Muscle spasm
Muscle cramps are a problem that almost all people have suffered: a sudden, involuntary constriction that suddenly occurs in one or more muscles of the body. This causes severe pain in the affected muscle, as well as the inability of the patient to use it, The patient may also feel a solid muscle mass under the skin, but that does not cause muscle damage. Muscle spasms may affect the skeletal muscle, which is controlled autonomously, but most of the injuries are in the muscles of the legs and feet, especially in the leg muscle known as Calf muscle. There are many types and causes of muscle spasm, Some household measures can be followed to prevent or treat them.
Types and causes of muscle spasm
Muscle spasm is divided into several types according to the cause of cramping and the affected muscle group. Explain these types as follows:
- Real spasm: It is the most common type of muscle spasm. It affects one muscle or a group of muscles that work together to perform a particular function. This spasm results from excessive stimulation of the nerve that nourishes the muscles. The causes of muscle spasm are as follows:
- Excessive exercise: Excessive exercise, which causes muscle strain. Spasms occur in this case either during or after exercise for up to several hours. Prolonged lying in an inappropriate position or repeated use of a muscle may cause muscle spasm.
- Stroke: Like suffering from bone fracture, muscle spasm occurs as a defense for the body to reduce movement and fix the location of the injury.
- Muscle cramping during rest: It is common to have muscle spasm during rest, especially at sleep, the reason for which is unknown, and although it does not pose a risk to the patient’s life, but it may cause severe pain may awaken the patient from sleep, These convulsions.
- Drought: This condition results in the loss of body fluids, whether sweating during exercise or chronic treatment of diuretics, especially in the elderly. Drought also causes the body to lose its element of sodium, the most chemical in extracellular fluid, also associated with muscle spasm.
- Disorders of fluid distribution within the human body: This may occur in certain conditions, such as ascites, in which fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity, resulting in liver cirrhosis, and may suffer from kidney failure Kidney failure (dialysis): Frequent muscle spasm caused by rapidly changing body fluids.
- Low levels of calcium and magnesium in the body: It is common for muscle spasm because of this during pregnancy; low levels of these elements to the excessive excitation of nerve endings and muscles that feed. This reduction can be caused by a number of reasons, such as eating too much food rich in these ingredients, using diuretics, vomiting, and so on. The low level of potassium in the body may also cause muscle spasm, but this is rare.
- Thing: Tetany is defined as continuous muscle contraction, which results from the activation of all the nerves of the human body, which in turn stimulates the muscles of the body.
- The convulsions associated with dystonia: Dystonic cramps are less common than real muscle spasms. They include muscle contraction that is not involved in the intended movement, and usually affects small muscle groups, such as those in the eyelid, jaw, or neck.
- Muscle spasm in diseases: Tension may occur as part of certain pathological conditions affecting the muscles or nerves, such as those associated with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies such as nerve damage caused by diabetic neuropathy, .
- Drugs that cause muscle spasm: There are many such as:
- Diuretics, such as furosemide.
- Donepezil, used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Neostigmine, which is used in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.
- Raloxifene, used in the prevention of osteoporosis.
- Nifedipine, used in the treatment of angina (angina). And lovastatin, which is used to treat high blood cholesterol.
Treatment of muscle spasm
Muscle spasm therapy involves many procedures, and the cause of cramping should be eliminated if any. It is necessary to conduct the necessary tests and undergo assessment by the specialist doctor in the case of continued muscle spasm and not improve even treatment. The most important ways to treat muscle spasm are as follows:
- General procedures for muscle relaxation: Such as stretching or massaging, and hot compresses may help relax the affected muscle.
- Treatment of the cause of spasm: Such as re-perfusion and the supply of fluids in the body in the event of drought, or compensate for the body elements such as calcium, and hormone therapy, and others.
- Eat muscle relaxants: (Muscle relaxants) such as Cyclobenzaprine, Orphenadrine, Baclofen and others. The use of Botox injections has been developed in recent years in the treatment of specific muscle group spasm. These injections contain therapeutic doses of botulinum toxin (Botulism toxin).