What To Do If You Get Cramps
The pain occurs in any region of the body and can strike when we least expect it. We are talking about the infamous “cramp”.
Who has not had a seizure?
The answer to this question will strangely end up being “none”. All this is due to the composition of the body, which consists of muscles in all regions.
What is a cramp?
A cramp is nothing more than an involuntary muscle contraction.
Sometimes the whole muscle tissue is not contracted, but only a part of it. This makes the cramp concentrated to one area. The pain is, of course, just as intense and annoying.
Seizures occur without direct trauma or injury to the muscle. In fact, it is common when one overestimates the body or before going to bed.
Causes of involuntary muscle contractions
As we mentioned above, direct trauma does not cause seizures, as many otherwise believe.
In fact, the factors that cause it are a little more varied and far from muscle damage.
The most common are:
- Damage to the spinal cord.
- Nerve failure.
- Muscular overexertion.
- Lack of minerals.
- Hydration problems.
- Insufficient blood flow in the muscle.
- A pressed nerve in the back or neck.
Other factors that cause cramps are:
- Pregnancy.
- Menstruation.
- Renal insufficiency.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Alcohol problems.
- Certain medical information.
What to do when you get a cramp
You can get a cramp at any time, so it is advisable to know what to do when you get one. Essentially, you need to know how to be prepared for the situation.
Before doing physical activity
Excessive use of your muscles is one of the primary triggers of involuntary muscle contractions. This is why you should take a number of precautions before performing any kind of physical activity.
- Activate all muscle groups, especially those in the specific area you are training.
- Hydrate yourself before, during and after the activity.
- Do not eat heavy foods.
- If you eat, do so at least 2 hours before exercising.
- Avoid drinking coffee or alcoholic beverages.
Alternatives to spasm control
There are many ways to avoid involuntary muscle contractions. Let us show you some of the easiest and most convenient ways.
Massage the affected muscle
This is one of the most common ways to treat a seizure. This is thanks to how easy it is to do and above all its great benefits.
- To do this, it is first necessary to find comfortable position, depending on where the contracted muscle is.
- Exercise moderate force with one hand while massaging in the form of circles. This will promote blood circulation to the muscle so that it returns to a normal state.
Apply heat to the cramp
This is also a good alternative to fighting cramps, especially when they last a long time.
We can use heat in different ways:
- Take a hot shower : Hot water on the body will be responsible for gradually removing the involuntary contraction. Hot water combined with steam can be very effective.
- Compresses with hot water : Soften a compress with hot water and applying it directly on the affected area will improve the muscle condition. If you do not have a towel, you can use a cloth or tea towel.
Drink plenty of water
Since one of the main causes of seizures is dehydration, a good alternative comes to mind quickly: drink more water!
This solution not only treats cramps but also prevents them.
When you get a cramp, drink at least half a liter of water.
However, it is necessary to know if the muscle contraction occurred during physical activity. If this is the case, the cramp is directly related to dehydration of the body.
Problems to consider
It is important to know that it is very common to suffer from seizures. No matter how much discomfort muscle contractions cause in the body, they only last for 10 minutes.
If this is not the case then maybe you should visit your doctor to see if the muscles are affected.
