What should you know about body and muscle pain?

Pain after unfamiliar exercise or repetitive work often reflects muscle strain. Influenza, COVID-19, dengue fever, malaria, or brucellosis can present with body aches together with fever or other illness symptoms. Fibromyalgia may involve widespread pain, unrefreshing sleep, and sensitivity to touch. An underactive thyroid can accompany muscle aches, constipation, dry skin, or low energy. Review any recently started medicine with a clinician, particularly if symptoms began soon after it. Muscle pain alone cannot establish which condition is present.

Pause strenuous activity, then return gradually as movement becomes easier. Gentle stretching, comfortable heat, adequate sleep, and regular fluids may help. If fever is present, stay home while unwell and reduce close contact with others. Keep a brief symptom diary covering activity, temperature, pain sites, urine changes, and medicines. Check with a pharmacist before using a pain reliever if you have kidney, liver, stomach, or bleeding problems.

Contact a clinician when pain is unexplained, lasts beyond a short recovery period, interferes with daily tasks, or is accompanied by fever, rash, joint swelling, or unusual weakness. Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, confusion, fainting, severe weakness, dark urine, very little urine, or rapidly worsening pain.

Ask whether the pattern fits strain or illness, whether a medicine could be contributing, what examination or tests may help, and how to resume activity safely.