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Understanding the difference between body aches and pains: when should you worry?
Written byLaura Harcourt
Reviewed byProfessor Sanjiv Jari
Are you struggling with a body ache? Or is it a joint pain? If you’re not sure, find out the difference in our latest blog post.
Summary
1What is an ache?
Defined as ‘an unusually dull, persistent pain’, an ache is a type of pain that can be of either acute (sudden and short-lived) or chronic (long...
2What is pain?
Pain is actually a survival adaptation that helps keep us safe by alerting us to harmful environmental stimuli, like touching a hot stove...
3When should you worry about pain?
It’s common to feel aches and pains from time to time, but if you have an acute pain condition that doesn’t resolve on its own, or pain that...
Experiencing the odd body ache and pain every so often is very common. But is there a difference between the two? And at what point should you start to worry about them?
This article is here to answer both these questions and more. Discussing everything from what body aches and pains are to their potential causes, read on below to discover all you need to know.
What is an ache?
At some point in our lives, we will have all said that our head ‘aches’ or our back ‘aches’. But what actually is an ache?
Defined as ‘an unusually dull, persistent pain’, an ache is a type of pain that can be of either acute (sudden and short-lived) or chronic (long-term) in nature.1,2
However, in itself, an ache is a vague symptom that means something different to each of us. And considering they’re often associated with all sorts of problems – from fatigue to even low levels of vitamin D – we’re all likely to experience a body ache of some kind at some point in our lives.3
Common body aches and why they happen
You can experience aches all over your body – from your head to your toes. That said, however, some of the most common areas (in joints, bones and muscles) include:
- whole body aches – when experiencing aches all over your body, the underlying reason could range from serious to mild. Something small like a lack of sleep can cause whole-body aches, for instance, but so can conditions like fibromyalgia4,5
- backache – backache is extremely common and can have many causes, such as a pulled muscle, slipped disk or sciatica6
- neck ache – neck problems are normally caused by an accident or normal age-related changes, but they can also start for no obvious reason.7 You may notice stiffness and pain, as well as tension headaches7,8
Causes of common muscle aches
If you’re not sure what’s causing your body aches, we’ve listed some common causes below, as well as useful advice on how to prevent them in the future.
Did you know that stress can contribute to your body aches? This is because, when we’re stressed, our muscles become tense as a protective mechanism. This usually happens in either our upper body muscles or neck and back muscles.9-11
So, what can you do to keep stress at bay? The NHS suggests engaging in physical activity and connecting with both your friends and family.12 Take a look at our guide on how to reduce stress for more ideas.
Repetitive training can lead to something called an ‘overuse injury’. This is essentially a micro-trauma that comes about after repeated movement, impact or training errors, like when you take on too much activity too quickly.13,14
This is why it’s super important for people engaging in regular exercise to have rest days, as this gives your muscle tissue time to repair itself. Otherwise, the build-up of damaged muscle tissue can lead to pain and dysfunction.13
Another potential cause of muscle aches could be something called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). When you’ve exercised a little harder than usual, DOMS refers to the feeling of sore, achy muscles that occur for a few days afterwards.15
To help ease the effects of DOMS, you can try the following:15
- use ice packs
- massage your muscles
- do some light stretches
- take painkillers or anti-inflammatories if necessary
Ever had a rough night’s sleep and woken up feeling all achy?
Interestingly, research has shown that there may not only be a link between insomnia and musculoskeletal discomfort but also that short or disturbed sleep can contribute to increased pain sensitivity, muscle aches and headaches.16,17
So, to improve your sleep, try things like:18-20
- getting more light exposure during the day
- avoiding blue light at night
- keeping your caffeine intake to the morning
- establishing a consistent sleep routine
When you have an infection like the flu, your immune system jumps into action by releasing white blood cells to help fight off the infection.21,22
However, when you have too many white blood cells collecting in your bones, joints or lymph nodes, this can cause inflammation and leave your muscles feeling achy.23
When should you worry about an ache?
Most of the potential causes behind body aches will ultimately go away on their own. But there are some instances when you should seek medical help.
For example, if you’re experiencing muscle aches caused by DOMS that lasts for more than five days or gets worse, speak to your GP.15
Additionally, if you find that your general aches are stopping you from performing normal activities, affecting your sleep, getting worse, not going away after two weeks or causing you to feel stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking up, go and see your GP.15
What is pain?
Pain is defined as ‘an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage’.24
Pain is actually a survival adaptation that helps keep us safe by alerting us to harmful environmental stimuli, like touching a hot stove, and changes in the body, like an illness.
From painful knees to elbow pain and joint pain, no two people feel pain the same way. And the experience of pain can be felt all over the body.25
There are also different types of pain. For example, short-term pain is known as acute pain, long-term pain is called persistent or chronic pain and pain that comes and goes is known as intermittent or recurrent pain.25
Causes of pain
There are so many potential causes of pain, and it would be impossible to list them all here. But to help point you in the right direction, we have listed a few of the most common conditions associated with joints, bones and muscles, and causes of pain below.
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. While its exact cause is unknown, it's thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and differences in the way the central nervous system processes pain messages.26
People with fibromyalgia also experience symptoms like muscle stiffness, sleep issues, brain fog, fatigue, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and low mood.27 So if you get diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you may be recommended a combination of exercise, talking therapy and medication to help manage your symptoms.28
If you experience joint pain and muscle pain, tenderness, stiffness, restricted movement, joint inflammation, muscle weakness and redness around your joints, it may be worth speaking to your GP about arthritis. This is a common condition that can affect people of all ages, including children.29,30
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis, the most common of which is rheumatoid arthritis, but there are many other types of arthritis-related conditions.
To combat its symptoms, your doctor will usually recommend making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy, balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise, before suggesting medication and even surgery in some instances.30,31
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a condition that causes persistent, severe and debilitating pain. Often, CRPS is caused by an injury that results in more intense and longer-lasting pain than usual.32
The condition generally affects one limb, such as the arm, but it can spread to other areas of the body as well. The areas affected tend to be incredibly sensitive to touch and temperature differences, as well as being swollen, stiff and change colour.32
There are four types of treatment for CRPS, including:33
- education and self-management
- physical rehabilitation
- pain relief
- psychological support
Pain can also result from injuries related to sports or exercise, with some common examples including back pain and knee pain.
If you’ve ever injured yourself this way, you may experience immediate pain, tenderness, bruising, stiffness and restricted movement. But it can also take a few hours to notice some of these signs.34
Obviously, some sports-related accidents like falls or heavy blows often can’t be helped, but other causes can be prevented. For example, warming up properly, using the right techniques and not pushing yourself too hard, can help keep sports injuries at bay.34
When should you worry about pain?
It’s common to feel aches and pains from time to time, but if you have an acute pain condition that doesn’t resolve on its own, or pain that suddenly gets worse, you should visit your GP. However, if your injury is more severe, like a suspected broken bone, dislocation or head injury, you should immediately visit your nearest A&E.
If you think you may have either fibromyalgia or arthritis symptoms, such as muscle joint pain, you should also speak to your GP. They’ll be able to run a few diagnostic tests and discuss any available treatments with you.26,30
The final say
When you consider that aches are a type of pain and pain is an individual experience, it can be very tricky trying to differentiate between the two. However, we hope this article has left you feeling a little clearer about what they both are and how they can differ.
Ultimately, if your aches and pains are getting in the way of your ability to perform day-to-day activities, you should seek help from a medical professional.
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care.
- Merriam-Webster. Definition of ACHE [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ache.
- Light, AR., et al. ‘Myalgia and Fatigue.’ CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2010. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK57253/.
- Raza, A., et al. ‘Incidence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Different Seasons in the Adult Karachi Population Presenting in the Medical Outpatient Department with Generalized Body Ache.’ Cureus. 2019. Available from: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5167.
- Haack, M., et al. ‘Sleep deficiency and chronic pain: potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.’ Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019;45(1):205–16. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0439-z.
- NHS Choices. Symptoms - Fibromyalgia [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms/.
- NHS. Overview - Back pain [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/.
- NHS Inform. Neck problems [Internet]. [Cited 2024 June 6]. Available from: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/self-management-advice/neck-problems/
- Versus Arthritis. Neck pain [Internet]. [Cited 2024 June 6]. Available from: https://versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/neck-pain/
- Schramm, SH., et al. ‘The association between stress and headache: A longitudinal population-based study.’ Cephalalgia: An International Journal of Headache. 2015;35(10):853–63. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102414563087.
- Hassan, M., et al. ‘Tension-type headache, its relation to stress, and how to relieve it by cryotherapy among academic students.’ Middle East Current Psychiatry. 2020;27(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-020-00030-3.
- American Psychological Association. Stress Effects on the Body [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body.
- NHS. 10 Stress Busters [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/.
- Clarsen B, et al. Improved reporting of overuse injuries and health problems in sport: an update of the Oslo Sport Trauma Research Center questionnaires. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(7):390-396. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101337.
- Clarsen, B., et al. Development and validation of a new method for the registration of overuse injuries in sports injury epidemiology: the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) Overuse Injury Questionnaire. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2012;47(8):495–502. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091524.
- NHS Inform. Pain and injuries after exercise [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/keeping-active/before-and-after-exercise/pain-and-injuries-after-exercise.
- Lamon, Séverine, et al. The Effect of Acute Sleep Deprivation on Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis and the Hormonal Environment. Physiological Reports. 2021; 9 (1). https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14660.
- Finan, PH., et al. ‘The Association of Sleep and Pain: An Update and a Path Forward.’ The Journal of Pain. 2013;14(12):1539–52. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2013.08.007.
- NHS. Sleep problems - Every Mind Matters [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/.
- Sanassi, LA. ‘Seasonal affective disorder.’ Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. 2014;27(2):18–22. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jaa.0000442698.03223.f3.
- Suni, E. How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule [Internet]. [cited 2024 Mar 20]. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-reset-your-sleep-routine
- NHS Choices. Low white blood cell count [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-white-blood-cell-count/.
- Barth Syndrome Trust. Neutropenia – The Facts [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/media/2577893/neutropenia_pg1_v3.pdf.
- Cancer Research UK. Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/acute-lymphoblastic-leukaemia-all/.
- The British Pain Society. What is pain? [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.britishpainsociety.org/about/what-is-pain/.
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Pain [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/pain.
- NHS. Overview - Fibromyalgia [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Fibromyalgia/.
- NHS Choices. Symptoms - Fibromyalgia [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/symptoms/
- NHS Choices. Treatment - Fibromyalgia [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/treatment/.
- NHS. Fibromyalgia - Self-help [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/self-help/.
- NHS. Overview - Arthritis [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/.
- NHS Choices. Living with arthritis - Arthritis [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/living-with/.
- NHS. Complex regional pain syndrome [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/complex-regional-pain-syndrome/.
- NHS Choices. Treatment - Complex regional pain syndrome [Internet]. [Cited 2024 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/complex-regional-pain-syndrome/treatment/.
- NHS 111 Wales. Sports injuries [Internet]. [Cited 2024 June 6]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sports-injuries/.
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