Why the body aches and what to do to feel better

What is "body ache" from a medical point of view

An aches is a mild dull pain. There is a stable expression "breaks the bones", but usually meanLomota / Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary even muscles and joints all over the body at once.

Pain in the bones is otherwise called ossalgia, in the muscles - myalgia, and in the joints - arthralgia. In some conditions, they occur all together, in other cases - separately. These are non-specific symptoms, that is, they occur with different diseases, so it is impossible to make a diagnosis based on only one sign.

Why body aches and fever occur

Most often the body achesWhy your whole body aches when you're sick (and what you can do about it) / UCLA Health with temperature due to infections. When viruses or bacteria enter the body, the immune system sends white blood cells to fight. They produce various substances that kill the invaders. There is inflammation, because of which literally everything hurts.

There are usually other symptoms as well:

• chills;
• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• runny nose;
• cough.

So from the point of view of the body, aches are good. It shows that the immune system fights the disease. At the same time, chills increase this pain, because the muscles “tremble”, contract strongly and overwork.

Aches in bones and muscles also occur with various poisoning, For example drugsLando Janssen, Neeltje A. E. Allard, Christiaan G. J. Saris, Jaap Keijer, Maria T. E. Hopman, Silvie Timmers. Muscle Toxicity of Drugs: When Drugs Turn Physiology into Pathophysiology / Physiological Reviews, heavy metalsHeavy Metal Poisoning / NORD, poisonsFish and Shellfish Poisoning / MSD Manuals. At the same time, it can also get upPoisoning/NHS temperature.

Why does the body and bones break without fever

Body aches without fever often It happensIs There Such a Thing as ‘Good Pain’ and When Should You Listen to Your Body? / Cleveland Clinic and in healthy people. For example, after intense workout, sleeping in an uncomfortable position or nervous strain.

In more serious cases such a symptomJoint Pain: Many Joints / MSD Manuals may occur due to chronic diseases, such as arthritis, lupus erythematosus, hypothyroidismHypothyroidism: Does it cause joint pain? / Mayo Clinic, diabetesBone and joint problems associated with diabetes / Mayo Clinic, malignant tumorsMuscle Aches / Cancer.netor due to chemotherapy.

When should you call an ambulance?

Urgently callWhy your whole body aches when you're sick (and what you can do about it) / UCLA Health doctors, if aches:

• appeared after tick bite;
• accompanied by severe swelling or redness of the skin;
• appeared along with the rash.

The attention of doctors is necessary so as not to miss a deadly condition.

What to do if the body breaks

It all depends on the cause of the violation. If you do not have the dangerous symptoms listed above, but the condition is still bothering you, contact your therapist. He will find out what caused the aches in the body, and prescribe treatment.

If you are sure that the discomfort is associated, for example, with the usual cold or an uncomfortable posture, try to relieve the pain yourself. For this fitWhy your whole body aches when you're sick (and what you can do about it) / UCLA Health such ways.

Stay hydrated

Some diseases that cause body aches also lead to dehydration. For example, it is the flu, acute intestinal infections or poisoning. But the fluid is important for the normal functioning of the body, without it it will be more difficult for him to fight. Therefore, try to drink more pure water, tea, broths or pharmaceutical solutions of electrolytes.

Warm up your muscles

This advice is suitable only if there is no high temperature. Warmth helps to relax the muscles, so a warm (not hot!) bath or shower will help. You can also lie down under a blanket or attach a heating pad to your body. It is important not to overdo it so that it doesn’t get worse, so it’s better not to fall asleep with a heating pad.

Rest

When the body is fighting disease or recovering, it gets more tired, so it requires more rest and sleep. Sometimes other symptoms can interfere with sleep, but still try to spend as much time in bed as possible.

Bring down the temperature

Although the fever helps fight infections, the condition worsens greatly. Fever, aches and chills are often associated, so to make it easier to bear the disease, you can bring down the temperature. For example, take a cool bath for this, do not wrap yourself up, drink an antipyretic.

Take over-the-counter pain relievers if needed

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, reduce the production of substances that are responsible for inflammation, and therefore help with body aches. In addition, they reduce the temperature if it is an infection. But you should not abuse the drugs: you can take them no more often than indicated in the instructions.