I have suffered back problems for many years although I am only 26. They were exacerbated 5 years ago when I was rear-ended by a Verizon truck. For the past couple of months I have been experiencing muscle pain even in places in which I am not "using" the muscles. I say this because the muscle pain is the type in which you would feel if you went to the gym and did the stairmaster for like 3 hours and you had never done it before. So yes, my legs will hurt like that, but I haven't actually done anything to trigger that type of pain. I know a lot of it is coming from my anxiety and stress (my shoulders are so ridiculously tight; they just hurt so much). In addition, I have pain coming down my arm a big from my left shoulder that is horrible in the morning (it tightens up overnight) and gets a little better throughout the day. If I clasp my hands together behind my back and stretch my arms by lifting them up behind me, I feel something in my left shoulder blade move (a knot? I don't know). I am also going through a depressive episode at this time. What is going on with me? Why pain in the parts of my body that I am not "using" such as my legs?

[Perna]

Are you eating well, getting enough potassium, etc.? Eat a banana :-) I know some aches and pains can come from not getting enough of various vitamins or minerals.

Another thing too is if you're not exercising your legs much? There really is a "use it or lose it" rule where you lose muscle and then it can ache. I sometimes have that problem. My summer nerve problem, never did figure that out but I suspect it had to do with exercising "wrong" when I hadn't been exercising at all.

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Most people haven't heard of malic acid,. Found in apples, malic acid, especially when used in combination with magnesium, helps to relieve common complaints such as fatigue, soreness and muscle pain. Malic acid, is also produced in the body and plays a central role, along with magnesium, in the cellular production of energy. They are part of the basic biochemical mix of digested sugars, oxygen and other raw materials the operate the body, Deficiencies or imbalances in these ingredients or a lack of oxygen because of poor micro-circulation seriously affect this fundamental cellular activity. When that happens, the body goes into a substitute mode and breaks down muscle protein for energy, causing pain, fatigue, decreased function, muscle spasms and a vicious cycle that further chokes off the fuel required by the cells.

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From: http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Inform...s.htm#soreness

I eat an apple a day, figuring it can't hurt what with the old wives tale, an apple a day, etc. :-)

[SeptemberMorn]

They say that depression hurts physically. That may be part of the problem.

Can you get yourself to a chiropractor or a massage therapist? That way you'd know for sure what the exact cause of your problem is.

TC

[ECHOES]

Compressed discs in the back can cause pain in the oddest of places.

I went for groin pain and found out I had a bulging disc.

When nerves in the spine are inflamed they cause pain to wherever they reach; an inflamed or pinched sciatic nerve, for example can cause paid from the back to the buttocks, down the leg all the way to the toes.

Where you experience your pain is determined by what part of the back or which disc you're having a problem with.

Your shoulder sounds like a pinched nerve there in your shoulder. Physical therapy might be helpful. I used to get something like that frequently that would go away when I pulled a top off over my head by crossing my arms to reach for the bottom of the top to pull it off. It would pop but stay popped and feel better.

For inflammation, anti-inflammatories are helpful.