Treating Muscle Cramps at Home

Have you ever experienced a sudden muscle tightness either during strenuous physical activity or after the physical activity? Or does it happen even without you engaging in physical activities at all? If your answer to these questions is yes, then you are on the right blog. This blog elaborates on the cause of your sudden muscle spasm and cramps and how you can manage them in the comfort of your home.

Muscle cramping results from muscle spasms, which can be a painful experience. To get rid of it fast, what comes to mind first will be over-the-counter pain medications. However, before jumping on those medications, you should try natural methods to treat cramps at home. These remedies are cheap, safe, and even faster than some over-the-counter medications.

Muscle cramping occurs as a result of muscle spasms, and the involuntary contraction of the muscles characterizes muscle spasms. In other words, when the muscles contract on their own, spasm sets in, leading to severe cramping and pain.

Muscle contraction can happen to anybody, whether old or young. It can happen in any part of the body, ranging from the abdomen to the arms, feet, thighs, and hands. When this muscle contraction happens, especially in the limb areas, a painful lump usually appears at the site of the cramp. The pain from this spasm, on the one hand, varies from cause to cause and person to person and can last from seconds to hours after the cramps begin.

Since, in some cases, muscle spasm occurs during or after strenuous physical activities, stretching the muscles can help bring relief to the aching muscle. However, suppose the cause of your muscle spasm is not strenuous physical activities. In that case, it could demonstrate that your muscles are weak and fatigued, you do not have enough fluid and minerals in your body, or there is poor blood circulation and other body fluids in those affected muscles.

Who Is at A Higher Risk of Having Muscle Contraction?

• Although, anybody within any age bracket can experience a muscle spasm. However, older people aged 65 and above have a higher chance of having it more frequently than people younger than that age bracket.
• People vigorously involved in physical activities also have a higher chance of suffering from muscle contractions.
• Pregnant women, due to the sudden weight gain following the growth of their babies, might experience more pressure on their muscles, thereby causing muscle cramps.
• Lack of enough body fluid and longer periods of dehydration can cause fatigued muscles, which can trigger recurrent muscle cramping.
• Deficiency in minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium can also contribute largely to increasing one’s chances of suffering from muscle cramps.
• People with vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B12 (pantothenic acid), and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) deficiencies have higher chances of suffering from muscle spasms.
• People suffering from severe health conditions like Mcardle’s disease, diabetes, alcoholism, hypothyroidism, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and health conditions that cause poor blood circulation may experience frequent muscle contraction.
• People on the following medicines may also experience muscle contraction; diuretics, Alzheimer’s medications, high blood pressure medications, Parkinson’s medications, osteoporosis prevention medications, angina medications, asthma medications, and medications that lower cholesterol levels in the body.

How Do You Know When You Have Muscle Contraction?

• You may experience tenderness in the affected area of the body
• A painful lump might appear on the site of muscle contraction
• You may also experience a painful movement of the affected muscles

Having identified the causes, risk factors, and symptoms of muscle contraction, treating it is the next best step. However, remember that natural and home treatment methods heal cramps faster and more effectively than most over-the-counter medications. They are likewise safer and affordable.

Home Remedies for Treating Muscle Contraction

Stretching

The first and best treatment technique for muscle cramping is stretching. When you notice muscle contraction, try to stretch that area of your body. While doing so, you can apply heat pads and also massage the contraction site in the process.

In addition, try to avoid any activity that may further stress the affected muscles even after you feel relieved from the cramps. Repeat the stretching and massage process until you feel better. You can also use natural oils to massage the affected muscles for better results. Remember, do not stress it, just stretch and massage it lightly, and you’ll be relieved in no time.

Use Ice Packs

Ice packs are the next most effective and easily accessible home remedy for treating cramps. When you experience any funny cramping in any of your muscles, grab an ice pack and rub it on the affected area of the muscle. This will return blood cells to the affected muscle, thereby bringing you relief.

This process of applying ice packs to return blood cells to the affected muscle may take up to 10 minutes. Thus, you need to exercise patience while using this treatment technique. Studies have proven over the years that applying ice packs to cramping muscles is an effective pain reliever and inflammation eliminator.

Magnesium-rich Diet

One of the risk factors for frequent cramping is magnesium deficiency. If you notice that you have a recurrent muscle spasm, you should consider adding magnesium-rich foods to your diet. This will boost your muscle strength and endurance.

Studies carried out on some pregnant women who took magnesium supplements showed that they experienced no pregnancy-related muscle cramping. Although, it is best to speak with your doctor first if you are pregnant and want to take magnesium supplements. Apart from magnesium supplements, you can eat plenty of seeds and nuts, which are also natural sources of magnesium.

Stay Hydrated

You need to stay hydrated to prevent or treat muscle cramps and other health conditions. Also, if you are actively involved in physical activities, you should consume more water before and after your physical activities, as this will help you prevent muscle cramping. Water, so far, is the healthiest drink to help you stay hydrated.

However, other healthy drinks and liquid beverages like milk and natural fruit juices can boost your electrolytes, thus keeping muscle cramps at bay. You can stick to or even drink more of the recommended daily consumption of 8 glasses of water per day. This will not only prevent muscle cramps but also improve the function of your internal organs.

Potassium-rich Foods

Potassium, just like magnesium, is an essential mineral that can also help in the prevention of muscle cramps. It helps your muscles work better and also improves the function of other systems and organs in your body. Eating foods rich in potassium can keep you healthy and strong. Foods like sweet potatoes, avocado, and bananas are rich sources of potassium. They are also comfortable to incorporate into your diet.

You can blend them and make juices out of them or add them to your fruit salad and smoothies. While eating avocado, a rich source of potassium, it is best to keep in mind that it has high amounts of calories and fat, and you should avoid it if you are trying to manage your weight.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

As stated earlier, among the factors that trigger muscle cramping is poor circulation of blood throughout the body. One effective natural remedy for poor blood circulation is omega-3 fatty acids.

Studies have also shown that oily fishes like salmon, trout, and sardines that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids have high amounts of potassium content, which is effective in preventing and treating muscle cramps. About 300 mg of potassium can be found in 3 ounces of oily fish. Apart from keeping your muscles healthy, consuming omega-3 fatty acids can also help improve your general well-being and give your internal organs optimum protection.

Follow a Calcium-rich Diet

Calcium contributes largely to the strengthening and improvement of the functions of your skeletal and muscle systems. Calcium deficiency can expose you to severe skeletal conditions that can worsen in your old age.

Studies showed that older adults who suffer from severe bone, muscle, and joint health conditions have a history of calcium deficiency. In other words, as much as you can, try to prevent calcium deficiency.

Conclusion

Following a healthy diet plays an important role in keeping your muscles healthy while preventing unnecessary spasms. However, even while following a healthy diet, muscle spasms may occur as a result of strenuous physical activities. When this occurs, stretching, massage, and ice packs can help improve the condition of your muscles.