Muscle Inflammation: What It Is, Causes and Symptoms

Muscle inflammation can cause pain, affect our daily routine and even impact our mood, which ultimately leads to a reduced quality of life. In this article, we explain what you can do to treat muscle inflammation.

Muscle inflammation: what is it?

Muscle inflammation is a stage that forms part of the healing process. During this stage or phase, our immune system sends cytokines and prostaglandins, among other chemical substances, to the site of an injury in order to repair the tissue. In other words, inflammation is a protective response from our body, although it can also cause pain and discomfort.

Causes of muscle inflammation

Muscle inflammation can be caused by different factors:

• Intense exercise or muscle overload can damage muscle fibres, triggering the body’s protective immune response.
• Muscle injuries such as contractures, muscle tears, tendinitis or fasciitis, among other injuries caused by knocks or trauma.
• Viral or bacterial infections: some of these can affect the muscles, causing inflammation.
• Metabolic or endocrine disorders: conditions such as thyroid imbalance or diabetes can make muscle inflammation more likely.
• Autoimmune diseases, which occur when the immune system attacks the body itself, leading to chronic inflammation.
• A sedentary lifestyle followed by sudden exertion.

Symptoms of muscle inflammation

Muscle inflammationcan present in different ways. The most common are:

• Localised pain: one of the first symptoms to appear, affecting a specific area of the body.
• Swelling: caused by the build-up of fluid as a result of the immune response.
• Redness and warmth over the affected area, which appear when the inflammatory response is active.
• Stiffness and loss of function: certain movements may become limited or difficult to perform.
• General fatigue: creating a feeling of muscle weakness, even while at rest.

What can you take for muscle inflammation?

As we have already seen, muscle inflammation is a protective response by the body to an injury, which involves inflammation and can lead to pain, stiffness and swelling... To relieve muscle inflammation, the following may be considered:

• Anti-inflammatory medicines: these are active ingredients that help reduce inflammation and, as a result, relieve muscle pain. Some of the most commonly used medicines for muscle inflammation are NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as naproxen, ibuprofen or diclofenac, which are particularly effective for muscle problems because they reduce the production of prostaglandins, which are responsible for muscle inflammation.
• Painkillers: these are active ingredients that relieve pain but do not act on the inflammation. One example of a painkiller is paracetamol. For that reason, in these cases it is often more advisable to choose a medicine with anti-inflammatory action.
• Muscle relaxants: these are active ingredients prescribed by a doctor that help relieve the severe muscle tension that accompanies inflammation. They may cause side effects such as drowsiness.
• Corticosteroids: these are very effective active ingredients used in the most severe cases to reduce inflammation. However, as with muscle relaxants, they also require a prescription.

Whenever the inflammation does not go down, the pain persists, or there is a clear injury, we recommend seeing a doctor so that they can make an accurate diagnosis and establish the most suitable treatment.

To relieve the symptoms of muscle inflammation or improve muscle health, at Farmaciasdirect we recommend the following products:

Treatments for muscle inflammation

The different remedies available to reduce muscle inflammation include creams, medicines and supplements. Among them, we recommend the following:

Voltadol Forte Gel

This is a topical anti-inflammatory medicine that does not require a prescription. Its active ingredient is diclofenac diethylamine, which helps relieve pain, reduce inflammation and speed up recovery. This cream for muscle inflammation is ideal for the treatment of muscle and joint inflammation and pain.

It is applied twice a day (every 12 hours) with a gentle massage until absorbed. The texture is very fluid, it has no smell and it does not stain.

Pranarôm Aromalgic Joint Roll-On

This is a very practical topical product thanks to its format, as it has 3 massage balls in the applicator, making it easier to apply, improving absorption and effectiveness, and easing pain thanks to the local massage, its cooling effect and its formula rich in essential oils. For all these reasons, the Pranarom joint roll-on is perfect for the targeted treatment of pain.

It can be applied 3 times a day (every 8 hours). Light texture, non-greasy.

Solgar Glucosamine MSM Complex

This is a food supplement designed to prevent and improve the symptoms associated with muscle inflammation. Just one tablet of Solgar Glucosamine MSM Complex combines the action of glucosamine (not sourced from shellfish) with MSM, herbal extracts, vitamin C and manganese. These tablets for muscle inflammation from Solgar support the correct absorption of active ingredients and the proper functioning of muscles and joints.

Take 1 tablet with lunch and 1 tablet with dinner. Gluten-free. Suitable for vegans.

Pure Encapsulations Arthro Aktiv

Food supplement providing vitamins, turmeric, chondroitin sulphate, collagen, hyaluronic acid and manganese. The synergy of active ingredients present in Arthro Aktiv contributes to the proper functioning of muscles and joints.

Take 2 capsules a day.

Muscle inflammation can become limiting and affect our daily routine, reducing our quality of life. However, with good monitoring and treatment, it can improve significantly and heal properly or make the condition much easier to manage.

Other care measures to reduce inflammation

To speed up and support the healing process of muscle inflammation and improve the associated symptoms, the following recommendations can be followed:

• Rest: essential for the muscle to recover and to prevent the problem from worsening.
• Elevation: in certain injuries, it may help by encouraging accumulated fluids to drain away from the area.
• Apply cold or heat for muscle inflammation: cold helps reduce inflammation and numbs the area. Afterwards, heat can be used to relax tense muscles and reduce stiffness. This can be done using compresses or heat packs. It is worth bearing in mind that the choice of treatment will also depend on the type of injury.
• Massage: it can help reduce muscle stiffness and improve circulation, allowing the muscle to relax. It should be done carefully so as not to worsen the problem.

We recommend seeing a doctor whenever there is inflammation, so that they can establish the diagnosis and the correct treatment.