Muscle Cramps
(of Skeletal Muscles)

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Medical Author: Daniel Gornel, MD, MPH
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What are muscle cramps?
• What are the types and causes of muscle cramps?
• Do all muscle cramps fit into the above categories?
• Can medications cause muscle cramps?
• Can vitamin deficiencies cause muscle cramps?
• Can poor circulation cause muscle cramps?
• What are the symptoms of common muscle cramps? How are they diagnosed?
• What is the treatment of skeletal muscle cramps?
• How can muscle cramps be prevented?
• Are there medications to prevent muscle cramps?
• What is the prognosis of recurrent muscle cramps?
• Muscle Cramps At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Muscle Cramps - Effective Treatments

Muscle Cramps: a Real Pain Medical Author: Melissa Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: Barbara K. Hecht, PhD Anyone who has experienced a muscle cramp (charley horse) can attest to the fact that it can be quite painful. Muscle cramps occur when muscles involuntarily contract and cannot relax. The skeletal muscles (those over which we have voluntary control) are most prone to cramping. The skeletal muscles in the calf, thigh, and arch of the foot are most notorious sites of cramps. Cramps can be perceived as mild twitches or may be excruciatingly painful. Typically, cramps cause an abrupt, intense pain in the involved muscle. Often a muscle that is cramping feels harder than normal to the touch or may even show visible signs of twitching. Most cramps resolve spontaneously within a few seconds to minutes. It is not known exactly why muscle cramps develop. Insufficient stretching before exercise, exercising in the heat, and muscle fatigue may all play a role in their causation. Imbalances in the levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate) in the blood can also lead to muscle cramps. Read about treatment of muscle cramps » Top Searched Muscle Cramps Terms: exercise associated muscle cramps, leg cramps, medical causes of leg cramps, cause of muscle cramps in extremities, twitching

What are muscle cramps?

When we use the muscles that can voluntarily be controlled, such as those of our arms and legs, they alternately contract and relax as we move our limbs. Muscles that support our head, neck, and trunk contract similarly in a synchronized fashion to maintain our posture. A muscle (or even a few fibers of a muscle) that involuntarily (without consciously willing it) contracts is called a "spasm." If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. A muscle cramp is thus defined as an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. This causes a visible or palpable hardening of the involved muscle.

Muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to a quarter of an hour or occasionally longer. It is not uncommon for a cramp to recur multiple times until it finally goes away. The cramp may involve a part of a muscle, the entire muscle, or several muscles that usually act together, such as those that flex adjacent fingers. Some cramps involve the simultaneous contraction of muscles that ordinarily move body parts in opposite directions.

Cramps are extremely common. Almost everyone (one estimate is about 95%) experiences a cramp at some time in their life. Cramps are common in adults and become increasingly frequent with aging. However, children also experience cramps.

Any of the muscles that are under our voluntary control (skeletal muscles) can cramp. Cramps of the extremities, especially the legs and feet, and most particularly the calf (the classic "charley horse"), are very common. Involuntary muscles of the various organs (uterus, blood vessel wall, intestinal tract, bile and urine passages, bronchial tree, etc.) are also subject to cramps. Cramps of the involuntary muscles will not be further considered in this review. This article focuses on cramps of skeletal muscle.

Muscle Cramps - Effective Treatments

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