Conditions
CRAMPS AND MUSCULAR PAIN
SymptomsMuscle cramps occur when muscles involuntarily contract and cannot relax. The skeletal muscles (those over which we have voluntary control) are most prone to cramping, and the most notorious are the ones in the calf, thigh, and arch of the foot. Cramps can be perceived as mild twitches or may be excruciatingly painful. Typically, cramps cause an abrupt, intense pain in the involved muscle. Often a muscle that is cramping feels harder than normal to the touch or may even show visible signs of twitching. Most cramps resolve spontaneously within a few seconds to minutes.
Severe cramps may be associated with soreness and swelling, and can occasionally persist up to several days after the cramp has subsided. At the time of cramping, the knotted muscle will bulge, feel very firm, and may be tender.
Causes
It is not known exactly why muscle cramps develop. Insufficient stretching before exercise, exercising in the heat, and muscle fatigue may all play a role in their causation. In addition, imbalances in the levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate) in the blood can also lead to muscle cramps.
Cramps can occur when you are resting, sleeping, or participating in sports or other daily activities. Anyone can develop a muscle cramp but infants, the elderly, the overweight and athletes are at greatest risk for muscle cramps. Athletes most often develop muscle cramps at the beginning of a season when their body is not yet fully conditioned. Cramps in athletes can occur during or after periods of physical exertion.
Several vitamin deficiency states may directly or indirectly lead to muscle cramps. These include deficiencies of magnesium, thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6).
Magnesium is a mineral important to the function of every organ in the body. If the body is low in magnesium, it is forced to take it from the muscles that can result in painful cramps, strains and spasms.
How to treat it
If you get a muscle cramp while exercising, one strategy is to stop your activity and hold the cramped muscle in a gently stretched position until the cramp resolves. If a cramp occurs when you are lying down, you may want to do just the opposite - put weight and walk on the cramping leg. Light massage may also help alleviate the pain. In athletics, you can also help prevent future muscle cramps by always warming up and stretching well (especially the muscle groups prone to cramping) before workouts and maintaining adequate hydration when exercising. Sports beverages rather than water may help prevent electrolyte imbalances such as low sodium levels.
Check with your doctor if you have frequent or unusually severe muscle cramps that do not appear to be associated with exercise or do not improve with stretching and massage. Muscle cramps in the legs that come on with exercise can be a sign of a more serious condition called intermittent claudication due to poor circulation of blood to the legs.
Lifestyle considerations
Changing some of your daily habits may help you avoid cramps and muscular pain. For instance, drink lots of water. Aim for 6 to 8 glasses a day.
Also ensure you are receiving plenty of potassium and magnesium (eating a well-balanced diet which contains fruit such as bananas, dried apricots, and raisins provides high amounts of potassium, while soya beans and nuts are also a good magnesium sources).
Regular massage can also help to keep muscles toned and relaxed, and consider electrolyte replacement drinks after sport as they re-hydrate the body and quickly replace minerals lost through sweating.
Your local pharmacist is an excellent source of information about appropriate medications that may be helpful in also preventing and relieving this condition.
Sourced from:
www.medicinenet.com
www.orthoinfo.aaos.org
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