Muscle Pain

LA Pain Doctor

Pain Management Specialists located in Metairie, Laplace, Harvey, New Orleans, and Luling, LA

Muscle pain may be related to an injury or one of many underlying conditions. The pain can affect a particular muscle or make every muscle and connective tissue in your body ache. Firas Hijazi, MD, and Satvik Munshi, MD, at LA Pain Doctor understand the complexities of muscle pain. They have extensive experience determining the exact source of your pain, then developing the customized treatment plan you need to heal and get relief from your pain. To schedule an appointment, call one of the offices in Metairie, LaPlace, Harvey, or New Orleans, Louisiana, or use the online booking feature.

Muscle Pain Q & A

What causes muscle pain?

Muscle pain, also called myalgia, affects nearly everyone at one time or another. Muscle strains and more severe injuries like tears are the most common reason for muscle pain.

Many men and women develop muscle pain when they increase their physical activity.

But you can also end up with muscle pain from prolonged periods of inactivity. Stress can lead to tense and very painful knotted muscles.

Many health conditions can also cause muscle pain, including:

Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Dystonia
Lyme disease
Low potassium
Hypothyroidism
Viral infections
Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Myofascial pain syndrome

Chemotherapy and certain medications like statins can also lead to muscle pain.

Will I develop other symptoms along with muscle pain?

When a strain causes your muscle pain, you may experience:

Sudden pain at the time of the strain
Pain that’s worse when you use the muscle
Loss of muscle strength
Diminished range of motion
Inflammation and swelling
Bruising

If an underlying health condition is responsible for your muscle pain, you can have a wide range of symptoms. For example, fibromyalgia causes bodywide muscle aches, extreme fatigue, and brain fog, while rheumatoid arthritis causes joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Should an underactive thyroid cause muscle pain, you may also gain weight or develop hoarseness and thinning hair.

What treatments will I receive for muscle pain?

Just as your symptoms vary based on the cause of your pain, the type of treatment you receive also depends on the underlying cause. For strains and injuries, treatment includes medications to reduce inflammation and pain, rest and/or immobilizing the damaged muscle, and rehabilitation to restore strength and movement.

The team at LA Pain Doctor specializes in treatments that promote muscle healing and alleviate pain. In addition to the treatment you need for injuries and underlying health conditions, your plan may include one or more of the following:

Physical therapy
Prolotherapy
Biofeedback
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
Trigger point injections
Nerve blocks
Epidural steroid injections
Spinal cord stimulation
Radiofrequency ablation

Interventional treatments effectively relieve muscle pain from anywhere in your body because they target the nerves carrying pain signals to your brain. Treatments that block the nerve signals prevent your brain from perceiving the pain. As a result, you don’t feel as much pain.

Get the help you need for ongoing muscle pain by calling LA Pain Doctor or booking an appointment online.