After my knee surgery, therapy, intense physical therapy will be required immediately following. But let me back up my story a little bit. Before surgery, I went through many years of trying to decipher if my chronic pain was a result of bone cracks or muscle tears.
For at least a decade, I have done the following for bone, muscle, and nerve pain:
- Physical Therapy (both shoulders, back, pelvic floor and started with knees)
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- TenX procedure on my left shoulder
- Deep tissue massage
- Dry needling
According to The Cleveland Clinic, “Bone pain usually feels like it’s coming from a specific spot inside your body that you can point to, something typically more localized. If it feels less localized and more spread out along the length of your sore or injured muscle, it’s likely muscle related. Bone pain usually lasts longer than muscle pain,”. Although, when it comes to injuries, I am an anomaly! I’ve been suffering with both muscle and bone pain being an ongoing issue for years.
For many people like myself, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between bone and muscle pain as they usually affect similar areas of the body and have similar degrees of intensity. In general, pain in bones will feel sharper, deeper, and more debilitating than muscle pain.
Initially, the best-suggested course of action would be to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional before determining what type of pain you are experiencing and thus deciding on what therapy will best suit the needs of the injury.
Osteoporosis is a “porous bones” disease that is more common in older adults, with causes that include hyperthyroidism, menopause, cancer treatment with anticancer drugs or radiation, and a family history of osteoporosis. However, it is not necessarily painful unless and until a collapsed vertebra or a fracture occurs.
Most do not show symptoms, so watch out for early signs of:
- Severe pain in the back
- Height loss
- Hunched or stooped posture
- Bone injury caused by bruising or minor falls
Trauma that results from a motor vehicle accident, a sports injury, or a hard fall.
Bone stress, also termed a stress fracture, is caused by overuse of a muscle.
Symptoms of fractures:
- Intense sharp pain at the site of injury
- Inability to move injured area
- Bruised
- Deformity
How do I know if my pain is muscular or nerve?
If the pain started after an injury and it’s a dull ache, it is probably muscle pain, and if it comes out of nowhere while you’re just sitting there or it feels like your skin is on fire, it sounds more like the pain is coming from a nerve.
Currently, I am dealing with multiple injuries, such as:
- Impingement in the left shoulder
- Scar tissue buildup and limited range of motion in my right shoulder
- Pelvic floor muscle loss and nerve pain
- Sciatica on the lower left side of my back
- A torn meniscus in the left knee
- Baker’s cyst on the back of left knee
- A torn meniscus in the right knee
- Baker’s cyst on the back of the right knee
- Limited range of motion in the neck
- Bunyon on the right foot
While I have tried many means to address and recover, my knees have fallen to the end of the priority list. I’ve come to an impasse as the exercises I need to do for my back hurt my knees. So, I need to have some knee recovery equipment, or else they will get worse.
Is it a pulled muscle or nerve pain?
Some health professionals, such as physical therapists, have ways to decipher the difference during an assigned exercise or activity. Furthermore, there is also the electromyography (EMG) test, which is a diagnostic test that evaluates the health and function of the skeletal muscles and the nerves that control them. However, my EMG showed no signs of nerve damage, but my orthopedic said that doesn’t mean it’s not being pressed on and causing the extreme nerve pain I was experiencing. Below are some more ways to try to decipher where the root of the pain is:
- Nerve – burning or stinging sensation that could be isolated or spread to other parts of the body during activity and is usually accompanied by a loss of strength, coordination, or sensation.
- Skeletal – pain usually occurs while doing weight-bearing activities, sudden movements, or sustained inactivity. It can be sharp, dull, pressure, or throbbing. If it is a fracture, pain is typically sharp, while it may be dull and achy should it be a bruise on the bone. Disorders of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursae, or a combination could cause pain.
- Muscle -sharp, tear, or pulling sensation that occurs throughout the range of motion or during the transition from inactivity to activity. Muscle trauma usually results in impaired function, weakness, instability, or loss of coordination.
Muscle injuries are most common in athletes or those involved in high-demand sporting activities. However, they could happen as a direct result of a fall or an external force such as a tackle or a vehicle accident. Muscle injury symptoms:
- Stinging pain that may become duller over time
- Soreness
- Swelling or inflammation
- Redness
- Impaired movement at the site of injury
Muscle injuries are usually determined by physical exam and may require imaging tests such as an ultrasound or an MRI. Treatment involves cold or heat therapy, physical therapy, exercise, and light stretches (if tolerable), as well as over-the-counter pain relievers and plenty of rest.
Sometimes, pain that seems to be musculoskeletal is caused by a disorder in another organ system. For example, shoulder pain may be caused by a disorder affecting the lungs, spleen, or gallbladder. A kidney stone, abdominal aortic aneurysm, inflammation of the pancreas, or, in women, pelvic disorders may cause back pain. Arm pain may be caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Always consult a healthcare professional. This article is for informational purposes only.
How would I tell the difference between bone pain and muscle pain?
Understanding the difference between bone and muscle pain is crucial for effective treatment. Bone pain is typically sharper and localized, while muscle pain is more diffuse. Remember to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis.