Myalgia

Pain in a muscle; or pain in multiple muscles. Myalgia is muscle pain. That's all. There are, however, specific types of myalgia such as, for examples, epidemic myalgia and polymyalgia rheumatica. Epidemic myalgia, also known as Bornholm disease, is an acute viral infection that runs in epidemics and, among other things, produces marked muscle pain. Hence, the name "epidemic myalgia." By contrast, polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is disorder of multiple muscles (polymyalgia) and joints of older persons characterized by pain and stiffness. Hence, the name "polymyalgia rheumatica." "Myalgia" is made up of "my(o)-" from the Greek "myos" meaning muscle and "-algia" from the Greek "algos" meaning pain.

* * *

Muscular pain. SYN: myodynia. [G. mys, muscle, + algos, pain]

- epidemic m. SYN: epidemic pleurodynia.

- m. thermica SYN: heat cramps, under cramp.

* * *

my·al·gia mī-'al-j(ē-)ə n pain in one or more muscles

my·al·gic -jik adj

* * *

n.

pain in the muscles.

• myalgic adj.

* * *

my·al·gia (mi-alґjə) [my- + algia] pain in a muscle or muscles. Called also myodynia.