Cramps in the muscles
Cramping in the muscles is one of the most unpleasant phenomena that causes discomfort to many people. They can occur during or after exercise. Many persons have frequently experience spasms of the calf muscles or foot when swimming. Why is this happening? How to treat regular cramps? How to get rid of a sudden spasm? Let’s understand more.
What are the cramps?
There are several of their types, each of them is caused by different causes and, accordingly, requires different treatment.
According to the duration, they are divided into tonic and clonic. Tonic spasms are long muscle tension, accompanied by intense pain that is difficult to get rid of quickly. Clonic – these are the spasms, which we so often experience in water, or during training – muscle contraction is strong, fast, but short, and then the muscle relaxes.
Modern physicians separate a group of myoclonic cramps – spasms during sleep. They are usually caused by low serum calcium (namely it regulates muscle relaxation) or varicose veins.
There is a classification depending on a number of spasmed muscles. If it is a local, small muscle group (such as a foot), then the spasm will be called focal. Focal seizures may also be referred to as trism (chewing muscles) or blepharospasm (eyelid closure).
If the spasm causes seizures of the whole body, the internal organs, and the respiratory tract, it is a much more dangerous phenomenon, and it is classified as generalized convulsions.
The main causes of the cramps
The causes and prerequisites for the occurrence of cramps (mainly clonic and focal) can be very different:
- Strong muscle load (during exercise);
- Sudden constriction of blood vessels (when swimming in cold water), excessive activity of nerve endings;
- Shortening and “dryness” of tendons due to old age;
- Deficiency or, conversely, excess fluid (swelling) in the body;
- Deficiency of certain vitamins, micro- and macro-elements;
- Misuse of diuretics;
- Alcohol abuse and smoking;
- Overweight;
- Stress and nervous tension;
- Tight and uncomfortable shoes.
As for more serious causes, it is not the symptoms of the disease should be treated, but the disease itself. These can be:
- Hypoxia (when there is not enough oxygen in the body);
- Infectious and inflammatory brain diseases (eg, encephalitis or meningitis);
- Birth injuries of the head and malformations of the brain;
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions;
- Brain tumors, as well as cancer of other body systems;
- Epilepsy;
- Too high body temperature during various illnesses;
- Intoxication due to poisoning by alcohol, narcotic and toxic drugs, chemicals, medicines;
- Serious endocrine disruptions and hormonal failures;
- Disorders of water and salt metabolism in the body, as well as low levels of calcium, glucose, magnesium in the serum.
Emergency assistance in case of cramps
If seizures do not bother you constantly, if they do not occur regularly at night, and their appearance is caused only by external influences and serious diseases are eliminated, only emergency measures will be enough to “force” the muscle to relax quickly. More about them will be in the next article.