Why muscle spasms

You can help your doctor arrive at an accurate diagnosis by explaining your symptoms in detail. Be ready to discuss:. Be sure to tell your doctor if you started getting spasms after a sports injury or after some other physical activity such as moving furniture. That may help determine whether a muscle injury caused the spasms. If your spasms do begin after an injury or an activity that stressed the muscles, try alternating ice and heat on your back.

Ice will help reduce inflammation and heat may help improve blood flow. Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs and muscle relaxants may help relieve symptoms while the muscles heal. Research supports that muscle relaxants provide significant pain relief in short-term muscle spasms. Injections of an anti-inflammatory medication cortisone may also help. But there are potential side effects with every medication.

Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of these injections. Chiropractic care may help, but be sure to see a doctor to have your condition properly diagnosed first. Physical therapy to help strengthen your back and abdominal muscles is often recommended, as long as the muscles are healthy enough for exercise. Your back works hard for you. The better you take care of it, the lower your risk for developing back spasms will become. They may suggest certain exercises that will be easier on your back.

Read this article in Spanish. Experiencing lower back pain? If the pain is in the calf muscle, the person can try putting their weight on the affected leg and bending their knee slightly. Doing this will stretch the muscle. If cramping affects the quadriceps — the muscles at the front of the thigh — the person can try holding the foot of the affected leg behind them and gently pulling it up toward their buttocks, keeping the knees together.

In cases where an underlying neurological condition is causing the muscle spasms, doctors may recommend an antispasmodic medicine. Drinking plenty of water and stretching the muscles before any exercise or repetitive movements can help prevent muscle spasms.

Some people experience muscle cramps in the legs during the night. Stretching the limbs before bed can help prevent this from occurring. Muscle spasms, twitches, and cramps are not usually a cause for concern. They are perfectly normal, particularly in athletes and other people who exercise regularly. In some cases, however, they can indicate an underlying health condition, such as multiple sclerosis , thyroid disease , or cirrhosis of the liver. They may also suggest problems with:.

Muscle spasms are very common, and people do not usually need to worry about them. Overexercising, dehydration, and stress are the most common causes. The spasms happen when the muscle suddenly moves involuntarily. Muscle spasms may feel like a slight twitch or a painful cramp, and they can occur in the muscles in any part of the body. Muscle spasms can last just a few seconds or up to several minutes, but they tend to go away on their own without any treatment.

Gently stretching or massaging the affected area or using a heat or ice pack may help. Sometimes, muscle spasms can be a sign of an underlying health condition. Anyone who suffers from frequent or severe muscle spasms should speak to a doctor. Read the article in Spanish. Enthesitis is a condition in which the sites where tendons and ligaments attach to the bones become inflamed. Learn more about its causes and….

This article looks at the different types of myopathy, their symptoms and treatments, and the outlook for people with these muscle disorders. Elbow pain can occur when lifting an object for several reasons, including tennis elbow and trapped nerves.

As your arm muscles become fatigued, you may experience a tight cramping sensation, or a muscle spasm. The very first time you experience a muscle spasm in your arm, stop using your arm immediately and try to stretch it out. To help relieve the pain, you can apply a heating pad or warm cloth to your arm where the muscle spasm occurred.

After the muscle spasm has passed, you can apply ice packs once your pain has improved, according to MedlinePlus. Tetanus, a bacterial infection, is often referred to as lockjaw, according to KidsHealth. The reason tetanus is referred to lockjaw is because when you first experience symptoms, you have muscle spasms in your jaw, which prevent you from opening it.

As the condition worsens, you can experience muscle spasms in your upper arms, abdomen and thighs. Most children receive a total of four tetanus vaccinations by age 2 and then a booster shot at around 4 years of age. Another booster shot is usually administered at about age 11 and then every 10 years after that.

Certain wounds, such as animal bites or soil contamination, can enter your skin and spread the Clostridium tetani bacteria. It's very important to stay up-to-date on your immunizations to prevent tetanus.