Muscle cramps can be defined as forcibly and involuntarily contracted muscle that will not relax. It is impossible not to experience cramps during your life. While there are many different types of muscle cramps, the most common ones are those that we refer to as skeletal muscle cramps. These are the ones that you would get during training or during a sports event, even during a day-to-day action as simple as getting out of the bed. Preventive measures are easy to incorporate and rang from paying attention when you are working out to proper hydration. However, when the cramp does appear, you want to know what to do.
Stretching Through A Muscle Cramp
The good news is that most of the muscle cramps will be stopped when you stretch the muscle. That is extremely easy when dealing with leg and feet cramps as standing up and then walking around usually takes care of the problem. If you have a calf muscle cramp, go close to a wall, lean on it from around 2 feet with your forearms against it and the knees and back straight while heels contract floor. Try to practice the maneuver when you do not have a cramp though. You know you are doing right as the calf muscle is stretched.
Massage For Muscle Cramps
If you cannot stretch, massage can do the trick in most situations. It helps the muscle to relax, just as using a hot soak or heating pad can do. When you are faced with a cramp that is linked to fluid losses, which is really common with really intense training sessions, you will want to rehydrate with electrolyte replacement water.
Medications For Muscle Cramps
You do not use medication in order to treat the regular cramps because a skeletal muscle cramp will easily go away spontaneously before medication would actually be absorbed in your blood stream. A muscle relaxant can b utilized in order to offer some short-term benefits when faced with muscle cramps that appear due to temporary events like injuries.
In the past few years we saw an increase in botulism toxin therapeutic doses injections in order to deal with dystonic muscle disorders localized to limited muscle groups. A proper response is usually the case. If dealing with specific medical conditions, the focus is put on treating that condition. Only if necessary the doctor will prescribe extra drugs to deal with the cramps.
When To Go To The Doctor
This is similar to so many bodily discomforts you may feel. Whenever you have cramps that are frequent, do not respond to the simple treatment solutions, are persistent or really severe, you have to go to a doctor since an intensive treatment may be necessary. Alternatively, the muscle cramp may be caused by another medical condition that would have to be treated. Muscle cramps are quite inevitable but you should do all that you can in order to prevent them.