Muscle Spasms (cont.)
How are muscle spasms treated?
Prevention is the key to most skeletal muscle spasm episodes. Since they are
often associated with dehydration and electrolyte disturbances, it is important
to keep the body well hydrated. If the fluid loss is due to an illness with
fever or vomiting and diarrhea, controlling the symptoms will help limit fluid
loss and prevent spasms. Similarly, for those who work or exercise in a hot
environment, drinking enough fluids to keep hydrated is very important.
Should a skeletal muscle go into spasm, the initial treatment is to gently
stretch the muscle back to length to break the spasm cycle and resolve the acute
situation. Further treatment will depend upon the underlying cause of the muscle
spasms.
The treatment of smooth muscle spasm also depends upon the underlying cause.
Often, pain control will occur simultaneously with the care provider's efforts
to make the diagnosis.
There is no one effective treatment for the dystonias. Medication may used to
try to restore balance to the brain's neurotransmitters. The decision as to
which medication to use depends upon the patient's presentation. It may take
trial and error to find the right medication in the right dose to control
symptoms.
- Anti-Parkinsonism drugs, like trihexyphenidyl HCl (Artane) and benztropine
mesylate (Cogentin) decrease acetylcholine
levels.
- Muscle relaxants like diazepam (Valium) and baclofen (Lioresal) affect GABA receptors.
- Levodopa (Sinemet) and reserpine (Harmonyl) affect dopamine levels.
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol), a seizure-control drug, may be useful in some patients.
- Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) may be injected into a specific muscle to paralyze it and relieve the
muscle spasm. This was initially used for blepharospasms but is now able to be
used where other muscles are involved.
- Spasms may affect many different types of muscles in the body, leading to many
different symptoms and presentations.
-
Spasms of skeletal muscles are most common and are often due to dehydration and
electrolyte abnormalities. The spasm occurs abruptly, is very painful, and
usually short lived. It may be relieved by gently stretching the muscle.
-
If muscle spasms are especially painful, if they do not resolve or if they
recur, medical care should be accessed to look for potential underlying causes.
-
Smooth muscles that are within the walls of hollow organs in the body can go
into spasm, causing significant pain. Often this pain is colicky, meaning that it
comes and goes. Examples include the pain associated with diarrhea, gallbladder
pain, and kidney stone pain.
-
A special form of muscle spasms are the dystonias whereby an abnormality perhaps
exists with the chemicals that help transmit signals within the brain. Examples
include torticollis and blepharospasm. Treatment may include medications to help
restore the neurotransmitter levels to normal and Botox injections to paralyze
the affected muscle and relieve the spasm.
Last Editorial Review: 6/17/2009
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