Muscular Pain

Leg Muscle Pain
Leg Muscle Pain Causes

Leg muscle pain has many potential causes. Sometimes the source of the pain is obvious. You often get bumps and bruises when you participate in sports - even so called non-contact sports.

When you have a sports injury, you can usually identify where it came from and when you got it. So in this article, we won't spend much time on muscle strains, muscle spasms, muscle cramps, fractures and bruises. We'll focus instead on leg muscle pain caused by something you can't identify right away.

There are some systemic conditions and illness that cause leg muscle pain along with muscle pain in other parts of the body.

Here's a quick description of some of the most common.

Lupus is a serious autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in your joints and muscles. When you have lupus, your autoimmune system attacks your own body. As a result, muscles in the legs and elsewhere can become swollen, painful and weak.

The medical name of this condition is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE.

Fibromyalgia is a somewhat mysterious disease that can cause muscle pain anywhere in the body, including the legs. It typically affects muscles, ligaments, tendons and their surrounding soft tissue rather than joints. To learn more, click on fibromyalgia pain.

Fibromyalgia pain can be relatively mild, like a dull ache. Or it can be sharp and severe.

Infections in other parts of the body can cause muscle pain. We're all familiar with the body aches that accompany illnesses like pneumonia and flu.

Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever Both these diseases are transmitted by tick bites. Both are extremely serious illnesses that feature muscle pain as a symptom. Ticks are pictured to the left.

Another disease that can cause muscle pain in the legs and elsewhere is malaria. Malaria is much more common in tropical and sub-tropical climates, and it's transmitted by the bite of a certain type of mosquito.

Arthritis causes pain in the joints. But sometimes the pain can be widespread enough that it feels like it's happening in the muscles near the joints. This is especially true in the legs around the knee joints. See arthritis pain and joint pain.

Arthritis is relatively common in people above the age of 40, but it can also strike children. More than 100 types of arthritis have been diagnosed.

Sciatica is a condition that is actually caused by a nerve, although it often feels like it's happening in a muscle. The sciatic nerve is one of the largest in the body. I originates in the back and travels down through the buttocks and legs all the way to the foot.

When the sciatic nerve is damaged, it often causes buttock pain and leg pain. Click on sciatic nerve pain for additional information.

Leg muscle wear, tear and overuse

Overuse is a frequent cause of leg muscle pain. Too much enthusiasm for certain exercises can result in soreness and leg pain. Experts recommend, of course (no doubt you've heard this before) that you take some time to stretch and warm up before exercising or jogging.

Muscle pain and soreness in the legs can also be a sign of disorders that affect joints and connective tissues throughout the body. These include bursitis, tendinitis, and gout.

Miscellaneous leg muscle pain causes

Muscle pain may also be due to:

Certain drugs have been known to cause side effects that include muscle pain. Prominent among these are the so-called ACE inhibitors for lowering blood pressure, and statins that are designed to lower cholesterol levels. If you're taking either of these medications, they may have something to do with your discomfort.

Certain illegal drugs have been known to cause muscular pain and soreness, especially cocaine.

Muscle uscle pain in the legs may also be the result of electrolyte imbalances in the body. If there's not enough calcium or potassium in your diet, you're a candidate for muscle pain.

Trichinosis, also known as roundworm can be a cause of muscle pain.