Why do I have constant mild muscular body pain?
Professor of Medicine,
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
Q: From the last one year I am getting mild pain in left chest region, arms, legs, neck, teeth and back. I have consulted many doctors, they have gone through some tests i.e. ECG, TMT and other tests but all tests came negative. Lastly, doctors came to a conclusion that it is some type of muscular pain. I have hypertension for the last 1 year and records show 126/90+ on regular basis. And presently feeling some congestion. I am also prone to cold and cough, and during season changes I often get some viral infection i.e. throat infection & viral fever etc.
A:Muscle pains, fatigue, frequent sore throats and variable hypertension may follow a viral infection, such as is seen after attacks of diseases caused by viruses, with a typical example being infectious mononucleosis. Stress and decreased exercise will exacerbate such symptoms. Muscle relaxant drugs such as guaifenesin or the related agent methocarbamol may help. Tonic herbs such as ginseng and ashwaganha have also been reported to be beneficial. It is important to recognise that if a standard reasonable conventional diagnostic work-up with appropriate lab tests fails to come up with adiagnosis, it is worth consulting an alternative medicine practitioner such as a homeopath or a naturopathic practitioner.