What is "myalgia"

Myalgia \My*al"gi*a\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? muscle + ? pain.] (Med.) Pain in the muscles; muscular rheumatism or neuralgia.

"muscular pain," 1827, coined in Modern Latin (on analogy of neuralgia) from myo- "muscle" + -algia "pain."

n. (context pathology English) Muscular pain or tenderness.

n. pain in a muscle or group of muscles [syn: myodynia]

Myalgia, or muscle pain, is a symptom of many diseases and disorders. The most common causes are the overuse or over-stretching of a muscle or group of muscles. Myalgia without a traumatic history is often due to viral infections. Longer-term myalgias may be indicative of a metabolic myopathy, some nutritional deficiencies or chronic fatigue syndrome.