Contents
There are many reasons that cause mild pain in the arms, legs, back and throughout the body, which cause discomfort and drastically reduce the ability to work, even if it is not accompanied by fever.
Aches are a non-specific symptom, that is, they can accompany a large number of diseases of various origins. The feeling of aches is characteristic of the tissues of muscles, bones and joints and occurs when they are damaged most often by toxins or during inflammatory reactions. In this case, the functions of the tissues of muscles, bones or joints are not violated. Aches are never felt in the internal organs, for example, the stomach, liver, intestines, etc.
Why the body aches – the main reasons
The most common causes of body aches without fever are general intoxication, physical fatigue, nervous strain, prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position. However, body aches can be the cause of more serious infectious diseases and indicate a general intoxication of the body. For example, it can serve as a harbinger of the flu, when the temperature has not yet risen, but the first symptoms characteristic of the incubation period are already present.
Other infectious diseases that may cause aches include:
- viral infections (ARVI, rubella, chickenpox);
- serious infectious diseases (tuberculosis, plague, botulism, hepatitis, encephalitis, malaria);
- food poisoning;
- injuries (bruises, fractures);
- malignant tumors;
- insect bites (ticks);
- immunodeficiency states (HIV, AIDS);
- endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease);
- blood diseases (leukemia, myelosis).
Loto in hands
Aches in the hands are quite common and may indicate diseases in which you need to urgently see a doctor. The cause of aching hands can be diseases of the muscles, joints and bones, such as:
- myositis;
- ruptures of muscles, ligaments and tendons
- excessive exercise;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- osteoarthritis;
- tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons);
- finding hands for a long time in one position;
- plexitis of the brachial plexus;
In some cases, an ache in the left arm may indicate an attack of angina pectoris, when pain during myocardial ischemia radiates to the upper limb. In the presence of other symptoms, cold sweat, shortness of breath, prolonged pain in the heart, you should immediately consult a doctor.
With prolonged aches that last for several days and develop into more intense pain, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Leg aches
The cause of aches in the legs can be diseases of the vessels, muscles, joints and ligaments of the lower extremities. These include:
- varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower extremities;
- myositis;
- rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis of the joints of the lower extremities;
- exercise stress;
- long stay in an uncomfortable position;
- leg injury;
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar vertebrae;
- osteoporosis;
With prolonged aches, its increase and the development of acute pain, it is necessary to seek medical help.
Pain in the back
Discomfort in the back, lower back is known to many. Such symptoms can sometimes indicate banal physical fatigue, especially if this was preceded by unusual work, such as gardening or snow removal. In this case, rest is the best therapy. However, in most cases, back pain can develop with serious diseases of the spine or internal organs.
The most common cause of back or lower back pain is spinal disease, such as:
- osteochondrosis, while in addition to aches, a crunch in the spine and limitation of movements are also characteristic;
- with intervertebral hernia – back pain can be an early symptom of its development.
With the development of symptoms such as numbness, a feeling of weakness in the limbs, exacerbation of pain, it is necessary to contact a neurologist for an accurate diagnosis of the disease and the appointment of therapy.
Another cause of backache can be diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. In this case, the aches can be accompanied by frequent and painful urination.
Backache in women can be a sign of gynecological diseases, such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and other menstrual irregularities.
What to do if the whole body aches?
With aches in the whole body, not accompanied by fever, it is necessary to try to understand whether it is associated with previous physical or psychological stress, muscle strain, stress, incorrect posture and being in it for a long time. With these natural causes, you can help yourself by getting some rest.
If body aches are not associated with increased stress, do not go away on their own and last for several days, you should seek specialized medical help. Only a doctor, with the help of the necessary studies and analyzes, will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Popular questions and answers
What to do if your body aches all week?
Why does the body ache during pregnancy?
Body aches in pregnant women can often be observed for natural reasons – due to an increase in body weight, the growth of the child and the load on the spine. In order to make sure that such a condition is due to functional reasons and is not capable of harming the fetus, you need to contact a gynecologist. During this period, taking drugs is not recommended, so it is better to prevent the development of the disease at the earliest stages of its development.
Body aches, coughing and sore throat, what could it be?
• SARS (influenza, parainfluenza, etc.);
• laryngitis;
• tonsillitis;
• pharyngitis.
Methods that can be resorted to at home are:
• gargling with a decoction of chamomile, sage, soda solution;
• use of sprays such as Hexoral or Tantum Verde;
• resorption of antiseptic lozenges Strepsils, Septolete, Lizobakt.
If the symptoms of aches, sore throat and cough persist for several days or more, as well as the general condition worsens, it is necessary to consult a doctor to prescribe appropriate therapy.
Specialist commentary
“The cause of aches, including rheumatoid arthritis, can be,” says rheumatologist Ekaterina Egorova. – This is an autoimmune rheumatic disease of yet unknown etiology, which is characterized by erosive arthritis (synovitis) and systemic inflammatory lesions of internal organs. Why does rheumatoid arthritis develop? The reason has not been established. We can only talk about the factors that serve as a starting point: various infections, hypothermia, injuries, prolonged exposure to the sun and, of course, stress.
With rheumatoid arthritis in the morning, there is a feeling of stiffness in the joints (as if you put on tight leather gloves and cannot bend your hand into a fist), lasting more than 1 hour. Symptoms persist for more than 3-6 weeks, disturb daily and do not go away after taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
If there are these symptoms, you need to get to a rheumatologist as soon as possible – he will prescribe a blood test, and then – treatment.
Another common cause is osteoarthritis, or osteoarthritis as it used to be called. This disease primarily affects the cartilage, as well as ligaments, periarticular muscles. The large joints usually affected are the knee and hip joints. It develops more often in overweight people and has a genetic predisposition.
With this disease, the patient has pain in the joint, it is mechanical in nature, that is, it occurs during movement (walking). At rest, there is usually no pain. Sometimes there is swelling and redness of the joint. There are no specific blood tests that can prove the presence of osteoarthritis. This is one of the main differences from other rheumatological diseases. An x-ray can detect it, sometimes an ultrasound is additionally prescribed.
The treatment of osteoarthritis is long, it is very important to engage in physiotherapy exercises and you will also have to take special drugs for several years.