The most common cause of muscle soreness, pain and cramping is overuse. Whereas, lack of use is often the cause for muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is wasting or loss of muscle.
However, in some cases these muscle problems are not caused by over nor under use. Some other causes for muscle soreness and pain you may be familiar with:
- lupus
- fibromyalgia
- tension/stress
- electrolyte imbalance
- certain drugs ~ cocaine, statins, ACE inhibitors
- infections ~ influenza, Lyme disease, trichinosis
Causes for muscle cramps beyond overuse are:
- dehydration
- lack of dietary minerals
- body depletion of minerals
- not enough blood getting to your muscles
Some atrophy occurs normally with aging. Other causes, besides aging and lack of use, involve:
- injury
- stroke
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- diabetic neuropathy
- peripheral neuropathy
- corticosteroid therapy
- long period of immobilization
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease)
Generally, a daily routine involving some type of physical fitness and balanced nutrition minimizes your likelihood of experiencing soreness, pain, cramps and atrophy muscle tissue issues.
Health Research Update: Caffeine may lessen exercisers’ muscle pain
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