More aggressive muscle pain associated with muscle inflammatory activity is less common and occurs in patients with the autoimmune disorders, polymyalgia rheumatica and polymyositis. Even something as simple as walking the equivalent of two miles per day could reduce utilization and cost of medical services. In many patients, pain, stiffness and loss of function occur without demonstrable inflammation. Their diagnoses include chronic low-back pain, fibrositis, fibromyalgia, fibromyositis, myofacial pain syndrome and idiopathic myalgia. The pain seems to originate from muscles and connective tissue with little or no evidence of tissue changes.
Blood tests are normal, even when the disability from pain, weakness, and stiffness is severe.
Aching is often associated with fatigue and other symptoms. Gastrointestinal Tract symptoms are especially common. Patients with these diagnoses are usually offered drugs by their physicians. These symptom complexes should be viewed in the wider context of hypersensitivity disorders and food-related disease. Milk, wheat, eggs, meat, coffee and chocolate are high risk foods in these diffuse aching disorders.