Everything from stress to the flu to certain chronic illnesses can cause body aches. Here's a look at what may be causing your symptoms.
You may just need rest and some treatment at home to relieve your body aches. But some aches, especially ones that last a long time, may mean that you have an underlying condition. In these cases, you may need to see your doctor for a diagnosis. They can create a long-term treatment plan to can relieve your aches and other associated symptoms.
1. Stress
When you’re stressed out, your immune system can’t control its response to inflammation as well. As a result, your body can’t fight off infections or sickness as well as it usually can. This can cause your body to ache as it becomes more susceptible to inflammation and infection throughout your body.
Watch out for other symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as:
abnormally high heart rate
increased blood pressure
hot flashes or cold sweats
hyperventilating
abnormal physical shaking
headaches, such as tension headaches or migraines
If you think stress is causing your body aches, make small changes to your daily lifestyle to reduce your stress as much as possible. Try these steps:
Meditate for a few minutes per day. Focus on your breathing and take your mind off the people or events causing you stress.
Take a walk or leave a stressful environment to remove yourself from triggers.
Share your feelings of stress with someone you trust to help articulate the cause of your stress.
If you’re losing sleep over stress, try relaxation techniques before bed or take short naps throughout the day to refresh yourself.
2. Dehydration
Water is an essential ingredient for your body’s normal and healthy functioning. Without it, your body can’t properly perform many of its important processes, including breathing and digestion. When you become dehydrated and these processes don’t work well, you can feel physical pain as a result.
Other symptoms of dehydration include:
dark urine
dizziness or disorientation
exhaustion
extreme thirst
If you don’t drink enough water, especially on a hot or dry day, you can become dehydrated quickly. You should aim to drink about eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, plus more if you’re physically active and sweating.
If you’re dehydrated because of a condition like diarrhea, drink plenty of water until the episode passes. Drinking water or beverages with extra electrolytes can help keep you hydrated and replace the electrolytes lost to diarrhea, too.
If you can’t keep water down, see your doctor right away or seek emergency medical help to make sure you don't become severely dehydrated.
3. Lack of sleep
Not getting enough sleep can impact your overall health. You need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night, including the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Your body’s tissues and cells need proper sleep to stay healthy, and your brain needs it to stay refreshed and alert. Without it, your body doesn’t have the time to rest and replenish essential energies and processes. This can lead to pain.
Other symptoms of sleep deprivation include:
confusion or disorientation
falling asleep during the day without realizing it
trouble understanding when reading or listening to others
trouble speaking properly
trouble remembering things
Try to establish a consistent sleep schedule every night. Your body needs to follow a daily rhythm, or circadian rhythm, to stay healthy.
Try techniques to relax before bed, such as:
drinking hot tea or other hot beverage
meditating
listening to music or a podcast
having white noise in the room, such as from a fan.
4. Cold or flu
A cold and the flu are both viral infections that cause inflammation. These infections attack your body, and your immune system attempts to fight them off. Inflammation, especially in your throat, chest, and lungs, can be painful. The rest of your body might ache, too, as your body works hard to fight the infection.
Other common symptoms of a cold or flu include:
sore throat
hoarse voice
sneezing or coughing
thick, colored mucus
headaches or earaches
Getting rest, drinking plenty of water, and gargling with warm salt water to ease your throat pain can help your body get over a cold or the flu quickly. Over-the-counter medications, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and ibuprofen (Advil), can help relieve your symptoms and aches.
If you have cold or flu symptoms for more than a few weeks, or if you can’t eat, drink, or breathe properly, see your doctor. They can help treat your infection.
5. Anemia
Anemia happens when your body doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, so your body tissues can’t get enough oxygen. With anemia, many parts of your body can feel fatigued because they don’t get enough oxygen to remain healthy or to function properly.
Other symptoms of anemia include:
exhaustion
abnormal heart rate
dizziness or disorientation
head or chest pain
cold feet or hands
pale skin
Anemia has many causes. If you don’t have enough iron, folate, or vitamin B-12 in your system, taking a supplement for the deficiency may treat your anemia.
If supplements don’t help, see your doctor for an examination and possible diagnosis so that you can treat the underlying condition.
6. Vitamin D deficiency
Hypocalcemia, or a low blood calcium level, can happen when you don’t have enough vitamin D in your body. Many of your body’s important organs, such as your kidneys and muscles, rely on calcium to work properly. Your bones also need calcium to stay healthy. Without enough vitamin D to help you absorb calcium, you can feel aching in these organs and in your bones.
Other symptoms include:
body cramps
muscle twitching or spasms
dizziness or confusion
numbness
seizures
7. Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis is best known as mono, also called “the kissing disease.” It’s an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It’s very contagious, and one of the most common symptoms is body aches. Aches and fatigue may be caused in a generalized fashion or from inflammation and swelling blocking your airway.
Other symptoms include:
extreme exhaustion
swollen tonsils or lymph nodes
rash
sore throat
fever
8. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can affect your whole respiratory system, which is responsible for your breathing, sweating, and other important functions. If you can’t breathe well, your body can’t get enough oxygen to keep your red blood cells and tissues healthy. This can cause aches and pain all over your body.
Other symptoms include:
coughing
pain in your chest
exhaustion
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
shortness of breath
hot flashes and cold sweats
fever
9. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition where your entire body, including your muscles and bones, can feel exhausted, achy, and sensitive. The cause of fibromyalgia is uncertain, but stressful events such as physical trauma, surgery, and infections may trigger it.
Other symptoms include:
trouble sleeping
sensitivity to light or sound
stiffness, especially in the morning
trouble remembering or thinking
tingling sensations in your hands and feet
10. Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that causes you to feel exhausted and weak, no matter how much rest or sleep you get. It often causes insomnia. Because your body doesn’t feel rested or replenished, CFS can also cause aches in the muscles and joints throughout your body.
Other symptoms include:
trouble sleeping
sore throat
headaches
trouble remembering or thinking
dizziness or confusion
11. Arthritis
Arthritis happens when your joints become inflamed. This can be caused by:
the cartilage around your joints breaking down, as in osteoarthritis
infection in a joint
autoimmune conditions that wear away the lining around your joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis or SLE
These can all cause aches in your joints and limit your movement.
Other symptoms of arthritis include:
stiffness in your joints
swelling, warmth, or redness around the joint
not being able to move a joint all the way
Learn more: Ayurvedic treatment for arthritis »
12. Lupus
Lupus happens when your immune system attacks the tissues around your body, including blood vessels, organs, and joints. Because of the damage and inflammation caused by this autoimmune condition, pain and aches in the body are common.
Other symptoms include:
exhaustion
rash
fever
swelling or redness around joints
seizures
sensitivity to sunlight
13. Lyme disease
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi spreading to your body through a tick bite. Aches are a common symptom, especially in your muscles and joints. If Lyme disease goes untreated, it can cause neuromuscular and joint conditions, such as arthritis and facial paralysis.
Other symptoms include:
exhaustion
hot flashes and cold sweats
fever
headaches
14. Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by airborne spores from the soil or the droppings of bats or birds. These are common around construction projects, farmlands, or caves, where large amounts of spores are released into the air.
Body aches are a common symptom of histoplasmosis. Other symptoms include:
chills
fever
chest pain
headaches
coughing
15. Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be an autoimmune condition. It’s a central nervous system condition in which the tissue around your nerve cells, called myelin, breaks down because of constant inflammation. The damage interrupts your nervous system’s ability to transmit sensations properly. As a result, you can feel aches, pain, tingling, or other abnormal sensations.
Other symptoms include:
weakness
exhaustion
blurry vision
temporary or permanent blindness, typically in only one eye
trouble walking or staying balanced
trouble remembering or thinking
SEE YOUR DOCTOR When to see your doctor
Seek emergency medication attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
trouble breathing
trouble eating or drinking
passing out
seizures
extreme fatigue or exhaustion
bad cough that won’t go away after a few days
If other, milder symptoms last for more than two weeks, see your doctor. They can examine you for a possible underlying condition. They can then give you a treatment plan to help reduce the aches and treat the cause.
Is this cause for concern?
Body aches are a common symptom of many conditions. The flu is one of the most well-known conditions that can cause body aches. Aches can also be caused by your everyday life, especially if you stand, walk, or exercise for long periods of time.You may just need rest and some treatment at home to relieve your body aches. But some aches, especially ones that last a long time, may mean that you have an underlying condition. In these cases, you may need to see your doctor for a diagnosis. They can create a long-term treatment plan to can relieve your aches and other associated symptoms.
1. Stress
When you’re stressed out, your immune system can’t control its response to inflammation as well. As a result, your body can’t fight off infections or sickness as well as it usually can. This can cause your body to ache as it becomes more susceptible to inflammation and infection throughout your body.
Watch out for other symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as:
abnormally high heart rate
increased blood pressure
hot flashes or cold sweats
hyperventilating
abnormal physical shaking
headaches, such as tension headaches or migraines
If you think stress is causing your body aches, make small changes to your daily lifestyle to reduce your stress as much as possible. Try these steps:
Meditate for a few minutes per day. Focus on your breathing and take your mind off the people or events causing you stress.
Take a walk or leave a stressful environment to remove yourself from triggers.
Share your feelings of stress with someone you trust to help articulate the cause of your stress.
If you’re losing sleep over stress, try relaxation techniques before bed or take short naps throughout the day to refresh yourself.
2. Dehydration
Water is an essential ingredient for your body’s normal and healthy functioning. Without it, your body can’t properly perform many of its important processes, including breathing and digestion. When you become dehydrated and these processes don’t work well, you can feel physical pain as a result.
Other symptoms of dehydration include:
dark urine
dizziness or disorientation
exhaustion
extreme thirst
If you don’t drink enough water, especially on a hot or dry day, you can become dehydrated quickly. You should aim to drink about eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, plus more if you’re physically active and sweating.
If you’re dehydrated because of a condition like diarrhea, drink plenty of water until the episode passes. Drinking water or beverages with extra electrolytes can help keep you hydrated and replace the electrolytes lost to diarrhea, too.
If you can’t keep water down, see your doctor right away or seek emergency medical help to make sure you don't become severely dehydrated.
3. Lack of sleep
Not getting enough sleep can impact your overall health. You need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night, including the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Your body’s tissues and cells need proper sleep to stay healthy, and your brain needs it to stay refreshed and alert. Without it, your body doesn’t have the time to rest and replenish essential energies and processes. This can lead to pain.
Other symptoms of sleep deprivation include:
confusion or disorientation
falling asleep during the day without realizing it
trouble understanding when reading or listening to others
trouble speaking properly
trouble remembering things
Try to establish a consistent sleep schedule every night. Your body needs to follow a daily rhythm, or circadian rhythm, to stay healthy.
Try techniques to relax before bed, such as:
drinking hot tea or other hot beverage
meditating
listening to music or a podcast
having white noise in the room, such as from a fan.
4. Cold or flu
A cold and the flu are both viral infections that cause inflammation. These infections attack your body, and your immune system attempts to fight them off. Inflammation, especially in your throat, chest, and lungs, can be painful. The rest of your body might ache, too, as your body works hard to fight the infection.
Other common symptoms of a cold or flu include:
sore throat
hoarse voice
sneezing or coughing
thick, colored mucus
headaches or earaches
Getting rest, drinking plenty of water, and gargling with warm salt water to ease your throat pain can help your body get over a cold or the flu quickly. Over-the-counter medications, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and ibuprofen (Advil), can help relieve your symptoms and aches.
If you have cold or flu symptoms for more than a few weeks, or if you can’t eat, drink, or breathe properly, see your doctor. They can help treat your infection.
5. Anemia
Anemia happens when your body doesn’t have enough properly functioning red blood cells, so your body tissues can’t get enough oxygen. With anemia, many parts of your body can feel fatigued because they don’t get enough oxygen to remain healthy or to function properly.
Other symptoms of anemia include:
exhaustion
abnormal heart rate
dizziness or disorientation
head or chest pain
cold feet or hands
pale skin
Anemia has many causes. If you don’t have enough iron, folate, or vitamin B-12 in your system, taking a supplement for the deficiency may treat your anemia.
If supplements don’t help, see your doctor for an examination and possible diagnosis so that you can treat the underlying condition.
6. Vitamin D deficiency
Hypocalcemia, or a low blood calcium level, can happen when you don’t have enough vitamin D in your body. Many of your body’s important organs, such as your kidneys and muscles, rely on calcium to work properly. Your bones also need calcium to stay healthy. Without enough vitamin D to help you absorb calcium, you can feel aching in these organs and in your bones.
Other symptoms include:
body cramps
muscle twitching or spasms
dizziness or confusion
numbness
seizures
7. Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis is best known as mono, also called “the kissing disease.” It’s an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It’s very contagious, and one of the most common symptoms is body aches. Aches and fatigue may be caused in a generalized fashion or from inflammation and swelling blocking your airway.
Other symptoms include:
extreme exhaustion
swollen tonsils or lymph nodes
rash
sore throat
fever
8. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can affect your whole respiratory system, which is responsible for your breathing, sweating, and other important functions. If you can’t breathe well, your body can’t get enough oxygen to keep your red blood cells and tissues healthy. This can cause aches and pain all over your body.
Other symptoms include:
coughing
pain in your chest
exhaustion
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
shortness of breath
hot flashes and cold sweats
fever
9. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition where your entire body, including your muscles and bones, can feel exhausted, achy, and sensitive. The cause of fibromyalgia is uncertain, but stressful events such as physical trauma, surgery, and infections may trigger it.
Other symptoms include:
trouble sleeping
sensitivity to light or sound
stiffness, especially in the morning
trouble remembering or thinking
tingling sensations in your hands and feet
10. Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that causes you to feel exhausted and weak, no matter how much rest or sleep you get. It often causes insomnia. Because your body doesn’t feel rested or replenished, CFS can also cause aches in the muscles and joints throughout your body.
Other symptoms include:
trouble sleeping
sore throat
headaches
trouble remembering or thinking
dizziness or confusion
11. Arthritis
Arthritis happens when your joints become inflamed. This can be caused by:
the cartilage around your joints breaking down, as in osteoarthritis
infection in a joint
autoimmune conditions that wear away the lining around your joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis or SLE
These can all cause aches in your joints and limit your movement.
Other symptoms of arthritis include:
stiffness in your joints
swelling, warmth, or redness around the joint
not being able to move a joint all the way
Learn more: Ayurvedic treatment for arthritis »
12. Lupus
Lupus happens when your immune system attacks the tissues around your body, including blood vessels, organs, and joints. Because of the damage and inflammation caused by this autoimmune condition, pain and aches in the body are common.
Other symptoms include:
exhaustion
rash
fever
swelling or redness around joints
seizures
sensitivity to sunlight
13. Lyme disease
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi spreading to your body through a tick bite. Aches are a common symptom, especially in your muscles and joints. If Lyme disease goes untreated, it can cause neuromuscular and joint conditions, such as arthritis and facial paralysis.
Other symptoms include:
exhaustion
hot flashes and cold sweats
fever
headaches
14. Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by airborne spores from the soil or the droppings of bats or birds. These are common around construction projects, farmlands, or caves, where large amounts of spores are released into the air.
Body aches are a common symptom of histoplasmosis. Other symptoms include:
chills
fever
chest pain
headaches
coughing
15. Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be an autoimmune condition. It’s a central nervous system condition in which the tissue around your nerve cells, called myelin, breaks down because of constant inflammation. The damage interrupts your nervous system’s ability to transmit sensations properly. As a result, you can feel aches, pain, tingling, or other abnormal sensations.
Other symptoms include:
weakness
exhaustion
blurry vision
temporary or permanent blindness, typically in only one eye
trouble walking or staying balanced
trouble remembering or thinking
SEE YOUR DOCTOR When to see your doctor
Seek emergency medication attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
trouble breathing
trouble eating or drinking
passing out
seizures
extreme fatigue or exhaustion
bad cough that won’t go away after a few days
If other, milder symptoms last for more than two weeks, see your doctor. They can examine you for a possible underlying condition. They can then give you a treatment plan to help reduce the aches and treat the cause.
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