Call your doctor if:

• Your muscle pain persists beyond 3 days
• You have severe, unexplained pain
• You have any sign of infection, like swelling or redness around the tender muscle
• You have poor circulation in the area where you have muscles aches (for example, in your legs)
• You have a tick bite or a rash
• Your muscle pain has been associated with starting or changing doses of a medicine, such as a statin

Call 911 if:

• You have sudden weight gain, water retention, or you are urinating less than usual
• You are short of breath or have difficulty swallowing
• You have muscle weakness or cannot move any part of your body
• You have vomiting, a very stiff neck, or high fever

Your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your muscle pain, such as:

• When did it start? How long did it last?
• Where is it exactly? Is it all over or only in a specific area?
• Is it always in the same location?
• What makes it better or worse?
• Do other symptoms occur at the same time, like joint pain, fever, vomiting, weakness, malaise, or difficulty using the affected muscle?
• Is there a pattern to the muscle aches?
• Have you taken any new medications lately?

Tests that may be done include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Other blood tests to look at muscle enzymes (creatine kinase) and possibly a test for Lyme disease or a connective tissue disorder

Physical therapy may be helpful.

Images

Muscular atrophy

Muscle pain

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Review Date: 05/02/2009
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Uinversity of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)