What is the meaning of myalgia?

Myalgia specifically refers to muscle pain, which can result from a variety of causes such as overuse, injury, or underlying medical conditions. This term breaks down into "myo," meaning muscle, and "algia," meaning pain. Consequently, when discussing symptoms or conditions that include the term myalgia, it is directly related to discomfort or pain experienced in the muscles.

In contrast, the other terms refer to different types of pain or conditions. Nerve pain pertains to discomfort arising from nerve damage or irritation, while head pain relates to headaches or migraines, and joint stiffness describes a sensation of tightness or lack of flexibility in the joints but does not detail pain. Thus, myalgia is distinctly characterized as muscle pain, making it the correct definition in this context.