Musculoskeletal Pain - The Causes and the Symptoms

 

 

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Musculoskeletal pain causes problems for the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. The pain can range from being minor right through to chronic and it can either be localised or in a number of areas of the body.

The most common form of musculoskeletal pain is found in the lower back. However, tendonitis, myalgia and stress fractures are also common.

What are the causes?

Musculoskeletal pain can affect anyone. Often, it relates to an injury to the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves. The cause can range from car accidents to fractures, dislocations and even impact to the muscle directly.

Overuse can often cause problems with 1 in 3 adults experiencing this. In our society, lower back pain is common due to overuse and incidents in the workplace.

Musculoskeletal Pain – The different types

There are different types of symptoms and pain but the most common are:

Bone pain – This is often described as a dull pain but is mainly caused by injury. Despite this, it is important to ensure that it is not caused by a fracture or a tumour.

Muscle Pain – The pain is less intense than bone pain but is still painful. This can be related to an injury, a loss of blood, infection or a tumour. Sufferers might also experience cramps and muscle spasms.

Tendon and ligament pain – Injuries often cause pain in tendons and ligaments. When the areas are moved or stretched, the pain can become worse.

Fibromyalgia – This condition causes pain in tendons, ligaments and muscles. It is often experienced in multiple locations and is hard to explain but often other symptoms are present.

Joint Pain – Disease and injury can cause sufferers to ache and feel stiff. The pain can be severe in some cases but they can also be mild. Movement can cause more pain while the joints can swell. Arthritis often causes inflammation which is the cause of the pain in many cases.

Tunnel Syndromes – The musculoskeletal pain experienced here is often caused by compression to the nerves. These disorders include cubital tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome. The pain is experienced along the path supplied by the nerve with sufferers describing a burning sensation. Often, these conditions come as a result of overuse.

What are the symptoms?

The pain that people experience can depend on whether it is a result of an injury or overuse. The type of pain can also be chronic or acute and so, the symptoms can differ between sufferers.

One of the most common symptoms is widespread or localised pain that gets worse with movement. Often, the affected area can cause aching and stiffness while the muscles can feel as though have been overworked or pulled. Sufferers will experience fatigue and disturbed sleep while muscles can twitch and feel as though they are burning.

If you suffer from musculoskeletal problems, you should seek professional advice. The correct treatment and pain management can help you to lead a normal life and start the process of recovery.