Muscle Stiffness : Causes, Types, Treatment and Symptoms

Muscle stiffness refers to the sense that muscles are tight, uncomfortable, or unyielding, making movement difficult. This frequent condition can be caused by excessive physical exertion, prolonged inactivity, physical overexertion, or bad posture. While it is generally transitory and can be treated at home with stretching and rest, it can also indicate an underlying medical concern.

Most Common Muscle Stiffness Symptoms:

• Difficulty performing daily tasks
• Reduced range of motion
• Tightness and tension
• Muscle sensitive to touch (tenderness)
• Cramps and spasms
• Pain and soreness

Common, Uncommon or Underlying Causes of Muscle Stiffness

Muscle stiffness can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from small difficulties such as overexertion to major underlying medical diseases. It is a sense of tightness that limits movement and may be accompanied by pain or cramps. The several other causes for muscle stiffness that may or may not directly influence the symptom.

• Engaging in new strenuous exercises may lead to a delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS).
• Prolonged sitting or bed rest, and a sedentary lifestyle.
• Poor body posture puts strain on specific muscle groups, including neck, back & shoulders.
• Straining of the muscle and trauma to the muscle.
• Dehydration or lack of fluids, such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
• Emotional and psychological stress.
• Several infections, like influenza, Lyme disease, and more.
• Insect bites or stings can cause a toxic reaction in the muscle.
• Certain medications
• Exposure to extreme heat and cold.
• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, myoitis or rheumatoid arthritis
• Neurological disorders, such as stiff-person syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
• Inflammatory conditions, such as fibromyalgia and polymyalgia rheumatica
• Several endocrine and metabolic disorders, like McArdle’s disease, or hypothyroidism
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• More serious causes are Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Muscular Dystrophy, Myasthenia Gravis, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

When to Seek a Specialist for Your Muscle Stiffness?

Persistent or severe muscle stiffness, particularly when combined with other symptoms, may necessitate the consultation of a rheumatologist, orthopedic, or neurologist to diagnose and treat underlying disorders. The best place to begin an initial assessment is with a primary care physician (PCP), who can determine whether a specialist referral or immediate medical intervention is required.

• Severe muscle weakness
• Neck stiffness accompanied by a fever
• Persistent pain or stiffness that lasts for more than a few days
• Swelling or redness in the affected area
• Stiffness worsens despite home remedies
• When muscle stiffness is associated with headache, fatigue, or breathing difficulties
• When you experience muscle pain after starting a new medication.
• Severe morning stiffness that lasts for more than 30 minutes.
• Apparent deformity in the muscle or joint

Don’t wait for signs to grow severe. Consult our Ortho Specialists today

Diagnostic Approach for Muscle Stiffness

A clinician usually employs a standard approach to identify the underlying cause of muscular stiffness, which includes a thorough medical history, physical examination, and, if necessary, laboratory and imaging testing.

• The specialist may initially record the point of origin or stiffness, its behavioral pattern and the time it intensifies.
• They may ask their patient about the nature of the pain and its complete description.
  Notice its level of activity.
• Go through the recent prescription history and lifestyle factors.
• Physical examination involves a range of motion, palpation, and overall inspection, including neurological signs.
• Laboratory testing, such as genetic testing, infection screening, and blood tests.
• The surgeon may perform specialized tests such as muscle biopsy and electromyography, and nerve conduction studies.

Types of Muscle Stiffness

Muscle stiffness can be classified in a number of ways, including by the underlying ailment that causes it or by its length (acute vs. chronic). Some, such as post-exercise pain, are minor and transient, while others are signs of serious neurological or immunological diseases.

Some common types of Muscle Stiffness include:

1. Based on the duration:
   Chronic stiffness: goes on for a prolonged period of time and doesn’t resolve quickly
   Acute stiffness: Develops 12-24 hours after the activity and subsides within a few days to a week.
2. Based on the underlying cause:

• Muscle rigidity: increased resistance to passive movement, indicating neurological disorders like parkinson’s, accompanied by tremors and a limited range of motion.
• Hypertonicity: a.k.a high muscle tone, which can result from various stressors, while myotonia is a specific genetic condition where muscles (a person’s grip) fail to relax after voluntary use.
• Spasticity: a velocity-dependent muscle tightness that increases with faster movement, caused by central nervous system damage from conditions like cerebral palsy or MS.
• Myotonia: a genetic disorder symptom where the muscle fails to relax after a voluntary contraction. It includes myotonic dystrophy and myotonia congenita.
• Tetany: a type of muscle spasm caused by severely low calcium levels (hypocalcemia) that lead to painful, involuntary muscle contractions.

How to Treat Muscle Stiffness Symptoms?

Most people find that at-home treatments, lifestyle changes, and over-the-counter medications help relieve muscle stiffness brought on by inactivity or overexertion. Medical treatments such as physical therapy or prescription muscle relaxants may be required for severe or chronic stiffness.

For underlying causes, treatments & management strategies include:

• Heat therapy: Take a warm bath or use a heat compress to increase blood flow to the muscles.
• Cold therapy: Apply a cold pack for 20 minutes to reduce the inflammation and numb the area.
• Stretching: Gentle regular stretching to improve circulation and increase flexibility, or static stretching where you hold the position for 15-30 seconds.
• Massage: Gently massage the affected area with a tennis ball or a foam roller.
• Epsom salt bath: Magnesium in these salts helps relax muscles and relieve soreness.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to counter muscle stiffness.
• Rest: Get plenty of rest unless the stiffness subsides.
• Certain medications: Over-the-counter medication (pain relievers & NSAIDs), and prescribed muscle relaxants.
• Physical and massage therapy: To release chronic tension, improve circulation and mobility, and correct muscle imbalances
• Maintain a good posture and try not to overexert a set of muscles.
• Ergonomic changes: Make changes in your workplace and home furniture
• Exercise regularly and make an appointment for an acupuncture session

What if Muscle Stiffness is Left Untreated?

The consequences of not treating muscle stiffness can range from modest complaints to major, permanent damage and exacerbation of underlying medical issues. While overexertion-induced stiffness usually disappears on its own, chronic or severe stiffness should not be overlooked.

Some possible complications of an untreated Muscle Stiffness include:

• Loss of flexibility: shortening of the connective tissues surrounding the muscles.
• Frozen joint: joint instability leading to a decreased range of motion.
• Chronic pain conditions: untreated stiffness can lead to myofascial pain syndrome, causing pain at the “trigger points”.
• Muscle atrophy: A decrease in the size and strength of the muscle fibres after 2-3 weeks of inactivity.
• Pinched nerves: From chronic pressure on the nearby nerves.
• Worsened neurological disorder: Restricted mobility and worsening involuntary movements.
• Worsened autoimmune disorder: Widespread inflammation potentially affecting internal organs.
• Worsening mental health effects such as severe anxiety, depression.
• Increased risk of injuries, such as pain and fractures
• Tissue damage from increased inflammation

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