Symptoms

Muscle Soreness: Immune Issue or Infection? When to See a Doctor

Author Bowtie Team

Updated on 2025-07-30

Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.

That post-workout muscle ache is common, often bringing stiffness and discomfort that disrupts your daily routine. Bowtie breaks it down: uncover the causes, smart prevention tips, and key signs it’s time to consult a doctor for peace of mind.

Is Muscle Soreness Common?

Muscle soreness is extremely common – everyone experiences it at some point. It can be localized to a small area or affect the entire body, ranging from mild to severe, even limiting movement and impacting daily life. Most cases of muscle soreness resolve on their own in a short time and rarely cause long-term effects ¹ .

Causes of Muscle Soreness

There are many causes of muscle soreness, including ² :

Autoimmune Diseases

The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own normal cells or tissues as foreign invaders, producing antibodies that trigger local inflammation. This includes inflammatory myopathies such as polymyositis and dermatomyositis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.

Infections

Bacterial or viral infections can lead to conditions like the common cold, Lyme disease, malaria, or trichinosis, with symptoms including muscle soreness, fever, and loss of appetite.

Injuries

Overuse or improper use of muscles can easily cause injuries such as strains or sprains.

Medication Effects

Certain medications may cause muscle tissue inflammation, leading to temporary or even long-term muscle soreness, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, blood pressure drugs like ACE inhibitors, and cholesterol medications.

Neuromuscular Disorders

These affect muscles and the nerves that control them, causing soreness and weakness, including motor neuron disease, muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, and spinal muscular atrophy.

Could Widespread Muscle Soreness Indicate Immune Issues or Infection?

Yes, immune system problems and infections can both lead to muscle soreness, such as inflammatory myopathies like polymyositis and dermatomyositis, lupus, or multiple sclerosis; or conditions like the common cold, Lyme disease, malaria, and trichinosis.

Ways to Relieve Muscle Soreness

You can try the following methods to ease the discomfort from muscle soreness and minimize its impact on daily life ³ :

Adequate Rest and Relaxation

Giving your muscles enough time to rest helps alleviate soreness. When muscles are injured or inflamed, rest promotes repair and recovery.

Heat Therapy

Applying heat improves blood circulation, relaxes muscles, and reduces pain and stiffness.

Gentle Stretching

Appropriate stretching can help relieve muscle soreness, reduce tension and stiffness, improve blood flow, and speed up recovery.

Cold Therapy

Applying cold reduces inflammation, eases pain, and minimizes swelling.

Medication

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or celecoxib can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. However, use them under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist and follow dosage instructions.

These methods are for relieving general muscle soreness. If the pain is severe, persists for a long time, or is accompanied by other symptoms, seek advice from a medical professional.

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Muscle Soreness: When to See a Doctor?

Mild muscle soreness usually eases on its own in a short time, and most cases can be managed at home with self-care and relief methods.

However, in the following situations, it’s advisable to seek professional medical advice ⁴ :

Severe Pain

If the pain is intense and unbearable, or it affects your daily activities—especially if it persists even at rest—seek medical attention promptly.

Prolonged Duration

If the muscle soreness lasts more than 3 to 5 days without any signs of improvement, or if it worsens.

Unusual Symptoms

If muscle soreness comes with other unusual symptoms like fever, severe swelling, noticeable redness, muscle weakness, or changes in urine color, these could indicate other conditions or infections. Get a medical evaluation and diagnosis as soon as possible.

Sports Injury

If the soreness stems from an accidental injury or trauma during exercise, especially with symptoms like joint deformity, swelling, severe pain, or inability to move, seek immediate medical care.

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FAQs on Muscle Soreness

How to Tell Post-Workout Soreness from Injury?

To distinguish between post-exercise muscle soreness and an injury, pay attention to these key differences:

Onset of Pain
- Post-exercise soreness often appears 24 to 48 hours after the workout, while pain from an injury hits immediately ⁵ .
Duration
- Soreness from exercise typically lasts a short time, like 48 to 72 hours, whereas injury pain lingers longer ⁵ .
Type of Pain
- Post-exercise soreness feels like a dull ache and muscle tightness, while injury pain is more sharp and sudden ⁶ .
Impact on Activity
- Muscle soreness usually improves with rest and relaxation, but an injury might limit movement, making normal activities or exercise impossible ⁶ .

If you’re unsure whether it’s post-exercise soreness or an injury, or if symptoms worsen or don’t ease up, consult a healthcare professional for advice and assessment.

Is Muscle Soreness Linked to Lactic Acid Buildup?

Lactic acid is a byproduct produced in muscle cells during intense or prolonged exercise through anaerobic metabolism. However, research shows that lactic acid clears from muscles very quickly and doesn’t harm cells or cause pain. The soreness after exercise is typically due to tiny tears in muscle fibers ⁷ .

Sources

Author

Bowtie Team

The Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited is an authorized life insurance company and Hong Kong’s very first virtual insurer approved. Through the use of modern technology and medical expertise, Bowtie offers an agent-free, commission-free and more convenient online platform for customers to quote, apply and claim for Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) anytime anywhere. Bowtie is ranked first in the direct channel sales throughout 2021. Stay up to date at www.bowtie.com.hk