Musculoskeletal pain refers to pain in the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. This pain usually occurs in just one area of the body, such as in the form of back pain. Moreover, it can occur throughout the body, in case of widespread conditions like fibromyalgia.
Musculoskeletal pain mainly affects the bones, muscles, joints and ligaments. The most common cause of musculoskeletal pain is an injury to the bone, joints, muscles, tendons or ligaments. Falls, sports injuries, and car accidents are just a few of the incidents that can lead to pain.
Introduction
Musculoskeletal disorders can impact all major parts of the body, including:
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Wrists
- Back
- Hips
- Legs
- Knees
Musculoskeletal pain involves bones, joints, and related muscular tissues and includes most debilitating pain conditions such as low back pain, arthritic pain, and widespread muscle pain. Chronic musculoskeletal pain is the most predominant among chronic pain conditions and presents a serious challenge to primary care. Pain arising from musculoskeletal tissues is characteristic of deep pain and has important differences from that of cutaneous pain.
Musculoskeletal nociceptive inputs appear more effective in inducing neuronal excitation and produce greater sensory disturbances, which may explain predominant chronic pain conditions involving deep tissues. The underlying aetiology and pathology of chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions are poorly understood even after decades of research.
Diagnosed or treatment of Musculoskeletal pain
Musculoskeletal pain and disorders can be treated by a number of different medical specialists. Diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain can be done by Soma 500mg as per prescribed by the medical professional.
Soma 500 mg is a pain-reliever medicine which relaxes the muscle and blocks the pain sensation between the nerves and brain. Soma 500 mg is used to treat skeletal muscle conditions including pain and injury by rest and physical therapy. Soma 500 mg belongs to the drug class of skeletal muscle relaxants. Risk cannot be ruled out during pregnancy. Soma 350mg is classified as a Schedule 4 controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA).
Moreover, Musculoskeletal pain can have a variety of causes. The doctor will first take a detailed medical history and ask about the following symptoms
- When did the pain start?
- What were you doing at the time (for example, working out or playing sports)?
- What does it feel like — stabbing, burning, aching, tingling?
- Where does it hurt?
- What other symptoms do you have (trouble sleeping, fatigue, etc.)?
- What makes it worse or better?
For injuries or problems related to overuse, your doctor might recommend resting the affected body part until it heals. If you have arthritis or other muscle pain, doing some stretching and other exercises under the direction of a physical therapist may be helpful.
Ice and heat are both good options for soothing pain. Ice brings down swelling and relieves pain immediately after an injury. Heat alleviates stiffness a few days after the initial injury.
Sometimes it’s helpful to talk to someone about your pain. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) teaches you ways to manage your pain more effectively.
Types of Musculoskeletal pain
Musculoskeletal pain can be both acute and chronic. It may have localised for the particular at one area of the body or it may affect the entire body.
The most common types of musculoskeletal pain include:
- Bone pain
- Chest pain
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Tendon and ligament pain
Bone pain
Injuries such as bone fractures or other musculoskeletal injuries cause bone pain. It may be acute pain or chronic pain. Moreover, a tumour also causes bone pain.
Chest pain
Pain in your chest may come from angina, which is caused by the heart muscle not getting enough oxygen. Digestive issues like acid reflux, inflammation, blood clots in the lungs, and panic attacks might also result in chest pain. But these are unrelated to musculoskeletal pain.
Costochondritis, or inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage, is one example of musculoskeletal pain in the chest.
Joint pain
Joint pain is also a part of musculoskeletal injury. Stiffness and inflammation often accompany joint pain. Most people get cured of joint pain by doing the rest.
Pain in the joints can occur along with swelling, stiffness, and limited range of motion. These are all symptoms of arthritis. People with arthritis sometimes develop chronic pain, which may present challenges in day-to-day living.
Muscle pain
Muscle spasms, cramps and injuries can all cause muscle pain. Some infections or tumours may also lead to muscle pain. Muscle pain is also called (myalgia). Myalgia is pain or aches in soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs. Causes include injury, infection, cramp or spasm, loss of blood flow to the muscle, illness, some medications, or tumour. Many parts of the body can feel the effects, including ligaments, tendons, soft tissues, organs, and bones.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia causes pain in tendons, muscles, and joints throughout the body. This condition may start with localised pain in the neck and shoulders but become widespread. People with fibromyalgia often experience different kinds of pain in addition to musculoskeletal pain, such as migraine episodes
Tendon and ligament pain
Ligaments and tendons are strong bands of tissue that connect your joints and bones. Sprains, strains and overuse injuries can lead to tendon or ligament pain. Tendon and ligament pain is often from a sprain, strain, or inflammation caused by tendonitis or tenosynovitis. Ligaments provide a connection between bones and tendons connect muscles to bone. Pain in these areas can arise from overuse or an unnatural or sudden movement that causes ligaments or tendons to stretch or tear.
Nerve compression pain
Nerve compression pain may occur from conditions that put pressure on nerves, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, and tarsal tunnel syndrome. Pressure can be the result of repetitive use, leaning on elbows, or other conditions like arthritis or gout.
