Has it ever happened to you? Those days when you come home with horrible pain in your arms and legs, a very sharp heaviness that prevents you from even moving and that forces you, even if you don’t want to, to have to rest.
It is important to note that it is a very common type of ailment and that it is usually due to muscle overload or simple tiredness at the end of the day. It is not usually of major importance, however, we should start to worry if these discomforts are continuous and last for months.
Let’s talk today about this topic, about pain in arms and legs.
Causes that can cause pain in arms and legs
Pain in the extremities is a really common type of ailment. It doesn’t matter how old we are. Moreover, the younger population, between 8 and 17 years old, usually suffers from it due to growth and these phases of physical changes where the limbs undergo variations as these structures mature.
And what about the adult population? What is the reason for this pain in arms and legs? Let’s take a look.
1. Colds and flu
Pain in the arms and legs can appear days before the flu or cold is evidenced with all its symptoms. This ailment is part of the typical picture of these seasonal diseases that we have all gone through.
Now, you may be wondering why it also affects the extremities and why we suffer from such acute muscle pain. All this is due to the viral infection that our body suffers and the reaction it produces to defend itself. A large number of lymphocytes are released to fight against this internal enemy but, in turn, this defensive release causes a rise in temperature and the release of inflammatory molecules (prostaglandins). And all this resulted in the classic pain in the legs, arms, general malaise and fever.
So, it is very possible that before the cold or flu arrives, you will have as your first symptoms that pain in your arms and legs.
2. Joint pain
A very common cause from the age of 50. We cannot forget that the arms and legs are the parts of the body that we use the most throughout the day, and that they are made up of complex joints that, for various reasons, become inflamed or wear out.
This causes heaviness, tiredness, a very particular burn in the thigh area and also in the shoulder area. In other words, the pain is not concentrated exclusively in the joint, but usually radiates to the entire muscle and the entire limb.
3. Blood circulation problems
Generally , arm and leg pain associated with poor blood circulation is accompanied by other symptoms that you should be aware of. Notes:
- Numbness in the arms and legs, accompanied by cramps that reach the hands and feet.
- Appearance of some ulcers on the legs.
- Loss of strength in the hands, noticing that we drop things frequently.
- Headaches.
- Bluish tone in the nails.
- Dizziness as soon as we woke up.
- Feeling heaviness in the legs and sometimes noticing swollen hands and fingers.
- Varicose veins in the legs.
Be aware of these types of signs that always accompany poor blood circulation. It is very important, especially if you sometimes feel strong tachycardia and suffocation. In this case, you should go to the doctor immediately, because it would be a symptom of a heart problem. Don’t forget!
4. Possible fibromyalgia
When talking about fibromyalgia, we must take into account if this pain in the arms and legs is continuous, if we suffer it over several months and if this sometimes prevents us from being able to carry out our normal work rhythm.
However, it is also important to take into account this series of associated symptoms:
- The pain is accompanied by great tiredness.
- There are really painful points on the body, such as the hips, the nape of the neck, the collarbone, the elbow joint, the knee area and the buttocks.
- There is also a lot of difficulty sleeping and one of the most critical hours of the day is in the mornings, when we have to get up.
- We suffer from migraines, small memory losses and difficulties concentrating.
To conclude, it should be noted that, in general, pain in the arms and legs is due to simple tiredness and usually appears late in the day. However, as we have indicated at the beginning, the moment you notice that these pains last for weeks or months and prevent you from being able to lead a normal life, it will be time to go to the doctor.
Never forget to try to live a healthy life, eat properly and get a little exercise. Properly managing our stress also avoids this type of overload that always tends to be located in musculoskeletal areas.
Source: Better with Health
