What are Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps or spas, is a sudden painful, sensation caused by involuntary shortening or contraction of muscles. They usually occur in the foot, calf or thigh usually when you are exercising, playing sports or lying in bed. Muscle cramps can also be caused by cold, dehydration or low calcium level. Nighttime cramps occur when you point your toes lying in bed and the calf muscles contract.
Symptoms of Muscle Cramps
- A sharp, painful tightening in a muscle. The affected muscle is hard to touch.
- A visible twitching of the muscle beneath the skin can occur with more severe cramps.
Causes of Muscle Cramps
- Activity and inactivity both causes cramps. Medications taken for hypertension, wearing high heels when you are not accustomed to it, poor conditioning, overexertion or muscle fatigue, imbalance of minerals in the blood due to sweating and dehydration are factors that can cause muscle cramps.
Natural Remedies for Muscle Cramps
- Ice the muscle, to reduce blood flow and relax them.
- Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration (that causes muscle cramps) from excess sweating.
- If a mineral imbalance is responsible for the cramp, drink an electrolyte replacing drink.
- For calf cramps and hamstring cramps, massage the area gently with fingers.
- Put your full weight on your heels to stop cramping in the leg.
Preventing Muscle Cramps
- If you get nighttime cramps, try to sleep on your side and don’t tuck in your blankets and sheets too tightly.
- Before you begin and during the course of the exercise drink plenty of water.
- Don’t take salt tablets as it may cause dehydration, nausea and vomiting.
- If you are prone to calf cramps, regular calf stretching exercises will help.
- Stand with the balls of your feet on a step and lower your heels foe a gentle stretch holding on to something for a balance.
- If cramps keep recurring, get your medications checked from a physician. And increase your intake of potassium rich foods like potatoes, oranges and bananas.
Muscle Cramps are painful spasmodic contraction of muscles in the limbs. They are common in the calf of the legs and feet.
Causes of Muscle Cramps
- Dietary deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B6 and deficiency of oxygen in the tissues are the main causes.
- Nervous irritability.
- Mental stress and other psychic factors.
- Menstrual cycle and menopausal disorders.
- Neurological disorders and uremia are other factors.
Natural healing of Muscle Cramps
- Consume millets, sesame seeds, almond, milk and apricots for muscles cramps due to calcium deficiency.
- Vitamin C and Vitamin E in large doses are beneficial in treating muscle cramps caused by oxygen deficiency in the tissue.
- Vitamin E helps in circulation in the legs and Vitamin C helps in assimilation of Calcium in the body.
- Potassium helps relieve muscle cramps caused by mental and nervous disorders.
- Vitamin B helps relieve foot cramps.
- Cramps associated with menstrual cycle and menopause can be treated successfully with large doses of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 and herbs and liquorices.
- Intake of Vitamin D, Magnesium and 2 tablets of betaine hydrochloride after each meal helps relieve cramp associated with old age.
- Massage the cramping area or apply heating pad to relieve cramps.
- Exercise is also beneficial for muscle cramps. Lie flat on the back in a bed with the feet elevated for 2 minutes. Sit on the edge of the bed with the legs dangling till they become pink. Move the feet up and down. Flex the ankles in and out. Massage the feet, toes and lower legs. Lie back on the bed and cover with blankets for 2 minutes. The exercise should be repeated 4 times a day.
- Improve circulation with lower back and leg exercises.
- For relief from cramps at night, turn over in bed on your back. Point toes toward the ceiling or get up and walk around or get into a tub of hot water until the cramp subsides.
- Related Topics
- Leg Cramp Relief | How to Stop Leg Cramps | Leg Cramping Remedy
- Causes Of Leg Cramps While Sleeping: Preventing Leg Cramps During Sleep
- Shin Cramps Causes: Treatment And Remedies For Shin Muscle Cramps
- Cramping During First Trimester Symptoms: Preventing Pregnancy Cramps
- Cramps In Toes And Feet Causes And Prevention: Treatment Of Toe Cramps
I am 45 years old. I am experiencing permanent cramps in my lower leg and feet for last 3 years. It is really painful. I cannot move my feet without help of my hand. I just pick up and put my feet inside the shoes. I wear covered shoes. Sometimes I even lack sensation in the cramped parts. I take iron, calcium, pregabalin, neurobion but without results.
I have had severe leg cramps, foot cramps and even in my back. I finally looked it up and your web site may be the answer. I take 320mg of Diovan every day and have been for quite a few years. I am going to check with my Dr. and see if that is the culprit.
Managing and Treating Muscle Cramps
- Invariably a deficiency of potassium in the body causes muscular cramps. Step up your intake of fresh fruits and vegetable. They are rich sources of potassium and will check the occurrence of cramps. It will also benefit your heart, by keeping your blood pressure in control and reducing the dependency on drugs.
- Also, restrict your intake of salt. Stay away from processed foods and refined foods which are loaded with sodium (salt).
- Drink plenty of fluids per day.
- Ensure that you stretch your legs and spine twice – thrice a day. It reduces the occurrence of cramps significantly.
- Gently massaging the lower back and calves will eliminate the muscle cramps .
Tips to check leg cramps
Flex the ankles by pulling the toes upwards, toward your head. Perform this exercise while lying in bed with the legs as straight as possible. it is a brilliant stretch for the calves and helps dodge leg cramps successfully.
Valsartan (Diovan) is not known to cause cramps, but it would be advisable to visit the physician if the symptom persists, even after following the above mentioned guidelines.