Pain seems to become more prevalent in our lives the older we become, but even our young people seem to be suffering from pain as well. It is common to have muscle pain any time of day, but often will be more persistent at night. Determining the cause of your muscle pain will make it easier to decide on the treatment.

If your muscles are sore from physical activity you may want to ice them. Putting heat on sore muscles is good but start with the ice. Alternating between the two should give you some relief. Try ten minutes of ice, five minute break than ten minutes of heat. A gentle massage may help as well, but the quickest way to battle sore muscles is to keep them stretched out. By continually stretching through the day after vigorous exercise, you keep the muscles warm and limber. You will reduce the severity of the stiff and sore feeling you normally would have gotten.

If the pain you are experiencing is similar to a muscle cramp, or “Charley Horse” as they are often called, it is likely you are not getting enough calcium. By getting more calcium into your system you will be giving your muscles and bones something to grow on, thus eliminating much of your muscle pain. This is a long term solution. For immediate relief you can apply a warm water bottle and gently try to stretch out the muscle with the cramp. If this increases the cramp, stop and gently massage the area. These types of pains usually come and go quickly. Try to get comfortable and work gently on the area in pain.

Another common muscle pain is the very general leg ache. Children seem to suffer from these regularly at night. This is also a common sign of low calcium absorption. Liquid calcium may more effectively be used by your body. For a quick fix a warm bath will ease the ache. If the pain comes in the middle of the night you may not want to take a bath, so using a warm water bottle or heating pad will work as well. Often in adults their legs ache but the distress is not from the leg but back or hip fatigue. Try placing the heating pad under your hips or along your back to loosen up the muscles and see if this gives relief to your legs. You can also apply a hot/cold cream that will relax the muscle. Check for warnings before using these on children.

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