Patient education: Muscle and bone pain – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What are muscle and bone pain? — Muscle and bone pain are common symptoms. But it can be hard for doctors to tell exactly where the pain is coming from. You might hear this kind of pain called "musculoskeletal" pain.

●Muscle pain is more common than bone pain. It often happens when you are using a muscle and gets better when you rest. The pain might come and go with activity. Muscle pain can be in just 1 area, over a larger part of your body, or in your whole body.

●Bone pain can often be felt even when you are not using that part your body. It is often felt deeper within the body and can last a longer time. With bone pain, it might be easier to point to a specific area that hurts.

Lots of different things can cause these types of pain. For example, an injury can cause muscle or bone pain that happens suddenly. Chronic illnesses like arthritis can cause pain that gets worse over time. Many different health problems can cause muscle or bone pain, too.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

Your care and treatment will depend on the likely cause of your pain. For example, your doctor or nurse might suggest that you:

●Avoid or stop activities that causes you pain. Some kinds of muscle pain are caused by using a muscle in the same way over and over. You might need to stop or limit this activity to let your body heal.

●Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain. Examples include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).

●Use a splint, brace, or elastic bandage to let the injured area rest and heal.

●Use ice or heat to help with pain:

•Ice – Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on the painful area every 1 to 2 hours, for 15 minutes each time. Put a thin towel between the ice (or another cold object) and your skin.

•Heat – If it helps, use heat on the painful area for short periods of time. Put a heating pad (on the low setting) on the area for 20 minutes at a time a few times each day. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.

●Do exercises to stretch and strengthen your muscles. They might also suggest improving your posture and form. This can limit the stress and strain on your bones and muscles.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●Your pain is not relieved by non-prescription medicines.

●You have trouble doing your daily tasks.

●You are still having pain in 2 weeks.

More on this topic

Patient education: Muscle strain (The Basics)
Patient education: Chronic pain (The Basics)
Patient education: Nocturnal (nighttime) leg cramps (The Basics)
Patient education: Fibromyalgia (The Basics)
Patient education: Rhabdomyolysis (The Basics)

Patient education: Fibromyalgia (Beyond the Basics)