated gel for pain relief such as Nurofen Gel.
Prevention is the best way to avoid muscle pain
There are some simple things you can do to help reduce muscle pain:
- Exercise regularly to keep your muscles in good condition
- Avoid exercising when you are very tired
- Avoid accidents by keeping your home and work environment free of clutter