What Could Be Causing My Musculoskeletal Pain?

Musculoskeletal pain can affect bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. To best treat your pain, it's crucial to determine which structures are being affected. While injuries are the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain, it can also occur with other medical conditions or diseases.

This article discusses musculoskeletal pain, its potential causes, and treatment options.

What Does Musculoskeletal Pain Feel Like?

Musculoskeletal pain is typically localized to the body part affected by an injury or disease. In addition to pain, musculoskeletal conditions can cause other symptoms, such as:

• Crepitus (noises in the joints when they are moved, such as cracking or popping)
• Decreased range of motion
• Fatigue
• Redness
• Stiffness
• Swelling (edema)
• Warm skin
• Weakness
  

Musculoskeletal conditions can affect various body parts and systems, such as the nervous system. For example, if your spine is injured, it can put pressure on nerves that run from your spine to your arms and legs. When this happens, you might experience symptoms such as tingling or numbness.

What Causes Musculoskeletal Pain?

Injuries to the bones, ligaments, tendons, or muscles often cause musculoskeletal pain. However, there are also non-musculoskeletal contributors to pain.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are often caused by trauma or repetitive use.

Examples of traumatic musculoskeletal disorders include:

• Fractures (broken bones)
• Joint dislocation (bones move out of place)
• Sprains (injury to ligaments—the structures that connect bone to bone)
• Strains (injury to a muscle)
• Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons that connect muscle to bone)
• Tendon tears

Repetitive use disorders frequently affect people who participate in sports activities or have jobs that require repeated movements or awkward positions.

Common work-related factors that can contribute to musculoskeletal pain include:

• Bending over
• Holding the arms overhead for long periods
• Keeping the neck in a forward-bent position
• Lifting heavy objects
• Use of hand tools
• Use of vibrating machinery
  

Non-Musculoskeletal Contributors to Pain

Musculoskeletal pain can develop from other conditions not related to trauma or overuse.

Examples include:

• Infections
• Poor posture
• Tumors (cancerous or non-cancerous)

Referred pain—a problem in one part of the body that causes pain in a different area—can also affect the musculoskeletal system. This occurs because the structures are supplied by the same nerve pathways in the spinal cord—such as arm pain during a heart attack.

Types of Musculoskeletal Pain

Pain affecting the musculoskeletal system can vary based on the underlying cause and the affected structures.

Bone Pain

Traumatic injuries are the most common cause of bone pain. However, it can also occur with conditions such as infections or cancer. This type of pain is often described as penetrating, dull, and deep.

Muscle Pain (Myalgia)

Muscle pain—or myalgia—is often described as cramps or spasms. Muscle pain frequently occurs from injury but can also develop from infection, overuse, some drugs, or tumors.

Tendon and Ligament Pain

Musculoskeletal pain can be caused by damage to tendons (connecting muscles to bone) or ligaments (connecting bone to bone). Tendon and ligament pain is often described as sharp. This type of pain is exacerbated with movement and improves with rest.

Joint Pain

Joint pain—also called arthralgia—has many different causes. Joint pain can be acute (short-lasting) or chronic (lasting more than 12 weeks).

Acute joint pain is typically caused by injury or infection, while chronic joint pain is usually a result of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Joint pain often occurs both with activity and at rest.

Back Pain

Back pain is very common. Low-back pain is the leading cause of disability globally.

Back pain can feel dull and achy or be sharp. Back pain can also lead to radiculopathy—pinched nerves—causing numbness or a feeling of an electrical shock in the arms or legs, depending on the location of the injury.

Nerve Compression Pain

Nerve compression pain occurs when a nerve is pinched at the root, where it exits the spine (radiculopathy), or anywhere the nerves travel through the arms or legs—known as nerve entrapment.

In addition to pain, nerve compression can cause tingling/electrical shock, decreased sensation in the affected area, or numbness—a condition called peripheral neuropathy.

Chest Pain

Chest pain isn't always a sign of a heart attack; the musculoskeletal system can also cause it.

Common musculoskeletal causes of chest pain include:

• Costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and the breastbone)
• Intercostal muscle strain (pulled muscle between the ribs)

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain throughout the body—most commonly in the ligaments and tendons. It does not affect bones or muscles. The exact cause of this condition is unknown.

Pain from fibromyalgia can come and go or last all day. It can feel like aching, soreness, stiffness, gnawing, or burning pain.

Diagnosis of Musculoskeletal Pain

Diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain begins with a physical examination by a healthcare provider. This includes:

• A review of symptoms
• Palpation (assessing the area with touch)
• Checking your range of motion
• Blood work, sometimes, to help rule out potential non-musculoskeletal causes

Diagnosis also commonly includes imaging, such as:

• X-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
  

Treatment Options for Musculoskeletal Pain

There are a variety of treatment options available for musculoskeletal pain.

Hands-On Therapy

Hands-on therapy is a standard treatment for musculoskeletal conditions. Several types of health professionals can help relieve symptoms, such as physical therapists, massage therapists, and chiropractors.

Examples of hands-on therapy interventions include massage, stretching, and joint manipulation. In addition, physical therapists can provide exercises and other modalities to reduce pain and help prevent injury recurrence.

Complementary Therapies

Complementary therapies can also be helpful for treating musculoskeletal conditions. Examples include:

• Acupuncture
• Dry needling
• Cryotherapy
• Aquatic therapy
• Kinesiotaping
• Yoga or tai chi

Medications

Many people with musculoskeletal pain rely on over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for treatment. Examples include Aleve (naproxen), Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), and Bayer (aspirin). Tylenol (acetaminophen) can also help reduce pain. If you experience pain that does not improve with OTC pain relievers, talk to a healthcare provider about prescription-strength NSAIDs.

Additional medication treatment options include topical pain-relieving creams—such as Aspercreme or Biofreeze—and cortisone injections.

Aids and Devices

Musculoskeletal disorders can make everyday life more difficult. Consider using adaptive aids (also called adaptive equipment) to help with tasks such as getting dressed and cooking. An occupational therapist can assist you in determining which aids might be appropriate for your specific condition.

Assistive devices like a walker or cane may help improve mobility. A physical therapist can help you determine which device is appropriate and how to use it safely.

Surgery

When conservative treatment fails, musculoskeletal conditions might require surgery.

For example, severe osteoarthritis in the knee is frequently treated with joint replacement surgery. Torn tendons in the shoulder might require rotator cuff repair. Severe broken bones might require an ORIF—open reduction internal fixation surgery.

Lifestyle Modifications and Self-Care Strategies

You can't always prevent musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, but there are measures you can take to help reduce your risk.

Examples of helpful lifestyle and self-care strategies are:

• Exercise regularly and include stretches and strengthening exercises.
• Incorporate relaxation and stress management techniques into your day.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Maintain proper posture.
  
• Stop the activity if you have pain.
• Take frequent breaks during physical tasks.
• Use proper body mechanics and ergonomics.
  

Summary

Musculoskeletal pain is common. It most often occurs from injury or with repetitive tasks. Many healthcare providers order imaging, such as X-rays and MRIs, to help diagnose these conditions. Pain usually improves with conservative treatment, such as medications, hands-on therapy, and activity modifications. In severe cases, surgery is required.

Seeking medical attention early on can help increase your chances of improvement with conservative treatment.