A little soreness after a workout is normal for most people, but sometimes it can feel like your whole body and all of your muscles are aching. Whether your muscle soreness is from a day of hiking or an intense exercise session at the gym there are ways to treat it.

Most common muscle pain is caused by a physical activity or exercise that uses different muscles than those you typically use such as playing tennis on a hard court or running more distance than usual when training for a marathon. This can cause the muscles to be tight and achy for 12-24 hours afterward. Muscle aches also can be from doing something that’s new to you, such as lifting heavy weights for the first time or trying a new fitness class.

The good news is that most types of muscle ache aren’t serious and will clear up on their own. If you experience extreme muscle soreness, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as breathing difficulty, high fever, or weakness, see a doctor for muscle pain right away.

There are a variety of treatments that can help ease muscle aches, from simple at home self-care to more …