Types of Neuromusculoskeletal Pain and What Causes Them

Neuromusculoskeletal pain is usually caused be some type of injury. Some injuries are obvious like a fall or motor vehicle accident. Others often go unnoticed and these are the pain that you "wake up with" or have no idea what caused them. They are often the result of small micro injuries, injuries that occur usually as a result of small repetitive injuries such as overuse.

There are many types of neuromusculoskeletal (nerve, muscle, bone, ligament, tendon and joint) pain. It is worthwhile knowing what the types of pain are and what causes them as you will know what you have to do about them.

When the body is injured in any way inflammation occurs. This results in excessive fluid accumulation (swelling) and pain. The damaged cells release chemicals which stimulate the pain receptors in the area. Inflammation is characterised by swelling and stiffness. After you have been still for a while ie sitting down or sleeping the affected area becomes stiff due the fluid accumulation. The best way to deal with inflammation is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

The different types of pain are as follows;

1. Bone pain.

This is often a deep, penetrating or dull pain. It can be aggravated when the bone is moved. The pain is often constant.

Causes of bone are often infection, fracture or tumours.

2. Muscle pain.

This type of pain is usually less intense than bone pain but is still not pleasant. Muscle pain is aggravated by using or stretching the muscle. If the muscle is completely torn then often there is no pain.

Causes of muscle pain are tears in the muscle. The tears are the result of an excessive contraction (overloading) or overstretching of the muscle. These can range from a grade 1 tear (minor and usually you feel the after it has occurred), a grade 2 tear (a substantial tear but not a complete tear. The pain is usually felt at the time the tear occurs) and a grade 3 or a complete tear. This is initially painful but often the pain does not persist.

3. Tendon or ligament pain.

A tendon joins a muscle to a bone and a ligament joins 2 bones together. This type of pain is usually described as a sharp pain. It is aggravated by movement of the injured structure and often relieved by resting it.

Causes are similar to that of muscles

4. Bursa pain

Bursa pain is usually worse with movement that involves the bursa or the surrounding tissue. It is usually better with rest.

Causes involves too much friction over the bursa. The most common sites for bursitis (inflammation of a bursa) are the knee, hip, elbow and shoulder. For more information on these, click the links (underlined words)

5. Nerve pain

Nerve pain is usually described as a burning or electrical shooting pain. It follows the distribution of that nerve. It is often associated with a tingling, numbness or both.

Causes of nerve pain is often due to compression from the tissues around it.

What to Do??

Should you be experiencing bone or nerve pain then you should consult your healthcare professional as these can be caused by infection or tumours. Better to have them ruled out.

The other types of pain may ease within a few days depending on how they occurred. If you have suffered a significant injury you should also see your healthcare professional to have them assessed.