Learn What To Do When You Get Muscle Cramps
The pain occurs in all areas of the body and can strike when we least expect it. We talk about what you should do when you get muscle cramps “.
Who has not had seizures?
The answer to that question, oddly enough, would end up being “none”. This is thanks to the composition of the body, which consists of muscles in each area.
What are muscle cramps?
Cramps are nothing more than an involuntary muscle contraction.
Sometimes not the whole muscle tissue contracts, but only a part of it. This makes the cramp concentrated in one area. The pain is of course just as intense and annoying.
Seizures occur without direct trauma or damage to the muscle. In fact, it is common after overworking your body or before going to bed. But there are steps you can take when it comes to muscle cramps
Causes of involuntary muscle contraction
As we mentioned above, direct trauma does not cause seizures, as many believe.
In fact, the factors that cause it are a little more varied and far from muscle damage.
The most common are:
- Damage to the spinal cord.
- Nerve failure.
- Muscular overexertion.
- Lack of minerals.
- Hydration problems.
- Insufficient blood flow in the muscle.
- A pinched nerve in the back or neck.
Other factors that cause seizures are:
- Pregnancy.
- Menstruation.
- Kidney failure.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Alcohol problems.
- Some medications.
What should you do when you get muscle cramps?
You can get cramps at any time, so it is advisable to know what to do when you get one. Essentially, you need to know how to be prepared for the situation and what to do when you get muscle cramps.
Before doing physical activity
Muscle overexertion is one of the main triggers for involuntary muscle contractions. This is why you should take a number of precautions before doing any kind of physical activity.
- Activate all muscle groups, especially those in the specific area you are working on.
- Get enough fluids before, during and after the activity.
- Do not eat heavy foods.
- If you eat, do it at least 2 hours before exercising.
- Avoid drinking coffee or alcoholic beverages.
Options for controlling muscle cramps
There are many ways to reduce involuntary muscle contractions. Let us show you some of the easiest and most convenient ways.
To massage the affected muscle
This is one of the most common ways to treat seizures. This is thanks to how easy it is to do, and above all how great benefits it has.
- To do this, it is first necessary to assume a comfortable position, depending on where the contracted muscle is.
- Use moderate force with one hand while massaging in the form of circles. This will promote blood circulation to the muscle so that it returns to a normal state.
Apply heat to the muscle cramps
This is also a good option for fighting cramps, especially when they last a long time.
We can use heat in different ways:
- Take a hot shower: The heat of the water on the body will be responsible for gradually causing the involuntary contraction to “let go”. Hot water combined with steam can be very effective.
- Hot water compress : Moisturizing a hot water compress and applying it directly to the affected area will improve the condition of the muscle. If you do not have a towel, you can use a cloth or rag.
Drink plenty of water
Since one of the main causes of seizures is dehydration, a good alternative comes to mind: drink more water!
This solution not only treats cramps but also prevents them.
When you get a cramp, you should drink at least half a liter of water.
However, it is necessary to know if the muscle contraction occurred during a physical activity. If this is the case, the cramp is directly related to the body being dehydrated.
Problems to pay attention to
It is important to know that it is very common to suffer from seizures. Regardless of the discomfort the muscle contractions cause in the body, they only last for a maximum of 10 minutes.
If this is not the case, it is advisable to visit your doctor to evaluate the affected muscles.
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