Why muscle cramps occur and how to get rid of them

Every person who has experienced muscle cramps at least once in their life knows perfectly well how strong the pain and discomfort associated with this problem can be. As a rule, convulsions occur suddenly – during training, walking, swimming and even passive recreation. There are many reasons that explain the appearance of muscle cramps, which you need to know about in order not only to get rid of discomfort in the shortest possible time, but also to minimize the likelihood of this problem in the future. It is these questions that estet-portal.com will consider in this article.

At the most inopportune moment: about the danger of muscle cramps

Muscle cramps – this is not only unpleasant, but sometimes dangerous – for example, if leg cramps caught you off guard while swimming. Waking up in the middle of the night to get our muscles in order and get rid of pain and discomfort, we sacrifice the quality of sleep. This problem poses a separate danger for people working in production: sudden muscle contraction can lead to accidents and injuries.

To manage seizures and minimize the risk of recurrence, you need to understand the nature of the problem and be aware of its main triggers.

To manage seizures and minimize the risk of recurrence, you need to understand the problem and be aware of its main triggers. Therefore, in this article, estet-portal.com will dwell on the following points in more detail:

• what is muscle cramps: the mechanism of the problem;
• causes of muscle cramps: find and neutralize;
• ways to get rid of muscle cramps in the shortest possible time;
• effective methods to prevent muscle cramps.

What are muscle cramps: the mechanism of the problem

In short, muscle cramps – These are involuntary muscle contractions. Most often, people complain of cramps in the legs: in the lower leg, fingers and even feet.

Recognizing this problem is very simple: the muscles involved become very tense and hard, pain occurs in the problem area. A person really feels a sharp spasm that occurs in a matter of seconds.

If you exercise, be aware that cramps can occur long after exercise.

Causes of muscle cramps: find and neutralize

There are a number of potential causes of involuntary muscle contractions that are important to be aware of in order to protect yourself from this problem. These include:

• impaired blood circulation in the legs;
• too intense;
• failure to stretch before exercising;
• excessive activity at high temperatures;
• lack of fluid in the body;
• muscle fatigue;
• potassium and/or magnesium deficiency;
• Spine or nerve problems;
• taking certain medications.

It is interesting that most often (in 75% of cases) muscle cramps bother us at night when we sleep.

Ways to get rid of muscle cramps in the shortest possible time

To get rid of muscle cramps, try three effective ways:

1. Stretching

The involuntary spasm of the muscle leads to its tension, which is felt along with pain. In this case, you can try stretching the problem area. You can find the corresponding exercises in the article estet-portal.com "What do you really pull: muscle stretching in pictures".

2. Massage

In many cases, both self-assisted massage and massage performed by another person can help to relax a tense muscle.

3. Relaxation

When a person is in pain, they tend to tense up, which only adds to the discomfort and prolongs the muscle cramps. Therefore, try to relax to relieve the spasm.

Effective methods to prevent muscle cramps

An effective method of preventing muscle cramps is one that targets the root cause of the cramps, which is best identified by a physician. If the matter is in any disease or lack of vitamins or trace elements in the body, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. On your own, you can do the following:

• drink enough water, especially in the heat (lack of it in the body – a common cause of seizures);
• eat a balanced diet, try to ensure that the body receives all the necessary nutrients and vitamins;
• be sure to stretch before training;
• limit your alcohol consumption.

Read also: Cramps prevention: how to protect yourself from muscle cramps

As you can see, managing muscle cramps and preventing them is not that difficult. Main – identify the cause of the problem, if necessary, contact a qualified specialist in a timely manner, and neutralize it.