Muscle pain is a sign of the presence of excessive stress on the musculoskeletal system. They can occur for various reasons and are too often underestimated. A factor that leads to the occurrence of serious damage to the body and above all to limiting physical well-being.
Understanding what muscle pain is is important in order to intervene appropriately when it occurs. From this perspective, below we will evaluate what they are, the main causes and the most useful natural remedies.
What are muscle pain
Pain is a term that is associated with a negative condition in which discomfort is felt in a muscle. It could be a contracture, a sign of fatigue or the presence of a more serious situation. In fact, we often forget that pain in nature is a system that has a dual function:
• report the presence of danger to the body;
• protect the muscle.
These two aspects are fundamental, given that they offer the body the possibility of intervening by limiting the state of discomfort. Let's see why.
Firstly, pain has the function of indicating that there is a condition of difficulty in a muscle, such as inflammation or excessive fatigue due, for example, to training. This allows you to activate a protection mechanism through which the pain impulse, received by the brain, leads to limiting the movement of a specific area.
Furthermore, the electrical impulse connected to the condition of suffering is useful for stimulating the regrowth of muscle tissue which will take place in a variable time based on each person's ability to recover mobility.
Understanding this aspect is crucial, so as not to see pain as a simple problem, but a tool through which to resolve the difficulties that arise at a muscular level and broadening the sphere to include the general well-being of every living being.
What are the main causes of muscle pain
Muscle pain can be caused by various factors. Let's see what the main ones are:
• training;
• damage to the muscle;
• muscle growth;
• psycho-physical tiredness;
• presence of a pathology;
• lack of nutrients;
• pain due to natural aging.
Among the main factors that cause muscle pain is training linked to a sporting activity. In fact, to produce movement, a muscle contracts using energy and at the same time releasing residues linked to the biochemical process which are called lactic acid. Part of it is reused by the muscle in order to produce more energy, but the remaining energy is deposited between the different muscle groups. This generates the typical feeling of heaviness and also, in case of excessive training, pain.
Another cause to consider is the presence of damage to the muscle such as contracture, inflammation or impact damage. Pain, as we have seen, allows us to limit the contraction, avoiding other more serious consequences.
However, not all muscle pain is bad. After a workout, carried out appropriately and without excessive loads on the muscles, you may have a feeling of discomfort linked precisely to the growth of the muscle.
What causes this type of pain? Simply put, it is as if small wounds were created inside it which, once healed between 24 and 72 hours, make the muscle tissue stronger, more flexible and capable of withstanding greater physical stress.
Returning to the pains that are considered annoying and which must be treated carefully, there are those linked to autoimmune pathologies that affect the nervous and muscular systems.
An example are some diseases such as fibromyalgia , some forms of osteoporosis or those linked to a neurological and degenerative condition.
Pain can also occur due to a situation of psychophysical tension, or due to a diet that is too poor in substances necessary for the muscles to support movement. In this case, the suffering is due to the inability of the muscle to complete the contraction process, given the exhaustion of elements such as: proteins, mineral salts and pure sugars.
Finally, it can be linked to the passage of time and the degeneration of the fibers which weaken, in a completely natural way. Just consider that old age causes less tissue flexibility, with a reduction in vascularization and the heart's ability to bring nutrients to the body.
Remedies to relieve muscle pain
What to do when you have muscle pain? It is useful, first, to try to understand the cause. For example, it is necessary to evaluate whether it is due to a particular motor activity or another reason. Today, there are various natural remedies that allow you to prevent, treat and combat pain. Here are the most effective solutions.
Physical activity: yes, but without exaggerating
Moving is good, as it stimulates circulation, tones muscles and counteracts the passage of time. Low-impact aerobic work can be very useful, as it allows you to lose weight as well as strengthen your muscles. In other cases, you can also dedicate yourself to more demanding activities, but always respecting your body limits. One of the most common mistakes is to often overdo a sporting activity. It will be important to know the behavior of your body and stop without exaggerating.
Prevent contractures
If you are about to carry out any physical activity, a valid remedy to combat muscle pain is to prevent it. How to do? In this circumstance, the warm-up, even if minimal, can counteract any problems with the muscle groups, avoiding contractures and, in the most serious cases, strains or tears. It will therefore be sufficient to start a motor activity with a certain gradualness in order to allow the temperature at the muscular level to increase.
Pay attention to the quality of your sleep
Another remedy for tiredness and muscle pain is sleep, a determining factor for the well-being of every individual. During hours of rest our body limits its activity by regenerating itself. For this reason, if you want to overcome muscle discomfort, you will need to sleep long and above all well. Furthermore, to have a positive effect on the body, sleep must be continuous and restorative.
Finally, it can be useful to have precise habits, and therefore go to sleep every day in the same time slot, turn off every digital system and use a book to reconcile it.
Stretch consistently
Each muscle must have the strength to perform a specific function, but also be elastic and therefore adapt to movement. Something that can be achieved by constantly stretching, before and after a workout, or in the presence of a fatigue situation.
Create a correct food profile
To move, muscles need energy derived from nutrients. In fact, carbohydrates are used for immediate activities, proteins are the basis for building muscle, while fats provide a long-term form of energy. Furthermore, you will have to take the right dose of vitamins and mineral salts, which can be acquired from vegetables or by using specific foods that are very rich in them.
An example are the products available on our e-commerce. Thanks to the presence of spirulina, it will be possible to combine the intake of nutrients with its anti-inflammatory and stimulating properties. In this way you will have a balanced nutritional profile suitable for improving well-being and providing the body with all the energy necessary for daily life.
Use spirulina-based foods
Today, different types of spirulina are available both in powder form and in specific foods. In fact, it is a substance that contains a high percentage of vitamins and mineral salts, essential for your daily well-being and to supplement any deficiencies due to a particular dietary profile.
An example is our pasta, honey, rice or corn snacks and pecorino cheese, all containing a precise percentage of spirulina. Furthermore, you can try drinks such as apple extract and craft beer, or condiments such as vegan mayonnaise and Becagli Bio sauce.
The effects of spirulina are evident immediately, with a reduction in pain, until it disappears. Furthermore, it may be useful to take it later in order to prevent any unpleasant situations, such as inflammation and contractures.
Fill up on antioxidants
Remaining on the topic of nutrition, it is useful to consume a certain quantity of natural antioxidant substances in your diet. From tomatoes to cabbage, from blueberries to green tea, from fruit rich in Vitamin C to pomegranate. These foods allow you to counteract the formation of free radicals, with an anti-aging effect, improving the body's well-being and above all offering useful substances to the muscles.
Take the right amount of natural anti-inflammatories
There are some substances present in nature, such as spirulina, which have unique properties, including the ability to intervene on the inflammatory state by reducing it. The process is completely natural, thus resulting in an improvement in the state of well-being of the muscle. Furthermore, in case of damage, spirulina and other natural anti-inflammatories also contribute to faster regeneration.
Keep your body hydrated
Finally, among the advice on how to combat fatigue, we must not forget to drink the right amount of water, which is essential to combat muscle pain, given that it is the basis of the main physical reactions. Furthermore, a well-hydrated body will allow adequate sweating as the temperature drops, limiting any damage to tissues and organs. Finally, water contains mineral salts and calcium, essential for the well-being of muscles and to combat fatigue.
