Do you feel so weak in your body and muscles that you can no longer carry things that you could carry before? Learn with us in this article about the reasons muscle weakness The potential and symptoms that accompany it, and how it works to strengthen your muscles again and treat them.

What is muscle weakness?

The term weakness in the muscles can define three different cases, the weakness may be real so that the muscles lose their ability to perform their function in movement, and it may be a loss of strength after muscle fatigue, but the muscles remain able to perform their function, but with greater effort, and finally it may be The muscles are in a state of fatigue so that they begin to work normally, but the muscles become fatigued and lose their energy quickly. The difference between the three cases may not be completely clear, but it actually occurs for various pathological reasons.

Causes of muscle weakness

The causes vary from mild and simple causes to pathological causes that require treatment, as follows:

General reasons

• Underuse of musclesWhere it leads to a lack of fitness, and this happens due to an inactive lifestyle and inactivity, so that the fibers in the muscles are replaced by fats, and thus the muscles lose their density.
• Old ageIt is natural that the older we get, the weaker our muscles become and the more tired we get from the slightest effort, but that does not prevent us from trying to move constantly, as the old saying “in movement is a blessing” always bears fruit.
• InfectionIt is one of the most common causes of temporary muscle weakness. It is natural that with an infection in the body, fatigue also affects the muscles. Any disease that causes muscle inflammation and fever can cause myasthenia gravis.
• pregnancyFeeling weak in the muscles is normal in pregnancy, as the level of steroids in the blood increases with iron deficiency and pregnancy anemia. However, if you are pregnant, you can work on safe exercises during pregnancy so that your muscles remain in their fitness.

chronic diseases

There are many chronic diseases that cause a lack of nutrients needed by the muscles, including:

• Peripheral or peripheral artery diseaseIt causes narrowing of the arteries due to the accumulation of cholesterol in them, which causes poor blood flow to the muscles.
• DiabetesAn increase in the level of sugar in the blood can harm the nerves that feed the fibers in the muscles, causing them to lose their fibers, and thus weaken the muscles and lose their flexibility.
• heart disease Especially heart failure, which leads to a lack of blood flow throughout the body, including the muscles, so they become weak.
• Chronic lung disease Such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which causes the blood to not be able to carry the oxygen needed for the muscles to function to the fullest, and in the long run, the muscles themselves can be lost.
• Chronic kidney disease Which affects the whole body due to the imbalance of salts in the body, and toxins accumulate in the blood, which leads to the inability of the muscles to work efficiently like the rest of the body.
• Anemia Which occurs due to a lack of red blood cells, which causes their inability to carry sufficient oxygen throughout the body, including the muscles.

Brain diseases affecting muscles

There are several diseases that affect the brain and thus affect its control over the muscles of the body, such as:

Muscle weakness due to an injury

Muscles can be damaged as a result of direct or traumatic injury, such as playground injuries, stretching, and sprains. In most cases of injuries, internal bleeding occurs in the muscle fibers, followed by swelling and inflammation, which leads to loss of muscle strength and pain.

Medicines and substances that affect the muscles

Some medications and chemicals may affect the muscles and cause damage to them as an allergic reaction to them, such as:

Uncommon causes of muscle weakness

There are several diseases that may be uncommon and cause myasthenia gravis, such as:

Neurological diseases that cause weak muscles

Some neurological diseases affect the nerves that control muscle fibers and prevent them from working properly, such as:

Rare diseases that cause muscle weakness

Symptoms of muscle weakness

There are several symptoms that may occur due to weakness in the muscles, including:

• the pain.
• Muscle spasm.
• Tingling and numbness.
• Loss of ability to move and coordinate muscles.
• Frequent falls.
• Shiver.
• Feeling of burning in the muscles.

There are also several symptoms that may accompany these symptoms, depending on the disease that caused the weakness, as follows:

• Blurred vision.
• Difficulty speaking and swallowing.
• diarrhea.
• Fainting.
• fever.
• Headache.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Numbness of the parties.
• Symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
• Symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms with which you should go to the emergency room

These symptoms that accompany weakness in the muscles must immediately go to the emergency room or call an ambulance because they indicate life-threatening conditions, namely:

• Abnormally changing pupil size and not responding to light.
• Fainting and loss of awareness of the surrounding environment.
• Paralysis and inability to move any part of the body.
• severe abdominal cramps
• Sudden change in vision or loss of vision and sudden eye pain.
• A very severe, unbearable headache.

Diagnosis of muscle weakness

When you go to the doctor and you complain about your inability to use your muscles efficiently, the doctor will ask you about other symptoms that you feel and which muscles you feel weaker, and he will also ask you about the medical history in the family and any hereditary diseases in the family. The doctor will also do an examination on your motor responses And sensory and muscle strength test, and you may also be asked for some tests such as:

• CT scan or MRI scan.
• Neurological tests.
• Electromyography.
• Some blood tests to check for inflammation or other conditions.

Treating muscle weakness

The type of treatment here depends on the causes that led to muscle weakness and loss of strength, as follows:

Muscle strengthening exercises

If you are in a good state of health in general and suffer from this weakness only as a result of insufficient movement, then the best treatment is to follow a sports routine based on doing healthy exercises regularly and it is better to follow up the exercise with specialists in this field, these exercises aim to strengthen and stretch the muscles but do not rush The result, working with a physiotherapist and adhering to his instructions will eventually lead to a very successful outcome.

natural therapy

Physiotherapy or physical therapy can be used in some chronic diseases that affect muscle movement, such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Practice therapy

This type of treatment also uses exercises with the help of some devices, and it may be effective with some cases such as the rehabilitation of a stroke patient to maintain muscle mobility and work on its return to work with proper efficiency.

some medicine

There are some medications that you can take such as pain relievers that can relieve pain associated with muscle weakness with some diseases, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and there are some medications that the doctor may prescribe for you to treat some diseases such as hormone replacement drugs to treat hyperthyroidism.

Diet change

Your doctor may ask you to change your diet to work on rebalancing the electrolytes in your body. He may also prescribe supplements or supplements Vitamins for treating muscle weakness They are calcium, magnesium oxide, or potassium oxide, depending on your body’s need for these elements.

surgery

The doctor may resort to surgical intervention if some conditions affecting the muscles require surgery, such as a herniated disc or hyperthyroidism.

Natural ways to strengthen muscles

There are several ways to maintain muscle tone and here are some tips:

• Follow up with a physical therapist or a professional athletic trainer.
• The practice of carrying weights works to strengthen the muscles, but be careful not to carry weights that do not fit your body or carry them in the wrong positions so as not to cause harm to yourself.
• Get enough sleep and rest your muscles long enough after strength training.
• Maintain a healthy diet rich in protein, fiber, vegetables and fruits.
• Keep your body active every day.

Finally, you should not be neglected if you notice strange symptoms besides muscle weakness because it can be a sign of a serious illness that requires treatment or even an emergency.