Question about myalgia (muscle pain)

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"Dr Morrow,

In was pleased to respond to your email of October 13 and filling out the customer satisfaction survey. As I have indicated, I'm delighted with Arthroleve. It is affording me relief from joint pain that I was unable to find anywhere else.
I do have a question for you, however: Do you know of any product that will successfully elevate pain in my arm muscles?
I have tried Co Enzyme A-10, I have temporarily discontinued Cholesterol-lowering medications like Lipitor for up to 3 weeks but I still have really bad pain in my biceps. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Perhaps University [Health Industries] produce a product that I should try.
Thank you for ant thoughts on my problem."


Thank you for your question. I would first strongly advise you to visit your doctor about these concerns. The most important thing is for your doctor to determine the cause of your myalgia. Muscle pain or myalgia can have a wide variety of causes, some of which can be serious, and many of which can be corrected. Your doctor should obtain a comprehensive medical history and perform a physical exam as well as some relevant investigations.

Has you doctor checked your (CPK) creatine phosphokinase level? Since you were taking a medication such as lipitor, which can cause a serious condition known as rhabdomyolysis, it is a very important test.

Some causes of muscle pain can include:

1. Electorlyte imballances including:
a)hypokalemia (low potassium levels) which can be identfied by blood work.
b)hypcalceimia (low calcium levels)
2. Medications which lower cholesterol (Statins)--very serious condition known as rhabdomyolysis.
3. Infections.
4. Fibromyalgia.
5. autoimmune disorders
6. Hypothryoidism


Call your doctor if:

1. Your muscle pain persists beyond 3 days
2. You have severe, unexplained pain
3. You have any sign of infection, like swelling or redness around the tender muscle
4. You have poor circulation in the area where you have muscles aches (for example, in your legs)
5. You have a tick bite or a rash
6. Your muscle pain has been associated with starting or changing doses of a medicine, such as a statin

Call 911 if:

1. You have sudden weight gain, water retention, or you are urinating less than usual
2. You are short of breath or have difficulty swallowing
3. You have muscle weakness or cannot move any part of your body
4. You have vomiting, a very stiff neck, or high fever

However, the most common cause of causes of muscle pains are sprains and strains. Sprains are injuries which occur to ligaments and strains are injuries to muscles themselves. Provided that you are under the medical care of your doctor, if he determines that the cause of the pain is related to a muscle strain, these are some simple treatment options...