Body aches are a symptom of a health condition, infection, or medication side effect. They cause a dull pain that can be hard to pinpoint.
A major distinguishing factor in diagnosing body aches is whether or not you have a fever with your accompanying symptoms.
Causes of Body Aches With a Fever
Body aches and pains accompanied by a fever often indicate that an infection is the cause.
Infections like the common cold or flu cause the immune system to ramp up. With the immune system working harder, it releases white blood cells to eliminate the infection. This causes inflammation, which leads to muscle and body aches.
One of the upsides to body aches is that it is a sign that the immune system is working to clear the infection.
Causes of Body Aches Without Fever
Stress
When the body is stressed, it tenses up. It is how the body protects itself from injury and pain. When someone has chronic stress, they can be guarded on a more constant basis, causing them to have body aches, muscle pain, and headaches.
Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions cause the body to feel achy. These include:
Fibromyalgia
Osteoarthritis
Lyme disease
Lupus
Hypothyroidism
Autoimmune conditions can generally cause body aches, as the immune system works overtime, causing pain.
Medications
Some kinds of medications can cause muscle pain and body aches. These include:
Statins
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics
Chemotherapy
Wegovy and Body Aches
A newer medication that is used for weight loss called Wegovy (semaglutide) can cause body aches and pains along with other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Dehydration
When the body is dehydrated, there is less fluid in the tissues, and an electrolyte imbalance may cause body aches.
Sleep Deprivation
Lack of sleep can cause inflammation in the body, often resulting in muscle aches and pains and exacerbating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Vitamin D Deficiency
When the body doesn't have enough vitamin D, it can't properly absorb calcium and phosphorus, leading to muscle and bone pain.
Muscle Injury
Pain and discomfort from a muscle injury—such as a strain or sprain—can occur in a specific body area. Other symptoms can include stiffness, difficulty moving the muscle, swelling, and bruising.
Self-Care for Body Aches
The first step in recovering from body aches is to treat the underlying cause. Other ways to treat body aches at home include:
Staying hydrated: Drink fluids like electrolyte drinks, broth, soup, and water.
Heat: Heat from a shower, bath, or heating pad can loosen tight muscles and provide soothing comfort.
Rest: Resting and sleeping help improve the immune system, which in turn helps to get rid of infections and illnesses.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication: NSAIDs like ibuprofen can ease body aches by reducing the inflammation within the body.
Diagnosing Body Aches
When dealing with body aches, see a healthcare provider if:
Your body aches have not improved after three to five days
You have a rash
You're experiencing severe redness or swelling
You have insect bites
A healthcare provider will evaluate the body aches. They may ask questions to help determine the cause. These questions may include:
When did the body aches start?
Are there any other symptoms?
Have you started new medications?
Does anything make the body ache better or worse?
Prescription Treatment for Body Aches
There is no specific prescription treatment for body aches. However, a healthcare provider may prescribe medication to treat the underlying cause of the aches. For example, the provider may prescribe antibiotics if someone has a bacterial infection causing body aches.
How Long Body Aches Take to Subside
Body aches should subside within three to five days. If the aches have not gotten better, then it is time to contact a healthcare provider.
Summary
Body aches cause dull pain that can stem from several causes. Treatment should be aimed at treating the underlying cause. Home treatments such as drinking fluids, heat, and rest should also be used to help soothe soreness. Contact a healthcare provider if body aches do not improve or worsen.