Muscle Cramps - Remedies for Muscle Cramps

For past several days, in the middle of the night you have been waking up with this excruciating pain in your legs. Though the pain does not remain for more than a few minutes, a feeling of tenderness lingers around for a long time. Moreover, your sleep gets disturbed, which is further affecting your daily activities. If you are experiencing something similar, most likely you are one among the many people who are suffering from muscle cramps. Though muscle cramps are usually seen in old people and pregnant women, nowadays, even children and youngsters are reported to have experiencing them. The reason for this is not the same in everyone, however, there are certain remedies for muscle cramps which have the potential to treat these painful cramps.

What Causes Muscle Cramps?

Muscle cramps usually occur on the skeletal muscles that can be controlled voluntarily like the legs, calf, arms, back and feet. One gets muscle cramps when the skeletal muscles of a particular area contract, causing the person to feel sudden spasms of pain. Muscle cramps in a person can occur due to a variety of reasons.

One of the most common cause for muscle cramps is dehydration. Athletes, sportsmen, and people who work out regularly often experience cramps due to this problem. While they indulge in strenuous exercises, they perspire a lot, due to which a lot of fluids is lost from the body. If a person does not drink adequate amount of water throughout the day, he/she may experience muscle cramps due to dehydration. Over-exertion of the muscles due to vigorous exercises can also be the reason for muscle cramps. Electrolyte imbalance in the body is another cause of muscle cramps. If you have been experiencing muscle cramps on a regular basis, there are chances that you have a deficiency of either potassium, calcium, magnesium or sodium in your blood. Improper position while sleeping can also be the cause of muscle cramps. Many times, we tuck ourselves completely in the blanket, making our feet bent downwards, due to which the muscles in the legs contract which causes extreme pain. Other than these, people suffering from certain type of nervous disorders, and those who consume certain types of medications like Prednisone, Statins, etc., may also experience muscle cramps. Read more on what causes muscle cramps.

Remedies for Muscle Cramps

As muscle cramps cause so much pain and discomfort, it is obvious for people to look for treatment measures that can help them while they have muscle pain. You can also try some home remedies for muscle cramps that have been reported to be effective by many people.

Massage: One of the best leg cramps remedy is to massage the part of the body where the cramps have occurred. Most often, this works, because massaging helps in generating heat in the body, subsequently relaxing the muscles that have contracted. Taking a hot water shower when you get muscle cramps by exposing the cramped area to the hot water will also help in easing the pain. Other than that, hot water bag or ice pack massage is also a good way of treating muscle cramps. These are some of the great back muscle cramps remedies.

Stretching Exercises: Another method that can help in relieving muscle cramps immediately is stretching exercises. If you experience muscle cramps at night, stretch your legs as straight as possible while bending your toes towards the side of your head. Hold on to this position for thirty seconds, relax, and continue this till the pain subsides completely. Another stretching exercise is to stand in an upright position, press the heel of the leg which is cramped and stretch your toes upwards. You can also try the calf stretching exercise, where you have to stand at a three feet distance from the wall and lean on the wall. This exercise can also be done regularly before going to sleep to prevent cramps from occurring. Stretching exercises are said to be effective leg muscle cramps remedies. Read more on preventing leg cramps.

Diet: Some people have said that drinking hot water or milk before going to bed has helped them in curing the muscle cramps problem permanently. Apart from this, maintaining a healthy diet which includes the regular consumption of foods like fruits, milk, green leafy vegetables, nuts, cheese, eggs, etc., can also help in preventing muscle cramps.

Natural Remedies: There are also other natural remedies for muscle cramps which are quite safe and can be tried at home. If you are suffering from muscle cramps due to potassium deficiency, you can consume apple cider vinegar which has high level of potassium. Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a teaspoon of honey in warm water and drink it regularly. You can also try pickle tonic or mustard, containing acetic acid that aids in the production of acetylcholine in the body, which will help in relaxing your cramped muscles. Apart from these, chamomile tea is also said to be an effective treatment for leg cramps.

Electrolyte Supplements: If your muscle cramps problem is due to some kind of electrolyte imbalance, you will be given sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium supplements according to the deficiency you have. Quinine is also another option for curing muscle cramps, however, this should no be used without a prescription from the doctor. This is necessary because quinine has several side-effects which can prove harmful for the body. Read more on:

• Foot and Leg Cramps
• Night Leg Cramps

Some of these remedies for muscle cramps can be followed as preventive measures too. If the muscle cramps still persist, the best solution will be to consult a physician who can help in curing you by finding the root cause of the problem.