Muscle Cramps - causes & treatment

A muscle cramp, technically, occurs when your muscle tightens and shortens causing a sudden severe pain.

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Today i got up too early with leg cramps.. it was so painful that i was yelling practically from my sleep.. i recalled having me & hubs trying to straighten my leg in the wee hours in the morning.. which was around 5am.


And it still aching till now. no idea how i managed to drive to work this morning -- anyways here's some info about muscle cramps -- good to take note off ...


Muscle cramps generally result from overexertion and dehydration. When you don't have enough fluid in your system, it leads to an electrolyte imbalance that causes your muscles to cramp up. Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium that help the cells to function normally. An imbalance occurs when we have too much or too little of one or more electrolytes in our system. The main electrolytes affecting muscle cramping are potassium, sodium and calcium.

Cramps may also occur after inactivity, such as sitting too long in one place without moving a muscle. Sometimes you can even get a cramp when you're just lying in bed, though researchers cannot define a definite cause.

Most often people get cramps in their calves, however, you can also get them in your thighs, feet or just about any muscle. Cramps can be eased by a few simple methods as mentioned below.

What are LEG CRAMPS?

Cramp is a term often used to refer to a painful, involuntary contraction of a single muscle or a muscle group.

Leg cramps frequently occur in the legs of elderly patients and can be extremely painful.

Severe leg cramps my be followed by residual tenderness and evidence of muscle fiber necrosis, including elevation of serum creatinine kinase.

Cramps in the calf muscles are so common as to be considered normal, but more generalized cramps may be a sign of chronic disease of the motor neuron.

Complaints of muscle pain and muscle fatigue are among the most frequent symptoms offered by patients. The decision as to which patients require extensive diagnostic tests can usually be made by history, examination, and routine blood studies.

Muscle cramps can be particularly troublesome during pregnancy, in patients with electrolyte disturbances (hyponatremia), and in patients on hemodialysis.

Spasms (abnormal movements of muscle) may arise from abnormal electrical activity of the central nervous system (CNS) mediated via the motor neuron or occur within the motor neuron or muscle fiber itself.

Causes of LEG CRAMPS

In many cases, it is impossible to determine the cause of the leg cramps.

Muscle cramps can arise from spontaneous firing of special nerve groups followed by contraction of certain muscle fibers.

Cramps that are recurrent and localized to one muscle group may suggest nerve root disease.

Treatment of LEG CRAMPS

The decision to treat a patient with leg cramps depends on the severity and degree of impairment.

If the pain is mild and self-limiting, topical and/or oral non-prescription analgesics may be appropriate. (Specific products may be recommended by a physician or pharmacist.)

For more severe pain or if the pain is referred, the patient should see their physician for further evaluation.

Quinine Sulfate is usually the prescription drug of choice for leg cramps.

Heat Cramps Overview

Heat cramps are painful, brief muscle cramps.

Muscles may spasm or jerk involuntarily.

Heat cramps can occur during exercise or work in a hot environment or begin a few hours later.

Heat cramps usually involve muscles that are fatigued by heavy work such as calves, thighs, and shoulders.

You are most at risk if you are doing work or activities in a hot environment - usually during the first few days of an activity you're not used to.

You are also at risk if you sweat a great deal during exercise and drink large amounts of water or other fluids that lack salt.

What are nocturnal leg cramps?

These cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions of the calf muscles that occur during the night or while at rest.

Occasionally, muscles in the soles of the feet also become cramped. The sensation can last a few seconds or up to 10 minutes, but the soreness may linger. The cramps can affect persons in any age-group, but they tend to occur in middle-aged and older populations.

Nocturnal leg cramps should not be confused with restless legs syndrome, a crawling sensation that is relieved by walking or moving around. Although uncomfortable, restless legs syndrome typically does not involve cramping or pain.

What are the causes of cramps?

No one knows for sure what causes nocturnal leg cramps. In many cases, there doesn't seem to be any specific trigger. However, sometimes the cramps are caused by overexertion of the muscles, structural disorders (eg, flat feet), standing on concrete, prolonged sitting, inappropriate leg positions while sedentary, or dehydration.

Less common causes include diabetes, Parkinson's disease, hypoglycemia, anemia, thyroid and endocrine disorders, and use of some medications.

What can I do to prevent these cramps?

To stave off future episodes of nocturnal leg cramps, consider the following tips:

• Drink six to eight glasses of water daily. Doing so will help prevent dehydration, which may play a role in the cramping.

• Stretch calves regularly throughout the day and at night.

• Ride a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bedtime. This activity can help prevent cramps from developing during the night, especially if you do not get a lot of exercise during the day.

• Keep blankets loose at the foot of the bed to prevent your toes and feet from pointing downward while you sleep.

• Do aquatic therapy regularly during the week to help stretch and condition your muscles.

• Wear proper foot gear.

How can I make cramps go away?

When cramping occurs, try these steps:

Walk on or jiggle the affected leg and then elevate it.

Straighten the leg and flex your foot toward your knee. Grab your toes and pull them upward toward your knee. You should feel your calf muscles stretching.

Take a hot shower or warm bath, or apply an ice massage to the cramped muscle.

First, relax the tightened area.

You should gently massaging the area that's cramped, whether it's a crick in your calf from over exercising or a spasm in your feet. Second, stretch the muscle out slowly and gently, as long as you don't feel pain. For calf cramps, do a wall stretch. Stand about three feet away from the wall, with your knees straight and your heels on the floor. Lean into the wall, supporting yourself with your hands. You will feel the stretch of your calf muscles. Hold for 60 seconds and repeat three times.

You should also make sure to drink plenty of fluids.

If you get muscle cramps after exercise, drink water or a sports drink or juice to rehydrate and restore your electrolyte balance. Most of the time water will be sufficient to rehydrate you, however, you are then better off choosing a sports drink containing electrolytes.

You may also undo a cramp with ice.

Ice is both a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory. Try massaging the area with ice for no more than ten minutes or until the area is bright red, which indicates that blood cells have returned to heat the cramped muscle. If ice is too uncomfortable, try heat. Heat improves superficial blood circulation and makes muscles more flexible, so some people find that heat is more soothing for muscle cramps than ice. Try a heating pad for 20 minutes at a time or even a warm shower or bath. Make sure to massage the muscle with your hands following ice or heat.

Nocturnal muscle cramps can often be prevented by doing leg-stretching exercises, such as the one outlined below.

1. Stand 30 inches from the wall.

2. While keeping your heels on the floor, lean forward, put your hands on the wall, and slowly move your hands up the wall as far as you can reach comfortably.

3. Hold the stretched position for 30 seconds. Release.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 two more times.

5. For best results, practice this exercise in the morning, before your evening meal, and before going to bed each night.

Read more: http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/what-are-cramps.shtml#ixzz14wSYGu4L