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In this video I want to talk about the word myalgia, because I've noticed, as of late,
more questions and concerns over the condition of myalgia. So I thought it'd be a good idea
to explain something about this "condition" because when I see people expressing general
concern over their myalgia condition, I have to worry about the state of information overload
on the net. Myalgia is just a fancy, scientific term for muscle pain. It can refer to any
type of muscle pain, whether dull, sharp, piercing, etc. The my- part of the word comes
from the root word "myo" which refers to muscle and the -algia suffix at the end means basically
"pain" or "a painful condition of." I suspect that the emergence of these concerns has to
do with people writing articles about muscle pain and using this myalgia jargon to sound
more scientific or legit. The article might just be about benign and normal pain, but
when people see a word like myalgia, they are led to think of a serious pathological
condition. Suddenly, they don't have sore muscles, they have myalgia. What do I do?
How do I cure it? Well, you know, there are many, many conditions or pathologies that
could lead to muscle pain. But, I will tell you that most muscle pain is a normal part
of life. It is benign, and it is limited in duration. I will also tell you that it's unlikely
that you will confuse a serious condition of muscle pain with an aching neck or back
after a hard day's work or a period of stress. So, the take-home is that myalgia is not a
diagnosis. It's just a word that means muscle pain. Clinicians would be unlikely to label
something like delayed onset muscle soreness, or everyday aches and pains, myalgia. Especially
if they know how important the language they use to communicate with patients or clients
is. Such words are usually reserved for unusual conditions and when they are overused, they
lead to unnecessary anxiety or confusion. Plain language is usually better. So, don't
let the word myalgia turn your sore neck into a terrible disease or injury, but at the same
time, be aware that if you have unusual or severe muscle pain, someone telling you you
have myalgia is them telling you something you already know! Many of the underlying causes
might be treatable. So see a doctor if you're concerned.