Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesPain RelieversHydrationRestHeat TherapyMassageHumidifiersWhen to Seek Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Pain Relievers
Hydration
Rest
Heat Therapy
Massage
Humidifiers
When to Seek Care
To relieve body aches when sick with the flu, try taking a warm bath, using over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, and drinking plenty of fluids.
This article explains why body aches occur with the flu and who may be at greatest risk. It describes six ways to relieve flu-related body aches and when it is time to see a healthcare provider.
Verywell / Michela Buttignol
Why You Get Body Aches When You’re Sick
Inflammation is the body’s normal response to infection and the cause of body aches with flu. During an infection, the immune system floods the body with inflammatory chemicals likehistamineandcytokines. These chemicals cause blood vessels to dilate (widen) so that defensivewhite blood cellscan gain greater access to the site of infection.
These same chemicals also have adverse symptoms, including heat (due to increased blood circulation) and swelling (due to the leakage of fluids from swollen blood vessels into surrounding tissues). Pain is another consequence.
With influenza, body aches are largely due to the effects of cytokines on muscles, resulting in muscle pain (known asmyalgia).Among their functions, cytokines activate sensory nerve fibers callednociceptorsthat send pain signals to the brain.
Because cytokines are dispersed throughout the body, the pain tends to be generalized, although some people feel it more in the legs and back.
While uncommon, severe cases of flu can also cause joint pain (arthralgia) similar to what would be felt with arthritis.
Are Body Aches a Common Cold Symptom?
Take a Pain Reliever
Over-the-counter pain relievers may help with body aches from the flu. Generally speaking,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)like aspirin, Advil (ibuprofen), andAleve (naproxen)may be more useful due to their anti-inflammatory effects.
Tylenol (acetaminophen), another popular OTC pain reliever,can help ease pain and fever but doesn’t reduce inflammation. Even so, it may be useful as it is thought to increase the pain threshold—meaning that it takes a greater amount of pain to feel it.If you cannot take NSAIDs for any reason, Tylenol may be a reasonable option.
If in doubt, speak with your pharmacist or health provider.
Warning to Parents
A Word From VerywellSeveral medicines can help treat body aches, but it’s important to be mindful of side effects and when to exercise caution. Typically, NSAIDs should not be used in cases of hyperacidity, stomach ulcers, or kidney disease, while Tylenol should not be used in patients with advanced liver disease.—KASHIF J. PIRACHA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Several medicines can help treat body aches, but it’s important to be mindful of side effects and when to exercise caution. Typically, NSAIDs should not be used in cases of hyperacidity, stomach ulcers, or kidney disease, while Tylenol should not be used in patients with advanced liver disease.—KASHIF J. PIRACHA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Several medicines can help treat body aches, but it’s important to be mindful of side effects and when to exercise caution. Typically, NSAIDs should not be used in cases of hyperacidity, stomach ulcers, or kidney disease, while Tylenol should not be used in patients with advanced liver disease.
—KASHIF J. PIRACHA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Stay Hydrated
When you’re sick with the flu or fever, your body tends to lose more fluids through excess sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. Drinking lots of clear liquids will put back those lost fluids. This not only helps your body fight the infection but also replaces lost electrolytes.
Electrolytes likesodium,potassium,magnesium,chloride, andcalciumall contribute to muscle relaxation and contraction. When they are abnormally low or high, the imbalance can lead to muscle weakness, cramps, or spasms.
Can Electrolyte Imbalances Make Your Muscles Hurt?
Get Plenty of Rest
Getting enough sleep is also important. Sleep plays a central role in regulating the body’s immune functions, speeding healing while reducing inflammation throughout the body.
By contrast, rushing back to work is likely to prolong the infection and may only serve to infect others.
Relax Muscles with Heat
A warm bath or shower can help loosen muscles and ease body aches. If you have a fever, keep the water lukewarm to avoid raising your temperature even more. Fevers can cause dizziness and general weakness, so a bath may be a safer option than a shower, especially for children.
If you don’t have a severe fever,heating padsor heated blankets may also help relieve body aches. Be sure not to fall asleep with a heating pad or blanket on as it can end up overheating your body.
The 10 Best Heating Pads of 2022
Try a Gentle Massage
Massage therapists are not likely to treat you while you are sick. Instead, ask a family member or friend to gently massage your muscles (and offer them aface maskto protect them from infection).
Use a Vaporizer or Humidifier
Dry air can make flu symptoms worse. This is because dry air makes it harder to clear mucus from your lungs.
Maintaining a relative humidity of between 40% and 60% can help relieve respiratory symptoms, including cough and congestion.Acool-mist humidifieris especially effective but lower-costvaporizerscan also help.
How to Choose the Right Humidifier
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Flu can often be treated at home, but a healthcare provider should be called for certain high-risk people at the first sign of infection, including:
On the other hand, you should go to the emergency room or call 911 if you develop symptoms like:
Complications of Flu You Should Know
Summary
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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