Muscle Cramp

What is Muscle Cramp ?

A muscle spasm is a sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more of your muscles. If you've ever been woken or stopped at night by a sudden charley horse, you know that muscle spasms can cause severe pain. Although muscle spasms are generally harmless, they can temporarily disable the use of the affected muscle.

Long periods of exercise or physical work, especially in hot weather, can lead to muscle cramps. Certain medications and certain medical conditions can also cause muscle spasms. You can usually treat muscle cramps at home with self-care measures.

Symptoms

Most muscle cramps develop in the leg muscles, especially the calf. In addition to the sudden sharp pain, you may also feel or see a hard lump of muscle tissue under the skin.

Causes

Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle tension, or simply holding a position for an extended period of time can cause muscle spasms. However, in many cases the cause is unknown.

Although most muscle spasms are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition, such as:

Insufficient blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to your legs (arteriosclerosis of the extremities) can cause cramping pain in your legs and feet when you exercise. These cramps usually go away soon after you stop exercising.

Nerve compression. Compression of the nerves in your spine (lumbar stenosis) can also cause leg cramps. The pain usually gets worse the longer you walk. Walking in a slightly bent position—like you would when pushing a shopping cart in front of you—may improve or delay the onset of your symptoms.

Mineral depletion. Too little potassium, calcium, or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps. Diuretics - drugs often prescribed for high blood pressure - can also deplete these minerals.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase your risk of muscle cramps include:

Age. Older people lose muscle mass, so the remaining muscles can be more easily overworked.

Dehydration. Athletes who become fatigued and dehydrated during warm weather sports often experience muscle cramps.

Pregnancy. Muscle cramps are also common during pregnancy.

Health conditions. You may be at higher risk of muscle spasms if you have diabetes or nerve, liver, or thyroid disorders.

Prevention

These steps can help prevent cramps:

Avoid dehydration. Drink plenty of fluids every day. The amount depends on what you eat, gender, activity level, weather, your health, age, and medications you take. Fluids help your muscles contract and relax and keep muscle cells hydrated and less irritated. Rehydrate at regular intervals during the activity and continue drinking water or other fluids after the activity.

Stretch your muscles. Stretch before and after prolonged use of any muscle. If you have leg cramps at night, stretch before bed. Light exercise, such as riding a stationary bike a few minutes before bed, can also help prevent sleep cramps.