Almost everyone has sore, aching muscles now and then. Muscle pain can involve a small area or your whole body. The pain may range from mild to severe and limit movement. Muscle pain may begin suddenly or worsen over time. It also may be worse after activity or at certain times of the day. You may feel pain, soreness, cramping, aching, stiffness or burning.

Most muscle aches and pains go away on their own within a short time. Sometimes muscle pain can linger for months. Muscle pain can be felt almost anywhere in your body, including your neck, back, legs, arms and even your hands.

Causes

The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually limited to just a few muscles or a small part of your body.

Muscle pain that is felt throughout your whole body is most often caused by an infection, such as the flu. Other causes include more-serious conditions, such as some diseases or health conditions that affect the muscles. Muscle pain also may be a side effect of certain medicines.

Common causes of muscle pain include:

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Claudication
Dermatomyositis
Dystonia
Fibromyalgia
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
Influenza (flu) and other viral illness (influenza-like illness)
Low levels of certain vitamins, such as vitamin D
Lupus
Lyme disease
Medications, especially the cholesterol medications known as statins
Muscle cramp
Muscle strains (An injury to a muscle or to tissue that connects muscles to bones, called a tendon.)
Myofascial pain syndrome
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyositis (This condition inflames the body’s tissues causing muscle weakness.)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sprains (Stretching or tearing of a tissue band called a ligament, which connects two bones together in a joint.)
Too much or too little of electrolytes, such as calcium or potassium

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