A cramp is a condition in which muscle contractions are unintentional. In the most common case, the muscles of the legs are reduced in a person, however, the phenomenon can be localized in the arms, shoulder girdle, and sometimes affects the abdominal wall and other parts of the body.
Experts agree that the disease is harmless, especially during physical exertion. A danger can be presented by situations when muscles are regularly reduced throughout the body, cramps cause noticeable discomfort, accompanied by a rise in temperature and headache, and bruising.
Kinds
The disease is classified according to two factors: location and duration, with varying degrees of severity. In the first case, doctors distinguish between the following sudden contractions:
- Local - the phenomenon is observed in a separate area. For example, it reduces the calf muscles, feet, shoulder blades, lower back, abs, thighs with prolonged cramps.
- Unilateral - the process is fixed only on one side of the body (for example, on the left).
- General - muscles contract almost throughout the body (both in front and behind), which makes it difficult to elementary stretching, breathing, swallowing and other actions. Problems with emptying the bladder and loss of consciousness are not excluded.
© bhakpong - stock.adobe.com
According to the intensity and duration, it is customary to distinguish seizures:
- Tonic - caused by physical work or disturbing in the back in the morning due to incorrect posture in sleep. Standard for athletes.
- Myoclonic - short-term without systematic manifestation, stopping within a few minutes of contractions of the fingers, abdomen (often recorded in women during pregnancy), neck, shoulders and face.
- Clonic - regular cramps of the body or individual muscle.
- Tonic-clonic - the joint action of the previously noted species.
The reasons
Unintentional muscle contractions can be associated with a lack of water in the body, which is typical for running and other active sports, alcoholic intoxication and intoxication. Another common reason is the action of subzero temperatures, at which it is difficult for blood to flow to the extremities, which provokes convulsions.
Problems with blood supply and muscle condition are a separate case. To this, as a rule, is brought by the refusal of physical activity or, conversely, many hours of training without interruptions (swimming, lifting weights, etc.).
Lack of calcium, magnesium and potassium (can be triggered by taking certain medications) in the body has a bad effect on muscle contraction.
Overweight can lead to convulsions, which affects the metabolism and blood flow to the tissues. When carrying a child, women often face a problem caused by electrolyte deficiency.
Wear of muscles and blood vessels due to age in the older generation is another possible cause.
Symptoms
Muscle spasm is accompanied by pronounced symptoms that distinguish it from other pathological conditions:
- cramps involving one or more muscle groups, causing acute pain and a feeling of tightness in soft tissues;
- numbness of the fingers, spasms in the ribs, difficulty in bending and extending the knees, arms, curvature of the spine that limits freedom of action, uncontrolled throwing back of the head and tension in the neck;
- disorientation of the personality, disturbed breathing rhythm, ignorance of external stimuli;
- visual impairment, confusion of speech, problems with facial expressions;
- short-term inability to control the bowel movement.
Diseases caused by muscle spasm
| Name of the disease | Characteristics |
| Tetanus | There are sudden contractions of the muscles of the face and jaw with spread to other parts of the body up to the feet and hands. Convulsions are possible on an ongoing basis, accompanied by acute pain. |
| Viral diseases | Spasms against a background of high temperature, which can lead to cerebral edema. |
| Diabetes | Disorders affect the lower extremities due to the leaching of trace elements involved in maintaining the normal state of the muscles. |
| Epilepsy | Teenagers suffer from limb cramps while sleeping. Men and women have long-term seizures that combine different types of spasms, caused by lack of sleep or the effects of alcohol. |
| Spasmophilia | Muscle contractions in children interfere with breathing and movement. May cause cardiac arrest. |
| Hysterical form of neurosis | The spine takes on an arched shape, the seizures are accompanied by screaming, moaning and crying. |
| Osteochondrosis | Sleep cramps in the legs and back. |
| Hypoparathyroidism | Contractions for a few minutes, covering most of the body. Most often, the feet and hands are affected. |
| Hypertension | Muscles inadvertently contract with cerebral edema during a hypertensive crisis. |
| Hypomagnesemia | Due to magnesium deficiency, problems with control of the neck, back and limbs develop. |
Do I need to see a doctor
There is no need to worry about one-time muscle contraction, but the regular repetition of seizures can be considered a signal of the progression of a particular disorder. The problem may be associated with the work of the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system or central nervous system, thyroid gland. It is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor in the following cases:
- monthly observation of the problem;
- convulsions give rise to severe pain;
- the cause is not physical activity;
- the state does not change after massage and relaxation.
Who to contact for help
If you suspect the development of health problems, you need to visit a therapist. After a general examination and assessment of the test results, he will narrow the number of possible options to a minimum and send for a consultation to a specialist with a narrow profile.
They can be a psychiatrist, surgeon, endocrinologist, and neuropathologist. The doctor, having established the cause of the pathology and an accurate diagnosis, will prescribe a treatment for the identified disease.
What to do if your muscles are tight: first aid
In order to get rid of the feeling of discomfort, you should
- Refuse an action that could cause an unintended contraction.
- Proceed with a gentle massage of the area where the problem is localized.
- Eliminate sharp turns, tilts and other movements immediately after getting rid of unpleasant sensations - they can cause a repetition.
- If the pain persists even after the cramps have stopped, ice should be applied to the muscle or an elastic bandage should be used. Compresses will help to eliminate the hardness and tension of the area in severe cases.
In a situation where the calf muscle has contracted, you need to pull the toe of the foot towards you.
Action in the reduction of the gastrocnemius muscle. © Paolese - stock.adobe.com
The child has
Children, unlike adults, tend to suffer from generalized seizures that involve the entire body. Between the ages of six months and 5 years, contractions caused by an excessively high temperature are considered common. They disappear after the fever and fever in general have been eliminated, without posing a danger to life and health.
With a single occurrence of febrile seizures, there is a high risk of facing this problem later. It is important to prevent the development of fever with medications and to avoid using injections in those parts of the body where spasms are localized.
The manifestation of violations even at normal temperatures may be evidence of:
- heart problems;
- water-electrolyte imbalance;
- early stages of epilepsy;
- hormonal disruption.
Diagnostics
Only clinical studies will help to accurately determine the cause of seizures. At the first stage, general and biochemical blood tests are taken. Then it is necessary to establish the state of internal organs and systems using ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, an electroencephalogram of the brain.
MRI. © Olesia Bilkei - stock.adobe.com
Treatment
The exact treatment program can be chosen only after identifying the disease that underlies the sudden muscle contractions. In the case of recurring seizures of a local or general nature, at first, it is necessary to use pharmaceutical solutions that can eliminate the symptoms and improve the general condition:
- With a high potassium content (Panangin and Asparkam). They restore normal muscle tissue function and block the development of spasms.
- With a high content of magnesium (Magnelis and Magwith). They help to establish water and electrolyte metabolism and eliminate the deficiency of trace elements in the body.
- Creams and ointments, the action of which can reduce pain and relieve tension in certain parts of the body (Venophlebin and Troxevasin).
What is the danger
The progression of spasms threatens human life. Possible scenarios for the development of events characteristic of ignoring symptoms include:
- immobility of the whole body, which can result in the failure of the cardiovascular system;
- complete cessation of breathing;
- cerebral hemorrhage;
- convulsive form of hypertensive crisis.
Prevention of muscle cramps
Malfunctions of the body that cause unintended contractions can be ruled out if standard prevention rules are followed.
- First of all, you need to sleep at night for 8-9 hours, resting in a comfortable position and in a room where the optimal microclimate is maintained.
- Nutrition should be balanced, you should not give up acidic and alkaline foods rich in a complex of vitamins and minerals important for life.
- Dehydration of the body is excluded, therefore, in the summer months it is recommended to consume more liquid, carefully approach relaxation in the bath.
- Prevention includes timely treatment of infections, which eliminates the risk of complications, as well as temperature control in children.
