How to differentiate muscle soreness from muscle dissolution
Disease description:
Recently, the teacher has been explaining medical knowledge about muscles, covering two conditions—muscle soreness and muscle dissolution. I'm a bit confused and would like to ask: how can we differentiate between muscle soreness and muscle dissolution?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Differentiate based on symptoms. Muscle pain is primarily caused by the accumulation of lactic acid in the body, while rhabdomyolysis results from the destruction of muscle cells, leading to the release of intracellular contents into the bloodstream. There is a fundamental difference between the two. The main symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include localized muscle pain, weakness—commonly occurring in the lower limbs, especially the calves—and reduced lower-body muscle strength. Patients may also have red or brown urine. In contrast, muscle pain typically presents only as localized pain or soreness without these systemic manifestations.
