What Causes Muscle Aches and Pains?
Muscle pain triggered by overexertion is believed to be the result of microscopic tears in the muscle, which heal by themselves in a matter of days. The cause of cramps, however, remains something of a mystery. These painful spasms may be due to overexertion (causing a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles), overstretching the muscle (such as by wearing high heels), poor conditioning and flexibility (the result of prolonged inactivity), an imbalance of the minerals that control muscle contraction and relaxation (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium), medication (such as diuretics), or perhaps dehydration. Treatment and Prevention Neither type of muscle pain is serious or damaging, and both can be prevented and treated with specific muscle exercises such as simple stretching, massage with pain-masking liniments. Conventional doctors usually prescribe a pain medication, such as acetaminophen or an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. In more severe mu
