Muscle pains in different parts of the body are one of the very common complaints that people meet a doctor for. The complaint reduces slightly with some medicines, but recurs often. Yet, the blood tests turn out to be normal. This condition is known as myofascitis in medical terms. The muscles in our body are not simply stacked up in our body. They are arranged appropriately and have a thin covering around them which holds the muscles together. This covering is known as fascia. The inflammation of the fascia due to unusual movement of the muscles may cause slight compression to the nerves and blood vessels that pass underneath and this leads to pain in the region.
The inflammation that occurs to the fascia around the muscles and the swelling associated with it is known as myofascitis. The region of myofascitis may be painful to pressure due to the compression of the nerves in the region. In 90% of people, this condition occurs in 4 or 5 kinds of muscles which include the muscle on the side of the neck known as the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the muscle on the back of the neck, which is a thin layer of muscle known as the trapezius, or the three sets of muscles seen around the shoulder blades on the back.
The inflammation may lead to pain in the arm or legs too due to compression of the nerves supplying to these regions. These pains may occur when a person who is not used to doing much work does a lot of work suddenly one day. This is because of sudden strenuous movement of an otherwise unused muscle. But some people may have persistent pain and inflammation on a regular basis and this is known as the myofascial pain syndrome. This is seen as persistent pain and discomfort with weakness and inability to work.
They may even have pain in the chest region in the intercostal muscles which are muscles that connect the ribs. There may be cramps in the chest on coughing or needleprick-like pain in the chest on breathing in. This pain may radiate towards the shoulder and arms. The steps that can be taken to prevent the occurrence and intensity of myofascitis are
1. Maintaining proper sleep. At least 7 hours of sleep daily can reduce the possibility of myofascitis greatly.
2. Hydration of the body. Drink 3 L of water per day as hydration is very important for the proper functioning of muscles. When we drink a lot of water, the water enters the spaces between these muscles and the hydration of the body is maintained.
3. Avoid excess stress and tension. People who have tension, depression, and anxiety and who have lack of sleep due to this may have persistent body aches and myofascitis. Yoga is a very good option for these individuals. Breathing exercises help a lot to prevent the myofascitis that affects the muscles around the lungs and the neck.
4. Regular exercises. Stretching exercises of all muscles of the body help with the myalgias and inflammation. Also, the muscles must be warmed up with some stretches before doing strenuous activities like ploughing, chopping wood, etc.
5. Keep the skin dry when sweating excessively. Prevent absorption of sweat on the body. So, if you are doing some work with excessive sweating, you must use a towel to wipe the sweat on the back of your head and ears and the region below the ears on either sides of the neck, and behind the neck regularly. If the sweat remains on the surface for long time, it is similar to water on the surface of the body. In people who have a tendency to inflammation, this may lead to myofascitis due to the persistence of sweat on the skin for long. Also, try not to sweat immediately after taking a bath. Also, do not pour water over your head or body immediately after coming from a hot environment with excessive sweating as the sudden exposure to cold may cause inflammation of the muscles.
6. Rinse off completely any oil that might be applied during a bath.
7. Change to a vegetable-based diet. If you need to eat non-vegetarian food, opt for the lean proteins like fish, chicken, etc. as the red meats like beef increase the tendency to inflammation in the body. Foods that are excessively processed or contain a lot of salt, sugar, or spices must be avoided. People having inflammatory tendencies must reduce the use of fried foods and foods containing trans-fats, sugars and processed carbohydrates. Insulin, which is produced in the pancreas, provides energy to all the muscles of the body. The changes in insulin metabolism, insulin resistance, may cause muscle pain and inflammation in the body according to studies.