Some muscular pain will fade away naturally, but more serious injuries to muscle tissue should be examined by a doctor.
However, there are times when muscular pain or injury cannot be treated through over-the-counter analgesics or bed rest alone.Some muscle pain can be a sign of a larger and more serious medical condition, and the only proper plan to follow is an appointment with a medical professional.Here are some muscle pains which may indicate a need for professional examination and treatment:
2. Spasms which do not stop in a reasonable amount of time.Many of us experience leg cramps or back spasms from time to time, but they rarely last more than a few minutes.Over-the-counter remedies such as back pills or heating pads will usually alleviate the symptoms.However, some nerves controlling muscles can become inflamed or short-circuited.These uncontrollable spasms can cause injury to other areas and the result is constant pain.A doctor may need to examine the affected muscles in order to diagnose nerve damage or another cause for the spasms.Only medical professionals can prescribe powerful muscle relaxers and pain management medication. They may also recommend physical therapy and a restriction on physical activities.
3. Inflammation of the tendons.Many repetitive motions such as swinging a tennis racket or lifting a barbell can result in an inflammation of the tendons.This is called tendonitis and can result in a serious loss of mobility if left unchecked.If you notice significant muscle fatigue after a strenuous activity and a locally intense pain around the nearest joint, you may have a case of tendonitis.Some relief can be reached through OTC analgesics and heat therapy, but a doctor may need to prescribe stronger pain relievers or physical therapy.Oftentimes a doctor will apply a tight band to the forearm or leg in order to give those muscles something to work against.Tendonitis will usually heal on its own after several weeks, but the aggravating activity must be avoided.A doctor may be able to write orders which will limit a patient's work activities until the condition has healed.
4. Muscle pain accompanied by bruising.If the injury to muscle tissue was from a blunt force, severe bruising may also be present.This could indicate internal bleeding, since muscle tissue itself does not 'bruise', only tear.Muscles usually repair themselves by growing tighter and in some cases bigger.If too much muscle tissue is torn, the healing process may not go well.A doctor will need to examine the bruising in order to assess how much damage has been done to the muscle tissue itself.Corrective surgery may have to be performed in order to restore mobility.
5. Significant loss of mobility.Many of us feel stiff after strenuous activity, but the muscles will eventually return to their previous condition.But sometimes the muscular pain is so severe that the entire limb becomes immobile.This often happens to athletes who tear important muscles like the hamstrings of the thigh or the biceps of the upper arm.The only solution for a muscle injury which restricts mobility is physical therapy and rest.A doctor must assess whether any additional damage has occurred, especially to major ligaments in the knees, hip or back.Affected limbs may have to be stabilized with casts or braces until the muscles have had time to repair themselves.A period of physical rehabilitation afterwards may also be prescribed by a doctor or other medical professional.
