Muscle spasms may affect different types of muscles in the body, including voluntary and non voluntary (muscles of the heart, gut etc.) muscles. Cramps are caused by muscle spasms, involuntary contractions of one or more muscles. In addition to the foot and calf muscles, other muscles prone to spasms include the front and back of the thigh, the hands, arms, abdomen and muscles along the ribcage.
Spasms of skeletal muscles are more commonly seen, and are often due to dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. The spasm occurs abruptly, is painful, and usually lasts for seconds to minutes. Relief can be brought about by gently stretching the muscle.
If muscle spasms are particularly painful or do not resolve or seem to recur, investigation should be done to look for possible underlying causes.
Possible causes of muscles include:
-Poor blood circulation in the legs (seen in blood vessel disease, usually in individuals who have diabetes or hypertension)
-Insufficient stretching before exercise
-Exercising in the heat
-Muscle fatigue
-Dehydration
-Magnesium and/or potassium deficiency
-Calcium deficiency
-Malfunctioning nerves, which could be caused by a problem such as a spinal cord injury or pinched nerve in the neck or back
a side effect of medication
Keep in mind that certain medications, taken on the long term (especially anti acid medications, such as omeprazole and the likes of the proton pump inhibitors family) may interfere with the absorption of magnesium and calcium.
Make sure you keep a good level of hydration daily. You could measure your blood electrolytes, Magnesium and calcium to rule out any deficiency and replace if needed.
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