Treatment of myositis at home. Back muscle myositis: symptoms and treatment at home Antibiotics for muscle pain

Refers to a condition involving inflammation in one or more muscles. Weakness, swelling and pain are the most characteristic symptoms of myositis. Myositis can be caused by infections, trauma, autoimmune diseases, and side effects of medications. Treatment for myositis depends on the cause of the disease.

Causes

Caused by various conditions that lead to inflammation in the muscles. Causes of myositis can be divided into several main groups:

Inflammatory diseases causing myositis

Diseases that cause inflammation throughout the body can affect the muscles, causing myositis. Many of these conditions are autoimmune diseases, in which antibodies have a damaging effect on the body's own tissues. Inflammatory diseases causing potentially severe myositis include:

• Dermatomyositis
• Polymyositis
• Myositis ossificans (Munchmeyer's disease)

Other inflammatory diseases can cause more mild forms of myositis:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Scleroderma
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Inflammatory diseases are the most serious causes of myositis, requiring long-term treatment.

Infectious myositis

Viral infections are the most common infection causing myositis. Much less commonly, myositis can be caused by bacteria, fungi or other microorganisms. Viruses or bacteria can directly affect the muscles themselves or through secreted toxins. Acute influenza viruses, as well as immunodeficiency virus, can also be cause of myositis.

Medicines that cause myositis

There are many medications that can cause permanent muscle damage. Since it is not possible to confirm the inflammatory process in such cases, these conditions are sometimes called myopathy rather than myositis. Medications that cause myositis and/or myopathy include:

• Statins
• Colchicine
• Plaquenil
• Alpha interferon
• Cocaine
• Alcohol

Myopathy may appear immediately after starting medication or after some time (several months), especially when it comes to drugs. As a rule, drug-induced myositis is rarely severe.

Myositis after injury. Intense exercise, especially with untrained muscles, can lead to muscle pain, swelling and weakness for hours or days after exercise. Inflammation in the muscles is associated with microtears in the muscle tissue and, as a rule, the symptoms of such myositis quickly disappear after sufficient rest. Sometimes, with severe muscle damage, necrosis of muscle tissue is possible. This condition is called rhabdomyolysis. It occurs when a large group of muscles is damaged and is accompanied by a general reaction of the body to necrotic muscle tissue. Myoglobin molecules can change the color of urine from brown to red.

Symptoms of myositis

Main myositis symptom- muscle weakness. The weakness may be obvious or only discovered during testing. Muscle pain (myalgia) may or may not be present.

Dermatomyositis, polymyositis and other inflammatory diseases accompanied by myositis are manifested by muscle weakness with a tendency to gradually increase over weeks or months. Muscle weakness can affect numerous muscle groups, including the neck, shoulders, hips, and back muscles. Typically, there is bilateral muscle weakness.

Muscle weakness from myositis can lead to falls, and even difficulty performing simple motor functions such as getting up, from a chair or from a bed. Other symptoms of myositis that may be present with inflammatory diseases include:

• Rash
• Fatigue
• Thickening of the skin on the hands
• Difficulty swallowing
• Breathing problems

Patients with myositis caused by a virus usually have symptoms of the viral infection, such as a runny nose, sore throat, cough, nausea, and diarrhea. However, symptoms of a viral infection may disappear several days or weeks before symptoms of myositis appear.

Some patients with myositis have muscle pain, but often there is no pain. Half of patients with myositis due to an inflammatory disease do not have intense muscle pain.

Most muscle pain is not associated with myositis, but with muscle overstrain or a reactive reaction to acute respiratory diseases (acute respiratory infections or influenza). These and other common muscle pains are called myalgias.

Diagnostics

A doctor may suspect myositis based on symptoms such as muscle weakness, pain, and other symptoms consistent with myositis. The following are used in the diagnosis of myositis:

Blood tests. Elevated levels of muscle tissue enzymes (eg, creatine kinase) may indicate muscle tissue damage. Autoantibody tests can identify autoimmune disease.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A scan using a powerful magnet and a computer produces images of the muscles. MRI analysis helps identify areas of muscle damage currently and over time.

Electromyography (EMG). By inserting needle electrodes into the muscles, the doctor can test how the muscles respond to electrical stimulators and nerve impulses. EMG allows you to identify muscles that are weak or damaged by myositis.

Muscle biopsy. This is the most accurate analysis when diagnosis of myositis. The doctor identifies the weak muscle, makes a small incision, and removes a small piece of muscle tissue to examine the tissue under a microscope. Muscle biopsy provides reliable diagnosis of myositis.

There are many causes of muscle weakness and muscle pain more common than myositis. And therefore, the diagnosis of myositis may not be made immediately, but after some time.

Treatment

Treatment of myositis depends on the cause of the disease.

The inflammatory (autoimmune) diseases that cause myositis often require treatment with drugs that suppress the immune system, including:

• Prednisone
• Imuran
• Methotrexate

Myositis caused by an infection, usually viral, does not require treatment. Myositis caused by bacteria is not common and requires treatment with antibiotics (up to intravenous administration in order to avoid a dangerous condition for the body such as sepsis).

Although acute necrosis of skeletal muscle is rare with myositis, if rhabdomyolysis is present, it is necessary to hospitalize the patient because large fluid infusions must be administered to prevent kidney damage.

Drug-related myositis is treated by stopping the medications. In cases of myositis caused by statin drugs, muscle inflammation decreases within a few weeks of stopping the drug.

Muscle inflammation, or myositis, is a condition in which painful nodules form in muscle fibers.

As a rule, this disease is chronic. Let's take a closer look at the causes of muscle inflammation and methods of treating this disease.

Causes of muscle inflammation

Myositis can develop for a variety of reasons. Usually its appearance is provoked by the following factors:

1. Various toxic effects on humans.

2. Previous injuries.

4. Various infectious diseases in the body.

5. Acute respiratory diseases (flu or ARVI).

6. So-called “occupational diseases”. This may be a job that involves staying in one position for a long time. For example, camera operators, drivers and musicians are forced to sit for several hours and not use the movements of the lower body. This leads to muscle stagnation, cramps and, as a consequence, muscle inflammation.

7. Hypothermia.

8. Infection in an open wound can also cause myositis.

Muscle inflammation: causes and forms of the disease

There are two main forms of myositis: acute and chronic. Each of them has its own characteristics.

The acute form of myositis is accompanied by pronounced symptoms. The direct opposite is the chronic form of the disease, which is characterized by periodic outbreaks of pain.

In addition, myositis has two types: polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

1. Polymyositis characterized by damage to several muscle groups at once. In this state, a person will suffer from weakness and body aches, malaise, and pain. Sometimes the pain syndrome will be so severe that the patient will not even be able to climb the stairs on his own or walk a long distance.

The main problem of polymyositis is that in this condition a person’s muscles atrophy very quickly (due to lack of physical activity), which further complicates the course of the disease. Moreover, if left untreated, polymyositis can cause joint swelling, poor circulation, and even arthritis.

The good news is that with timely treatment, this type of myositis quickly recedes before it becomes chronic.

2. Dermatomyositis usually seen in middle-aged women. The main reason for the development of this pathology has not yet been identified. Presumably, dermatomyositis is provoked by a virus, hypothermia, acute respiratory disease, or a person’s hereditary predisposition.

With dermatomyositis, the patient's upper skin on the torso, face and outer side of the arms is severely affected. In this case, the rash will have a pronounced red tint.

In its acute form, dermatomyositis is accompanied by fever, malaise and muscle weakness.

In addition, depending on the location of the disease, there are:

1. Myositis of the neck.

2. Myositis of the back.

3. Myositis of the thighs, etc.

The most dangerous is myositis of the neck.

Muscle Inflammation: Symptoms and Signs

Muscle inflammation has the following course and symptoms:

1. Acute myositis is characterized by aching pain, which gradually increases and intensifies with physical activity. In this case, the patient will feel small nodules in the affected muscle groups, which cause pain.

2. Puffiness and swelling of the affected muscles.

3. Weakness and malaise.

4. Increased body temperature.

7. Hyperemia of the skin in the area of ​​the inflamed muscle.

8. The appearance of a rash is characteristic of one of the forms of myositis - dermatomyositis.

9. Stiffness in movements.

10. Muscle pain, which intensifies when the weather changes or stays in one position for a long time.

11. Feeling of muscle stagnation in the morning.

Muscle inflammation: treatment methods

Traditional therapy for myositis is aimed at:

Elimination of the inflammatory process;

Relief of acute pain syndrome;

Reducing elevated temperature;

Relieving muscle tension;

Improving blood circulation and lymph flow;

Elimination of muscle hypertonicity.

In addition, treatment in this condition is selected individually for each patient, depending on the cause that provoked myositis and the general condition of the patient.

Drug treatment includes the following:

1. The patient must be prescribed oral anti-inflammatory drugs. Most often, medications such as Ortofen, Analgin and Diclofenac are used for this purpose. They will help not only relieve pain, but also lower body temperature and relieve inflammation.

2. If the disease is caused by an infection, then the patient is prescribed antibiotics. They should be taken for five to ten days.

4. For severe pain and spasms in the muscles, antispasmodics (No-spa) are used.

5. In case of infectious myositis and respiratory diseases, a person must eliminate this source of the disease. For this purpose, he is prescribed antiviral drugs and mucolytics.

6. If a patient has a purulent form of myositis, then in addition to treatment with antibiotics, it is advisable for him to open the affected muscle and clean out the pus from there. In this case, you can also install a drainage in the wound (a tube through which purulent secretion will flow out).

It is important to know, that if the pus is not removed from the inflamed muscle, it can cause infection and an abscess.

7. If myositis is extensive and lasts a long time, it will cause severe intoxication of the body. For this reason, a person is prescribed intravenous administration of cardiac drugs, potassium, vitamin and immunomodulators.

8. Local treatment involves the use of ointments based on snake and bee venom (Apizartron or Viprosal). You can also use other ointments with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Muscle inflammation: treatment features and prevention

After drug treatment, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic therapy. It provides for the following procedures:

1. UHF therapy.

2. Magnetic therapy.

3. Phototherapy.

4. Electrophoresis.

5. Amplipulse.

6. Phonophoresis.

7. Acupuncture.

8. Acupressure.

9. Vacuum therapy.

It is worth mentioning separately about massage treatment. It must be performed by a professional. Massage can be done after eliminating the acute inflammatory process in the muscles.

The traditional course of such treatment is 10 sessions. After this, you need to take a break and conduct 1-2 maintenance sessions every two weeks.

During treatment, the patient should adhere to the following doctor’s recommendations:

1. Wrap the sore limb with an elastic bandage to normalize blood circulation.

2. Limit physical activity.

3. It is advisable to move with the help of a cane to slightly ease the pain and stress on the legs.

4. Take calcium and vitamin complexes.

5. Avoid stress and nervous tension.

Fortunately, a disease such as myositis can be prevented. To do this, you just need to follow these recommendations:

1. Dress for the weather and avoid hypothermia.

2. Treat various viral or infectious diseases in a timely manner and prevent their development.

4. When working sedentarily, find five minutes to warm up your body and do light exercises, which should be done at least every hour.

5. When the first signs of muscle inflammation appear, immediately consult a doctor to prevent the disease from becoming chronic (then myositis takes much longer and is more difficult to treat).

6. Lead a healthy lifestyle and eat well so that bone and muscle tissue can receive all the necessary nutrients and microelements.

7. Support immunity. To do this, it is advisable to give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol) and exercise. It is best to do swimming, running, fitness or yoga.

8. Do not self-medicate, since myositis is inherently considered a rather complex disease that is very difficult to cure without taking medications.

Pain in the neck area is most often considered a clinical manifestation of osteochondrosis or myositis. Their main difference is the onset of pain several hours after exposure to the provoking factor.

Symptoms of neck myositis are characterized by increasing pain, the intensity of which increases when trying to turn the neck or lower the head. The pain can spread to the shoulder area, head (back of the head and front), and also moves to the back and shoulder blades.

The pain persists even at rest and does not decrease in intensity after an overnight rest. In order to reduce its severity, a person tries to move his head and neck less, since physical activity provokes tension in the affected muscles.

Symptoms of neck myositis include the sensation of dense cords along the muscles and their soreness when palpated. In some cases, hyperemia is observed over the area of ​​inflammation.

The condition of the muscles worsens when exposed to even the slightest cold factor, such as draft or rain. As a result, the pain becomes much brighter, and movements are even more limited.

Symptoms of back myositis

Myositis occurs under the influence of various factors that provoke inflammation or injury to muscle fibers. The most pronounced clinical manifestations of myositis are observed in the morning, since the muscles, after prolonged immobilization or being in an uncomfortable position, quite difficultly acquire their usual location. This process is accompanied by pain.

It is caused by an increase in swelling at night, resulting in a reflex spasm. In addition, do not forget that the muscles have already succumbed to the influence of the provoking factor.

Symptoms of back myositis as a result of exposure to a traumatic agent appear after a few days. Clinical manifestations of the disease gradually increase and persist for a long time.

Symptoms of back myositis include aching pain, swelling and hyperemia of the skin over the affected muscles, and an increase in local temperature over the pathological focus.

Palpation reveals compacted nodules, located asymmetrically in large numbers in the lumbar region. Any physical activity (bending, turning), which is accompanied by muscle tension or stretching, provokes an increase in pain.

General clinical manifestations of myositis include the appearance of general malaise, rapid fatigue and reduced performance due to the inability to make movements.

Symptoms of leg myositis

Leg diseases are especially acute, since walking is an integral part of our lives. So, if you can try not to move your head with neck myositis or not move your arm with shoulder myositis, then even a slight load on the legs provokes an increase in pain.

Symptoms of leg myositis appear as a result of muscle damage and are characterized by local redness of the skin, soreness of the legs, swelling or slight pastiness, as well as an increase in local temperature and a decrease or even absence of motor activity.

In addition to the listed clinical manifestations, headaches, periodic muscle spasms, chills and a decrease in the sensitivity threshold of the skin are possible.

Myositis of the legs most often manifests itself in the area of ​​the calf muscles, which are most actively involved in motor activity, in particular when walking.

Symptoms of leg myositis, such as muscle weakness, increased severity of pain during movement and severe limitation of mobility of the joints of the lower extremities, are the most common when the leg muscles are affected.

Symptoms of thigh muscle myositis

Damage to the thigh muscles is possible as a result of exposure to a traumatic or inflammatory factor, which provokes an increase in the intensity of the pain syndrome. As a result, a person’s motor activity is disrupted, which affects his quality of life.

Symptoms of myositis of the thigh muscles are much less common than, for example, myositis of the neck or back, but you should still remember about its clinical picture.

The symptoms of myositis of the thigh muscles are largely no different from the clinical manifestations of myositis of other muscles. Characteristic signs are local soreness, which can intensify and spread to other areas - the lower back, groin and leg with significant physical activity.

In the process of muscle tension, their contraction occurs, which is prevented by tissue swelling. As a result, pain increases and mobility in the joint is limited. With a long course of myositis, an increase in muscle weakness is possible until the onset of atrophic processes in the muscle.

Symptoms of myositis of the calf muscles

This disease can not only cause intense pain in the legs, but also interfere with any physical activity. The calf muscles are directly or indirectly involved in performing various movements (walking, running, lifting weights, bending).

As a result, all these movements cannot be performed if there is pain in the legs. In addition, it is physical activity that increases the intensity of pain and forces a person to give up pain for several days.

Symptoms of myositis of the calf muscles occur after exposure to an infectious pathogen on the body or a traumatic factor. In addition, it is worth paying attention that prolonged walking in heels contributes to an increase in pain.

The characteristic symptoms of myositis of the calf muscles make it possible to distinguish it from many other pathological conditions. When muscles are damaged, the pain is aching in nature and intensifies under the influence of physical activity.

When you try to palpate the affected calf muscles, you can provoke the appearance of more intense pain. In addition, dense areas of muscle with isolated nodules and cords are felt by palpation.

Symptoms of myositis in children

Children suffer from myositis to the same extent as adults, even in some cases (when exposed to a traumatic factor) - even more often. Symptoms of myositis in children mainly appear in the morning, when the muscles are still “cold” and there is slight swelling.

In addition, the affected muscles are prone to even greater swelling, which provokes a reflex spasm, which leads to pinched nerve endings. The result is intense pain, which intensifies due to physical activity.

The first symptoms of myositis in children develop a few days after the influence of the provoking factor. The pain can spread to surrounding muscle groups, further limiting the baby's mobility. If nerve plexuses are involved in the process, pain may occur in more distant parts of the body that are innervated by this plexus.

Clinical manifestations of myositis increase in intensity if left untreated and can lead to complete immobilization of a certain area of ​​the body. However, it is worth remembering that the pain syndrome gradually decreases, but muscle spasm increases and in the future can lead to asymmetry of the face, skin folds on the neck, or back.

Symptoms of thoracic myositis

The prevalence of thoracic myositis is quite high, since these muscle groups are directly involved in breathing, which is an integral part of our life.

Symptoms of thoracic myositis are practically no different from damage to other muscle groups, but it is worth remembering that if pain occurs in the neck with myositis of the cervical muscles, then a person can limit movement in this area, which cannot be said about the muscles of the chest.

No matter how hard you try to limit respiratory activity, pain cannot be completely prevented. Pain is present at night, when a person’s breathing is not so deep and frequent, and even after a long night’s rest, the pain syndrome does not disappear.

Symptoms of thoracic myositis are characterized by an increase in tissue swelling due to muscle damage, redness of the skin over them and an increase in local temperature. There is also a decrease in the sensitivity threshold of the skin, as a result of which any touch is perceived very sharply.

In the case of severe myositis, the muscles of the larynx and pharynx may be involved in the pathological process. As a result, there is difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath and coughing increase. These symptoms are caused by increasing swelling of the laryngeal muscles. In the future, headaches and dizziness are possible.

Symptoms of intercostal myositis

At the beginning of the development of myositis, it is very difficult to independently differentiate myositis from intercostal neuralgia, since both pathologies are characterized by pain, which intensifies when the chest moves during breathing.

Symptoms of intercostal myositis, in addition to pain, also include tissue swelling, hyperemia and increased sensitivity of the skin over the affected muscle area.

Distinctive symptoms of intercostal myositis include an increase in pain when pressing on the muscles throughout the entire intercostal space, the presence of pain after a long rest and at rest.

Upon palpation examination, compaction of muscle fibers and the presence of small nodules are observed. The difficulty lies in turns, bending of the body, as well as active breathing movements.

In addition, it is necessary to highlight that when exposed to the cold factor, the pain syndrome increases its severity, and the temperature above the muscles becomes higher than in neighboring areas.

Symptoms of hand myositis

When the arm muscles are affected, clinical manifestations typical of myositis are observed. As a result of exposure to the provoking factor, after a few days the pain syndrome begins to bother.

Symptoms of hand myositis cause an increase in pain when trying to perform any movement that requires the affected muscle groups. Muscle contraction due to tension provokes an increase in pain intensity as a result of pinched nerve endings.

When palpated, an increase in symptoms is also noted. In addition to pain, tissue swelling occurs, as a result of which the arm increases in diameter, as well as redness and increased sensitivity of the skin.

In order for the symptoms of hand myositis not to have such pronounced intensity, it is necessary to reduce its motor activity. Thus, with prolonged immobilization of the arm, muscle weakness and subsequent atrophy may develop.

The pain may spread to surrounding areas, such as the neck, shoulder blade or chest.

Symptoms of shoulder myositis

Under the influence of cold, infectious or traumatic factors, muscle damage occurs, which manifests itself as pain at rest, during movement and palpation.

In the process of muscle contraction to perform the necessary movement, nerve endings are pinched, which provoke increased pain.

The symptoms of shoulder myositis are so severe that not only the shoulder joint, but also those around it cannot perform their functions. With a mild form of myositis, clinical manifestations may disappear after a few days, but subject to adequate treatment. Warmth, rest and painkillers are usually sufficient.

Symptoms of shoulder myositis may return after repeated exposure to the triggering factor. Thus, the clinical picture may repeat itself, resulting in myositis becoming chronic. Severe myositis requires complex treatment and long-term rest for the shoulder joint.

In the chronic form, muscle atrophy comes to the fore, leaving behind hyperemia and increased sensitivity of the skin.

Symptoms of eye myositis

Myositis can affect all muscles that are exposed to cold, injury or infectious agents. Orbital myositis belongs to this group of diseases and is characterized by clinical manifestations typical of the pathology.

Myositis can affect either one muscle or several at the same time, which determines the intensity and nature of the symptoms. Thus, the clinical picture of the disease includes acute pain, which intensifies when trying to move the eye to the side, upward, in general, with any physical activity.

Symptoms of ocular myositis also include swelling of the eyelids, their incomplete opening, and in some cases double vision. An injection of blood vessels is noted above the affected muscles.

Slight exophthalmos is also possible. Symptoms of ocular myositis in acute illness can disappear after 1.5 months, provided that the rules are followed and effective treatment is selected.

In the case of a chronic course, the duration of which exceeds 2-3 months, and maybe years, myositis can provoke the development of restrictive myopathy. Over the entire period, the disease is characterized by relapses and periods of remission.

Symptoms of myositis depend on the activity of the damaging factor, the duration of its influence and the degree of activity of the inflammatory process in the muscle. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner and prescribe effective treatment, you can get rid of myositis in the shortest possible time without developing complications.