Muscle cramps
What are muscle cramps?
Causes of muscle cramps
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for muscle cramps
What are muscle cramps?
Muscle cramps are unpleasant and often painful involuntary muscle contractions. You can feel and see that the affected muscles go hard. When they occur at night they can disrupt sleep.
Cramps are common - almost everyone experiences them at some time. They can be experienced at any age, but are more common in older people.
The cramp may involve a part of a muscle, an entire muscle, or several muscles that work together, such as those that flex adjacent fingers.
Any of the muscles under our voluntary control (skeletal muscles) can cramp. Cramps of the limbs and their extremities are the most common. Involuntary muscles (in the uterus, intestinal tract, blood vessel walls, bile and urine passages, bronchial tree, etc.) are also subject to cramps.
Muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to a quarter of an hour or even longer. Often a cramp will recur several times until it finally goes away.
Causes of muscle cramps
- Mineral imbalance. Low levels of sodium, calcium, potassium or magnesium. Other micronutrients may be low, particularly vitamins B and D.
- Dehydration. If the cramps are occurring at night or soon after you wake up in the morning, it is likely that you are dehydrated. To confirm that dehydration is the cause, drink a full glass of water when you get up in the morning, and see if cramping stops soon after.
- Hormonal imbalance in a woman's reproductive cycle.
- Over-excitement of the nerves.
- Injury. Cramps can be a protective mechanism to minimise movement.
- Muscle fatigue, sometimes even hours after vigorous activity.
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for muscle cramps
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See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.
- Sea salt.
- Water, sufficient to prevent dehydration. If the cramps are occurring at night or soon after you wake up in the morning, it is likely that you are dehydrated. To confirm that dehydration is the cause, drink a full glass of water and see if cramping stops soon after.
- Potassium.
- Magnesium.
- Sunlight and vitamin D.
- Vitamin B complex. Food sources include grass-fed meat, fish and unprocessed brewer's yeast. However, avoid vitamin B3 (niacin).
- B vitamins. Food sources of B vitamins include grass-fed meat, fish and unfortified brewer's yeast. However, avoid vitamin B3 (niacin).
- A diet that gets your fats right.
- Sufficient hydration (but do not drink too much!) Your urine should be a light straw colour. If it is lighter, you are probably drinking too much water. If it is darker and somewhat smelly, you can drink more water.
- Stress management. See depression for strategies.