# Sunburn and Throbbing Muscle Pain **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005 "2005-07-11T15:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/1 "2005-07-11T15:48:32Z")
Dear SDMB, This morning I woke up to my girlfriend sobbing in pain next to me. She has not slept the entire night and finally cracked from the pain and exhaustion. What seems to have happened is that we spent a good 30 minutes in the sun yesterday and got a little sunburned. Hers worse than mine, but the sunburn itself doesn’t seem all that bad. Her entire body is pretty much sunburned (except for the swimsuit areas), however it seems that her arms (hands and arms ONLY) have developed an almost untolerable cramp/throbbing pain throughout sometime during the night. Her hands are not even sunburned, but she can barely move her fingers. We have an appointment to see a doctor in a few hours, but we’d just like SOME information about what is going on. Googling around I was not able to find anything useful, and the only thing the nurse suggested over the phone was dehydration(we did imbide in a couple wine coolers last night, so that’s certainly a possibility). She’s had sunburns before that were much worse than this, but they’ve never caused muscle aches like this. The pain is debilitating to the point where she can barely hold a glass of water. So far we’ve been treating it with aloe, advil and plenty of fluids until we get to the doctor. However, my faith in the overworked Kaiser medical personnel is rather thin (for good reason), and I’d like to go in informed if at all possible. So any suggestions of what this might be, how it would be treated, what we should ask the doctor and when this is going to go away? Regards and thank you in advance, Groman ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/2 "2005-07-11T16:03:49Z")
Dedicated sun-worshipper here and I’ve never heard of this before. Has she been on any kind of medication lately that would make her photosensitive? 30 minutes doesn’t sound like very much time to be so sunburned (unless she’s very pale to begin with). Has she ever had an allergic reaction to too much sun? The fact that it is confined to her hands and arms doesn’t sound like it is sun related either (if it were sun related, it should be system wide). I am not a doctor. Standard disclaimer language, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/3 "2005-07-11T16:12:21Z")
[Heat cramps?](http://www.vh.org/pediatric/patient/pediatrics/cqqa/heatillnesses.html) > [@](#): > > ``` > * Sweat is made of your body's salt and water. When you sweat a lot, your body loses too much salt. The low salt level causes muscles to tighten and cramp, which can be painful. > * They usually happen in your arm and leg muscles. > * Heat cramps can be a sign of heat exhaustion. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/4 "2005-07-11T16:16:12Z")
My initial guess would be dehydration. Does she have a headache as well? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/5 "2005-07-11T17:00:58Z")
Get her something salty to eat. NOW. Pickle, potato chips, anything. Like **Kimstu** , my first thought was sodium imbalance. You can make your own “electrolyte drink” by mixing: 1 quart water ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon table salt 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar If you have it, add ¼ teaspoon salt substitute Have her drink as much of this as possible while you’re on your way to the doctor. If she doesn’t feel even a little better within an hour, I’d strongly suggest not waiting for the doctor, and go to an ER. Serious dehydration is nothing to mess with. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/6 "2005-07-11T17:16:53Z")
Any rashes or lesions? The sun can cause flare-ups in Lupus sufferers and, of course, [porphyria](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990507.html) sufferers are notoriously light-averse. But long before I considered any alarming/unlikely diagnoses, I’d check out the dehydration theory and make sure that she’s not taking any medicines that might have photosensitivity as a side-effect. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/7 "2005-07-11T17:58:17Z")
Got Gatorade? I agree with **WhyNot** - but Gatorade or other such sports drink should be OK. I think we’re talking dehydration. Also some Potassium might help. Bannana? Aloe is a good treatment for mild sunburn. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/8 "2005-07-11T22:55:13Z")
Ok, thank you very much for your advice guys. We saw the doctor, he said the sunburn was actually much worse than it looked with dehydration on top of it. Prescribed bed rest, cold towels, Indomethacin 50mg and a cortisone cream and to stay off her feet for a few days. I guess half an hour in the sun for a fair skinned person can be dangerous here in California. Today is the day I remember my grandfather and the incredible greek genes he provided me that let me turn brown and a little itchy instead of peeling when I do something this stupid. Thanks guys, Regards, Groman ---
**Author:** ![nomoreburn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nomoreburn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nomoreburn)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/9 "2014-04-17T02:57:34Z")
Hey, I went to Galveston, Texas last weekend, and got a mild burn. I have had MUCH worse burns before, but this time has been much different. This time, I burnt my chest, and face. The crazy thing is that the pain that I am having is in my upper back muscles. (today, is Wednesday) the burn and redness is gone. I have drank a 1/2 gallon of water each day, so dehydration isn’t really the problem. Does anyone have any other ideas? I am beginning to wonder if I should go see my Doctor. Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/10 "2014-04-17T16:55:27Z")
Just drinking water isn’t enough to offset dehydration. Your body loses more than water. It loses sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. These are the chemicals that help your heart beat, your muscles contract, and your neurons fire. Go get a Gatorade or other sports drink and drink it down. Call your doctor if that doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sunburn-and-throbbing-muscle-pain/312005/11 "2014-04-17T18:03:52Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Please note that this thread was started in 2005. Colibri General Questions Moderator