Muscle cramps can caught you off guard most of the time. It can strike while you are walking or even while you are asleep. It can bring unbearable pain and it can really disable you when it strikes you. Most of these attacks are harmless but the affected muscles are just impossible to use for awhile.
The most common muscles or the most common location of cramps is in the muscles of the leg. Leg cramps can be so terrible it can partially stop you of your tracks if you are walking or stop you from work if you are in your work place. Too much physical labor or exercise especially during hot weather may result to muscle cramps.
Common symptoms of leg cramps are sharp and swift muscle pain in your legs and you can feel a hard muscle lump under your skin. These cramps are usually harmless and often goes away on its own so that medical care is not really necessary however it is worth a visit to your doctors office if your cramps causes you severe pain or discomfort, does not improve with self care measures, is not link with an obvious cause like too much exercise and most of all if it strikes you too often.
The most common cause of muscle cramps are muscle strain, dehydration, overuse of muscles and even staying in one position for a long time. However in most cases , specific cause of muscle cramp is not known at all.
Just as stated by Mayo Clinic that most muscle cramps are harmless, some may also be linked to some serious health conditions like mineral depletion which is too little magnesium, calcium or potassium in the body; compression in the nerves and not enough blood supply. It may also be a sign of specific conditions like anemia, hypoglycemia, diabetes, thyroid disorder, kidney and nerve disorder.
Leg cramps can be treated with self-care measures. Your doctor can suggest some stretching exercise that can aid in lessening your chances of having leg cramps. Make sure too that your body is well hydrated to prevent any attack from muscle cramps.
Your doctor may prescribed medications that will help relax your muscles if you are having cramps during sleep. Although it is not yet supported with studies and research, taking of vitamin B complex seems to bring you lots of benefits.
If you are strike with cramp then the following can bring you relief from pain – You can stretch the affected muscle and then gently massage it; and use cold and hot pack alternately, cold pack to relax tense muscles and hot pack if there is tenderness or pain.
But as always prevention is better than cure so try to prevent cramps by keeping yourself hydrated and always do stretching before and after you use your muscles.