Menu Healthy Lifestyle Diseases & Conditions First Aid Symptoms Tests & Procedures Videos Definitions FAQs Muscle painUpdated: 2021-12-21DefinitionAlmost everyone has sore, aching muscles now and then. Muscle pain can involve a small area or your whole body, ranging from mild to excruciating. Although most muscle aches and pains go away on their own within a short time, sometimes muscle pain can linger for months. Muscle pain can develop almost anywhere in your body, including your neck, back, legs and even your hands.CausesThe 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.Common causes of muscle pain include:Chronic exertional compartment syndrome Chronic fatigue syndrome Claudication Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Dermatomyositis Dystonia Fibromyalgia Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) Influenza (flu) and other viral illness (influenza-like illness)Lupus Lyme disease Medications, especially the cholesterol medications known as statinsMuscle cramp Myofascial pain syndrome Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyositis (inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness)Repetitive strain injuriesRheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease)Rocky Mountain spotted fever Sprains When to see a doctorMuscle pain from minor injuries, stress or exercise is usually helped with simple home treatment. 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: A known tick bite or could have had a tick bite A rash, especially the "bulls-eye" rash of Lyme disease 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 Self-care 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 the injured area above the level of your heart, especially at night, which allows gravity to help reduce swelling. © 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use