 MUSCLE CRAMPING
A muscle cramp is a sudden contraction of one or more of your muscles. The result can be intense pain and an inability to use the affected muscles. Common causes of leg cramps in athletes are overuse and dehydration during sports played in warm weather. Injury, muscle strain or staying in the same position also may cause muscle cramps. Writer's cramp affects the thumb and first two fingers of your writing hand and results from using the same muscles for long periods.
At home, you can develop muscle cramps in your hand or arm after spending long hours gripping a paintbrush or using a garden tool. Other causes of muscle cramps may include circulatory or nerve problems. Some muscle cramps occur during rest. A common variety of muscle cramp occurs in your calf muscles or toes during sleep. You can usually treat muscle cramps with self-care measures. Signs and symptoms of a muscle cramp include:
Sudden and sharp muscle pain (spasm, contraction), often in your legs
A hard lump of muscle tissue that you can feel or is visible beneath your skin.
Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, injury, muscle strain or simply holding a position for prolonged periods of time may result in a muscle cramp. Athletes who become fatigued and dehydrated while participating in warm-weather sports frequently develop muscle cramps. Muscle cramps in your legs also can result from:
Inadequate blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your legs (arteriosclerosis of the extremities) can produce cramp-like pain in your legs and feet while you're exercising. These cramps go away within a minute or two after you stop exercising and stand still.
Nerve compression. Compression of nerves in your spine (lumbar stenosis) also can produce cramp-like pain in your legs. The pain usually worsens the longer you walk. Walking in a slightly flexed position - such as you would when pushing a shopping cart ahead of you - may improve your symptoms.
Mineral depletion. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps. Some diuretic medications prescribed for high blood pressure cause loss of potassium.
Muscle cramps are also part of certain conditions such as nerve, thyroid or hormone disorders, diabetes, hypoglycemia and anemia. Most people experience cramps only occasionally. These usually go away on their own and don't require medical treatment. However, if you experience frequent and severe muscle cramps, see your doctor. |
ACUPUNCTURE and MUSCLE CRAMPS
1. To determine the course of treatment we will examine the
medical reports, to comprehend the cause, and how to prevent the muscle cramping.
2. Emotional imbalance will bring about tension and problems in the digestive system causing cramping in the back, neck or calves.
3. Cramping can also occur in the intestines, rectum and other organs in the body
4. First we will relieve the cramp to prevent pain. Next we address the emotional problems that are causing problems in the digestive system.
5. The stomach controls the muscles in the body; if the stomach is not healthy the patient will experience cramping or Myalgic pain.
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© 2010 Dr. Jason Tsai, D.O.M., A.P.,
Licensed in the State of Florida.