Muscle spasms

This is a very common issue that many people face. Muscle spasms do not discriminate to age or gender so just about anyone can be affected by them. Depending on your situation, muscle spasms may or not may be a serious issue. It may just be a minor pain that occurs irregularly but it could be a sign of a much more serious health condition.

Muscle spasms or cramps occur when muscles are contracted without warrant. These spasms will generally occur without notice and with no expectation leading to it. The muscle spasms will usually go away almost as soon as they come but they can be extremely painful for some people. The severity of the spasm can vary a lot as well.

What Causes Muscle Spasms to Occur?

There are a variety of things that could cause muscle spasms. As already mentioned, sometimes muscle spasms are a sign of a serious health condition. You may want to look at the list of symptoms to certain health disorders you believe you may have but the list could be long.

There could be a simple explanation for you getting muscle spasms as well though. Muscle spasms are not just a sign of a serious health disorder because they can be triggered when your muscles are overly tired or are overused. Muscle spasms are especially common if you stretch a particular muscle too much or if it stays in the same position for an extensive amount of time.

When a muscle is overused or put to extreme extents it will cause the muscle cell to be deprived of the energy and fluid that it needs. Once this occurs it will be hyperexcitable and this will cause the muscle to contract by itself. The muscle spasms may occur on the whole muscle or just part of the muscle but it depends on what is triggered.

How to Prevent Muscle Spasms
The most common muscle spasms occur with athletes or those who exercise too much. Usually these muscle spasms occur within the skeletal muscles which are muscles that are attached to your bone. Skeletal muscles are what allow you to lift your arms, lets you run, and even allow you to smile properly. So if your body is using specific muscles too often throughout the day, it is possible that you have regular muscle spasms.

Preventing muscle spasms may be as simple as changing up your routine a bit. You will want to make sure your body always stays hydrated and is getting the proper nutrients it needs each day. It is believed that muscle spasms occur frequently due to dehydration and malnutrition so modify your diet accordingly to help prevent them.

You may also want to minimize any muscle strain and make sure you do not rest a muscle in a certain position for too long each day. However make sure you do not stop exercising just because of muscle spasms as there are other treatment methods to go about to help prevent them.

Muscle Spasms as a Illness Symptom

As already mentioned earlier muscle spasms are commonly a symptom of a illness as well. While it may be a minor health condition it could also be a serious illness. Muscle spasms have been known as a common symptom for diabetes, abnormally low red blood cell count, kidney disease, and hormone conditions. Nervous system health issues like multiple sclerosis or any form of spinal cord injury can easily cause muscle spasms to occur as well.

As you can see there are many different causes of muscle spasms and knowing what is causing them could help you treat them accordingly. If you have regular and painful muscle spasms then you will want to see your doctor so you can take care of them properly. While changing your diet may help you prevent the muscle spasms from occurring it may not always be the answer. Your doctor will be able to determine exactly what the cause of the spasms are and how you can treat it as safely as possible.

Last updated on Mar 25th, 2010 and filed under Cardiovascular Disorders. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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