What are muscle spasms?
Muscle spasms (muscle cramps) are painful contractions and alteration of your muscles. They’re common, involuntary and unpredictable. Though there are steps you'll want to stop a symptom and treat it once it attacks, those ways aren't continuously reliable. Muscle relaxants, stretching and massage are presumably to assist.
Otherwise referred to as muscle cramps, spasms occur once your muscle involuntarily and forcibly contracts uncontrollably and can’t relax. These are quite common and may have an effect on any of your muscles. they'll involve half or all of a muscle, or many muscles in an exceedingly large cluster. The foremost common sites for muscle spasms are the thighs, calves, feet, hands, arms and abdomen. once occurring within the calves, especially, such cramps are referred to as “charley horses.” A leg cramp that happens at nighttime once you’re at rest or sleep is termed a “nocturnal leg cramp.”
Muscle spasms target intensity from delicate, uncomfortable twitches to important discomfort to intense, severe pain. The spastic muscle might feel more durable than traditional to the bit and/or seem visibly distorted. it should twitch. Spasms generally last from seconds to fifteen minutes or longer, and will recur multiple times before going.
Explanation of medical terms and concepts Muscle cramp
A muscle cramp could be a fulminant and involuntary contraction of 1 or a lot of your muscles. If you have ever been woken up within the night or stopped in your tracks by a fulminant charley horse, you recognize that muscle cramps will cause severe pain. tho' typically harmless, muscle cramps will create it briefly not possible to use the affected muscle.
Long periods of exercise or physical labor, significantly in weather conditions, will result in muscle cramps. Some medications and sure medical conditions conjointly could cause muscle cramps. you always will treat muscle cramps reception with self-care measures.
prevention Muscle cramps can be especially problematic when the weather is warm and you're involved in strenuous activity To help prevent them try these tips: Drink plenty of fluids before and during exercise Dehydration can cause your body to retain salt and increase muscle tension Exercise on a full stomach; this helps prevent cramping by making sure your blood sugar levels are stable for energy production Stretch regularly but not immediately before or during intense workouts or competitions Hold light stretches (like touching your toes) for 20 seconds each and never bounce at the end of a stretch Warm up with
– Dr Weil A muscle cramp (charley horse) is an involuntary painful contraction of a muscle or group of muscles It usually lasts only a few seconds and causes the affected muscle to jerk or twitch Cramps can be extremely discomforting but are rarely dangerous However cramps experienced during physical activity may lead to injury if they cause you to fall or stumble Muscle stretches before and after exercise help prevent them In older adults nerve damage can contribute to sudden fasciculations (twitches) which resemble a cramp but have no associated pain These fasciculations generally don't last longer than 3-5.
Symptoms Muscle cramp
Muscle spasms will want a sew within the aspect or be excruciatingly painful. you will see a twitch underneath your skin and it should feel exhausting to the bit. Spasms area unit involuntary. The muscles contract and it takes treatment and time for them to relax. they're quite common, particularly in older adults and athletes.
If the symptom is severe, happens often, responds poorly to treatment and isn't associated with obvious causes, build a meeting along with your tending supplier. The spasms may be associated with underlying factors.
Most muscle cramps develop within the leg muscles, notably within the calf. Besides the abrupt, sharp pain, you would possibly conjointly feel or see a tough lump of muscle tissue at a lower place your skin.
When to see a doctor
Muscle cramps sometimes disappear on their own and are seldom serious enough to want treatment. However, see your doctor if your cramps:
Cause severe discomfort
Are associated with leg swelling, redness or skin changes
Are associated with muscle weakness
Happen frequently
Don't improve with self-care
Aren't associated with an obvious cause, such as strenuous exercise
Causes Muscle cramp
Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle strain or just holding a grip for a chronic amount will cause a muscle cramp. In several cases, however, the cause is not glorious.
Idiopathic” means the precise cause is unknown, and that’s the case with muscle spasms. Some consultants believe that one among additional of the subsequent could also be responsible in most cases:
Not enough stretching.
Muscle fatigue.
Exercising in the heat.
Dehydration.
Depletion of electrolytes (salts and minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium in your body).
Involuntary nerve discharges.
Restriction in the blood supply.
Stress.
Too much high-intensity exercise.
Possible causes for nocturnal leg cramps (leg cramps at night), specifically, include:
Sitting for long periods of time.
Overusing the muscles.
Standing or working on concrete floors.
Sitting improperly.
Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition, such as:
Inadequate blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your legs (arteriosclerosis of the extremities) will turn out cramp-like pain in your legs and feet whereas you are exercising. These cramps sometimes depart before long once you stop exercising.
Nerve compression. Compression of nerves in your spine (lumbar stenosis) can also turn out cramp-like pain in your legs. The pain typically worsens the longer you walk. Walking during a slightly flexed position — like you'd use once pushing a pushcart before you — could improve or delay the onset of your symptoms.
Mineral depletion. Too little atomic number 19, metal or metallic elements in your diet will contribute to leg cramps. Diuretics — medications usually prescribed for top vital signs — can also wipe out these minerals.
Risk factors Muscle cramp
Factors that might increase your risk of muscle cramps include:
Age. Older people lose muscle mass, so the remaining muscle can get overstressed more easily.
Dehydration. Athletes WHO become spent and dehydrated whereas taking part in warm-weather sports often develop muscle cramps.
Pregnancy. Muscle cramps also are common during pregnancy.
Medical conditions. You might be at higher risk of muscle cramps if you have diabetes, or nerve, liver or thyroid disorders.
Prevention
These steps may help prevent cramps:
Avoid dehydration. Drink many liquids a day. the number depends on what you eat, your sex, your level of activity, the weather, your health, your age and medications you are taking. Fluids facilitate your muscles contract and relax and keep muscle cells hydrous and fewer irritable. throughout activity, refill fluids at regular intervals, and continue to drink or alternative fluids once you are finished.
Stretch your muscles. Stretch before Associate in Nursing when you employ any muscle for an extended amount. If you tend to possess leg cramps in the dark, stretch before an hour. lightweight exercise, like riding a stationary bicycle for a couple of minutes before hour, might facilitate forestall cramps whereas you are sleeping.
Diagnosis Muscle cramp
Your healthcare provider will need to know, in addition to your medical history and medications, information about:
How bad the pain is.
When do the muscle spasms happen (e.g. at night? After exercising?).
How long the cramps last.
What the muscle spasms feel like.
When the muscle spasms started.
Any other symptoms you’re experiencing.
Treatment Muscle cramp
You can typically treat muscle cramps with self-care measures. Your doctor will show you stretching exercises that may assist you cut back your probabilities of obtaining muscle cramps. ensuring you keep well-hydrated can also facilitate. For continual cramps that disturb your sleep, your doctor would possibly impose a medicine to relax your muscles.
When a spasm strikes, you would possibly be physically exerted, merely sitting or maybe sleeping within the middle of the night. If solely there was a wizardly injection that might instantly relieve your pain! There ar, however, 5 steps you'll be able to desire try and get eliminate the spasm:
Stretch the affected area.
Massage the affected area with your hands or a massage roller.
Stand up and walk around.
Apply heat or ice. Put an ice pack together or apply a heating pad, or take a nice warm bath.
Take painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Lifestyle and home remedies
If you have a cramp, these actions may provide relief:
Stretch and massage. Stretch the incommodious muscle and gently rub it to assist it relax. For a calf cramp, place your weight on your incommodious leg and bend your knee slightly. If you are unable to face, sit on the ground or in a very chair together with your affected leg extended.
Try pulling the highest of your foot on the affected aspect toward your head whereas your leg remains in a very straightened position. This may conjointly ease a back thigh (hamstring) cramp. For a front thigh (quadriceps) cramp, use a chair to steady yourself and check out and pull your foot on the affected aspect up toward your cheek.Apply heat or cold. Use a heat towel or warmer on tense or tight muscles. Taking a heat tub or directing the stream of a hot shower onto the incommodious muscle can also facilitate. as an alternative, massaging the incommodious muscle with ice could relieve pain.
Alternative medicine
Some counsel taking B {complex|vitamin B complex|vitamin B|B vitamin|B|water-soluble vitamin} complex supplements to assist manage leg cramps. However, additional analysis is required to substantiate this profit.
Preparing for your appointment
Make a briefing together with your doctor if you've got muscle cramps that are severe, frequent and not improving with self-care.
Here's some data to assist you make preparations for your appointment.
What you can do
When you build your appointment, raise if there is something you would like to try to do prior to. build a listing of:
Your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment
Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history
All medications, vitamins and supplements you take, including dosages
Questions to ask your doctor
Take a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember the information you receive.
For muscle cramp, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
What's likely causing my cramps?
Are there other possible causes?
What tests do I need?
Is my condition temporary or chronic?
What's the best course of action?
What alternatives are there to the approach you're suggesting?
Don't hesitate to ask other questions.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, including:
When did you develop cramps?
How frequent and severe are your cramps?
Does anything typically precede your cramps, such as mild to strenuous exercise?
Do you ever have cramps while resting?
Does stretching relieve your cramps?
Do you have other symptoms, such as muscle weakness or numbness?
Have you noticed changes in your urine after exercise?
General summary
Muscle cramps are painless involuntary contractions of muscles The cause is an imbalance between the supply and demand of electrolytes in the body Muscle cramps can affect any muscle group in the body though they usually occur in legs and feet The most common symptoms of a muscle cramp include severe pain that begins suddenly and lasts about two to three minutes An individual experiencing muscle cramps should consult his or her doctor for treatment options People should also consider taking steps to avoid mineral deficiencies that can lead to discomfort from muscle cramps
What deficiency causes muscle cramps?
If you’re waking up in the morning with a tight and painful muscle you may be suffering from a common condition called nocturnal leg cramps Nocturnal leg cramps usually strike right before bedtime or during the night while you sleep They can also strike when you bend your legs or make sudden movements such as coughing sneezing or laughing These cramps are most commonly caused by potassium deficiency
What is the best vitamin for leg cramps?
If you suffer from leg cramps the best way to ensure your daily multivitamin provides enough magnesium is to choose one that contains 250 milligrams of magnesium per serving Check the product label for this information If your multivitamin does not contain enough magnesium ask your doctor about supplementing with a separate magnesium supplement
How long does it take to recover from a muscle cramp?
Muscle cramps while exercising are an issue for many people especially during their first few months of exercise Most muscle cramps that occur in this period will resolve on their own within 15 minutes to an hour Some types of muscle cramps can last longer because the underlying cause is a neuromuscular disorder or electrolyte imbalance Consult your physical therapist if you have persistent muscle cramping issues after several weeks of consistent exercise
What is your body lacking when you have leg cramps?
When you have leg cramps it's usually a sign that your body is lacking some essential minerals or nutrients For example magnesium and potassium are important for muscle functioning and can help prevent cramps if taken as supplements However you can avoid many cases of leg cramp by paying attention to your daily diet When making food selections it's important to not only include foods rich in the necessary minerals but also other ingredients that are closely linked to helping with the prevention of leg cramps
How do you stop cramps immediately?
Cramps are generally caused by dehydration especially during periods of hot weather To prevent cramps from developing drink plenty of water and sports drinks to stay well hydrated during exercise or other physical activities For cramps that already developed reduce pain by stretching the cramped muscle as gently and gradually as possible; avoid contracting the muscle further because it can cause even more severe pain Massaging the area with a cool compress or ice pack helps ease the discomfort in most cases Those suffering from severe or sudden cramps should seek medical attention immediately
How do you get rid of cramps fast?
Cramps and muscle spasms can be incredibly painful not to mention inconvenient It’s hard to do much else when you have a leg cramp or a nagging backache Luckily some home remedies work very well for getting rid of cramps fast Many of these remedies are simple inexpensive and readily