What All You Need to Know About Muscle Cramps?

• Written by Ritika Malik

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Muscle cramps all over the body can abruptly interfere with your day-to-day tasks, sleep, and exercise schedule. These muscle cramps can range from sudden leg cramps to frequent shoulder cramps. Sometimes, they can be terrifying and distressing. Muscle spasms can be involuntary contractions of one or more muscles anywhere in the body, for instance, from the calves to the neck. This blog will disclose the reasons behind muscle spasms, causes, and treatment options.

What are Muscle Cramps?

Body muscle cramps are involuntary contractions that cause severe discomfort or throbbing pain. Depending on the extent and cause, they may last a few minutes to seconds. These cramps can affect any individual and are common in athletes, older adults, and people with certain underlying health problems and conditions.

Causes of Muscle Cramps All Over the Body

A pulled muscle or an overuse injury are identified to be the primary triggers of body muscle cramps. Usually, it involves repetitive movements in sports or any other physical activity that leads to muscle stretching or tearing. Here are some of the most common causes of muscle cramping in the body

Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance

Essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium, including dehydration, cause widespread body muscle cramps. Electrolytes and fluids are crucial for proper muscle functioning; an imbalance interrupts the efficiency of relaxing and contracting muscles.

Physical Overexertion

Incorporating strenuous activities or extended exercises cause muscle fatigue and spasms. Athletes and people who overexert themselves are more likely to experience muscle spasms across the body if they omit the right cool-downs and warm-ups.

Poor Circulation

Conditions like peripheral artery disease and sitting in one position for a long time cause improper blood flow to muscles, causing spasms in diverse body parts.

Nerve Compression

Several conditions, such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, compress nerves. This compression eventually triggers muscle cramps multiple muscles throughout the body.

Medical Conditions

Muscle spasms all over body are often triggered by certain medical conditions like:

• Diabetes: Involves nerve damage and poor circulation, which contribute to muscle cramps.
• Kidney disease: Occurs due to electrolyte imbalance due to poor kidney function, hence augmenting the frequency of muscle cramps all over the body.
• Thyroid disorders: It is triggered by underactive thyroid hormone, also known as hypothyroidism. This condition weakens the muscles, which causes muscle cramps.

Stress & Anxiety

This factor involves tensing the muscles, making your body susceptible to muscle cramps, mainly when experiencing physical or mental strain.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Inadequate intake of crucial vitamins such as B1, B6, and B12 causes nerve and muscle cell dysfunction, resulting in muscle weakness.

Symptoms of Body Muscle Cramps

Body muscle cramps in every individual might differ when it comes to intensity and duration, but they usually involve the following symptoms:

• Abrupt and sharp pain in the affected muscles
• Muscle stiffness and tightness in the body
• Visible muscle contractions and muscle twitching
• Experiencing soreness in the affected area after the cramps subsides.

When to Seek Medical Assistance

Muscle cramps in the body are not usually harmful, but they can sometimes represent a severe underlying condition . You must consult your healthcare provider if you experience the following:

• Consistent or severe muscle spasms
• Cramps linked to swelling, skin modifications, or redness
• Regular spasms despite adequate hydration and resting
• Numbness and weakness in the muscle

Treatment Options for Full Body Muscle Cramps

Your healthcare provider and certain home remedies can treat muscle cramps all over the body with certain recommended options.

Home Remedies

Here are some home remedies that you can incorporate into your daily routine to reduce the symptoms of body cramps:

• Stretching: Make sure to stretch the affected muscle or area so that tension can be released
• Massage: Gently massage the affected area by cramping, as it helps relax the muscles
• Warm or cold compress: You can apply warm or cold compresses to relax the muscles and reduce soreness due to cramping.

Medications

Depending on the severity and cause of muscle cramps all over the body, here are some usually recommended medications to relieve the cramping:

• Pain relievers: OTC medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen are given to reduce pain and the symptoms of body muscle cramps.
• Muscle relaxants: Recommended in severe cases so that muscle contractions are relieved, and pain is subsided.

Physical therapy

It involves physiotherapy, which helps strengthen the cramped muscles, and stretch exercises, used to avert muscle cramps.

Treating underlying conditions

Muscle cramps caused by medical conditions such as thyroid and diabetes are treated by managing the primary causes to avert recurrence.

>> Also Read: Struggling with Lower Back Pain? Here’s How to Get Relief at Home

Bottomline!!!

Body muscle cramps can be a minor inconvenience and indicate underlying health conditions.You can integrate proactive steps towards improved muscle health by recognising their causes, symptoms, and treatment option., Treating body muscle spasms might cost you a lot, so to reduce the burden, it is imperative to buy a healthcare insurance plan. It is crucial in ensuring you can avail timely care without being apprehensive about finances. Having insurance can give you peace of mind and comprehensive support. Care health insurance offers you the required coverage to reduce the financial strain. With the right health insurance plan, it would be effortless for you to feel financially secure and prioritise your health.

Disclaimer: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.