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Suggest Remedy For Muscles Pain And Headache Post Extensive Workout

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Posted on Wed, 18 May 2016
Question: hi.. I am 27 years old.. two days ago we had a work amazing race event where I was running non stop pretty much for an hour and a half.. later that night I started to get muscle pain and the next morning was pretty stiff I n the muscles on both legs thigh to ankle. that morning I noticed under my left arm a pain.. later that day I noticed the right arm also had pain under armpit.. it's tender and painful to touch and when pressed the right armpit I can feel a slight lump.. accompanied with it later that night was a headache.. took some parasol which helped the muscle pain a bit and headache .. should I get this checked out?? this morning now still the same with the armpit tender and bit painful and slightly swollen in the right one.. left one can't feel that but still painful and tender.. and muscle pain too in the legs
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Muscle recovery after extreme exertion:

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Running for an hour and a half is extremely demanding if you have not trained extensively for this kind of activity beforehand. So I am not surprised that your muscles are painful and tender and you had a headache.

Your muscles may take several days to recover as they almost certainly were generating energy anaerobically at some point. Lots of extra rest and lots of water will help. Make sure to eat well. A gentle massage may also help too. And a bath with or without epsom salts, but make sure you are well hydrated before doing this so that you don't get light headed. Switching from Parasol to ibuprofen may help as ibuprofen addresses pain and inflammation. Take it after eating food so that it doesn't bother your stomach.

Armpits contain arm and chest muscles, and so the movement of your arms while running may have made these tender too.

However, if the lump, which may be a lymph node, remains and doesn't diminish in the next couple of days, then I would advise you go in to get that checked out. Most likely it is swollen from drainage from the neighboring muscles, but I can't say without examining it. If it resolves, you don't need to go in.

If the overall feeling achy and painfulness and headache don't diminish in the next few days then do go in to get checked out, but with adequate rest, fluids, and ibuprofen as needed, you should be feeling better soon.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (22 minutes later)
Hi
Thanks for the reply. it is reassuring. I just wanted to check as I have probably never done anything so physically demanding since I was a kid and I don't go to the gym so wasn't sure if this was normal.. especially the painful tender swelling under the armpits.. I read up on Google and gave me quite a fright about possible causes of axillary lymphoedopathy. . and since I do get some joint pain (ankle pain probably from standing all day at work) and sometimes a bit of wrist pain (probably from typing) and also my right knee was a bit injured about 8 months ago and then since I've hit it repeatedly and end up with a pain in the muscle tissue just above the knee I think that hasn't gone away... all this might have got me a bit worried about rheumatic arthritis or sclerodoma but that doesn't seem to be plausible as I got it right after exercising and your explanation seems to be very plausible. . thanks:)
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I think your current pain is expected.

Detailed Answer:
Oh yes, reading things on the internet can be very frightening! It is helpful for getting a general idea about what illnesses are possible, and information on them, but not too helpful for what illnesses are probable.

Rheumatic diseases like RA or scleroderma tend to be accompanied by fevers and other problems. I do not suspect those to be the case here. You would not have been able to do a 1 1/2 hour race if you had these conditions in an active form. If you were to now start to get fevers and the aches and pains didn't go away after a week I'd say yes, go in for a sedimentation rate test and an ANA test.

But right now your symptoms are totally explainable from over exertion. So rest easy (and take it easy physically) and you will be better soon.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3133 Questions

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Suggest Remedy For Muscles Pain And Headache Post Extensive Workout

Brief Answer: Muscle recovery after extreme exertion: Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, Running for an hour and a half is extremely demanding if you have not trained extensively for this kind of activity beforehand. So I am not surprised that your muscles are painful and tender and you had a headache. Your muscles may take several days to recover as they almost certainly were generating energy anaerobically at some point. Lots of extra rest and lots of water will help. Make sure to eat well. A gentle massage may also help too. And a bath with or without epsom salts, but make sure you are well hydrated before doing this so that you don't get light headed. Switching from Parasol to ibuprofen may help as ibuprofen addresses pain and inflammation. Take it after eating food so that it doesn't bother your stomach. Armpits contain arm and chest muscles, and so the movement of your arms while running may have made these tender too. However, if the lump, which may be a lymph node, remains and doesn't diminish in the next couple of days, then I would advise you go in to get that checked out. Most likely it is swollen from drainage from the neighboring muscles, but I can't say without examining it. If it resolves, you don't need to go in. If the overall feeling achy and painfulness and headache don't diminish in the next few days then do go in to get checked out, but with adequate rest, fluids, and ibuprofen as needed, you should be feeling better soon. I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.