Sore Muscles and Joints

Sore muscles and joints are a common health problem, one is bound to encounter after an exhausting physical activity. On the very first day of pumping weights in the gym, you encounter soreness in all the muscles. This is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), which is caused due to accumulation of lactic acid in the various parts of the body. If the muscles are not used up to their efficiency for a prolonged duration, some biochemical changes take place in them, which leads to their shortening. In such circumstances, any sudden physical activity tends to hurt the muscles or strain them, thus causing sore muscles and joints.

Sore Muscles and Joints Symptoms

The major symptoms of sore muscles and joints are a feeling of tenderness in the affected area and bouts of pain whilst trying to move the affected body part. These symptoms may also be accompanied by fever and swelling. However, you should not ignore the fact that sore muscles and joints are the basic symptoms of ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia. Sometimes people complain about sore muscles and joints for no reason, unaware of the fact that this soreness is a symptom of some underlying medical condition in itself.

What Causes Sore Muscles and Joints?

An individual can experience sore muscle for several reasons, ranging from aging to some underlying medical complications. Various studies have revealed that deficiency of calcium and vitamin D, which are important for our bones, is one of the major causes for sore muscles and joints. Wearing footwear which doesn't support your body or the activity you are doing can trigger sore joints and muscles in your body. Sprains and strains, ligament injuries, muscle tear, dislocated joints also lead to soreness in muscles and joints. In fact, indulging in a rigorous physical activity, after a long gap is a common cause of muscle soreness and joint pain. People suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, etc. are also subjected to chronic sore muscles and joints.

Sore Muscles and Joints Cure

Sore muscles and joints do have the capacity to immobilize you for a brief period. In order to avoid the inconvenience caused by them, you should ideally treat them at the earliest. The treatment options range from some simple sore muscle remedies like applying heat or cold at the affected area, stretching the affected muscle group, good amount of rest, to over the counter pain killers or muscle relaxants and treatment of the underlying medical ailment.

Applying heat or cold helps in reducing the inflammation of the muscles. Stretching is an effective method of treating muscle soreness, especially if sore muscles are caused by physical exertion. You can also resort to massage, which increases the blood flow in the body thus providing all the parts of the body with essential nutrients. Arthritis treatment or weight loss can help in eliminating joint pain associated with these conditions. At times, you may also have to resort to a surgery as the last option to relieve you of the muscle soreness and joints pain you are being subjected to.

The simplest cure for sore muscles and joints is taking ample rest. Muscle tear requires some time to heal, and resting makes the healing process relatively faster. At the same time, some precautionary measures, such as drinking plenty of water, stretching before intense physical activities or practicing a healthy and active lifestyle, can also help in prevention of sore joints and muscles to a great extent.