Muscle spasms can occur for a variety of reasons. It isn’t abnormal for the occasional muscle spasm to occur for seemingly no reason. They aren’t always a cause for concern.
Frequently recurring muscle spasms may be a sign that something is wrong, especially if they’re accompanied by pain or soreness. Reading the situation can help you determine if your muscle spasms warrant immediate attention from your doctor or if they’re something you can casually mention at your regularly scheduled appointment.
What is a Muscle Spasm?
Muscle spasms are involuntary twitching or jerking motions in a single muscle or a muscle group. If your eyelid does that funny twitching thing when you’re tired or when you’ve been looking at a computer screen for a long time, this is an example of a muscle spasm.
Many people experience muscle spasms when they’re drifting off to sleep. If you find yourself nearly in a dream state and are suddenly awoken by an involuntary jerking motion in your legs (called a hypnagogic jerk), you’re experiencing a muscle spasm.
Powerful muscle spasms can sometimes cause pain to your bones. Spasms that affect the muscle groups around the neck and spine can negatively impact the alignment of bones, particularly if they occur frequently.
Muscle spasms can also impact the inside of your body. If you have an overactive bladder or are having difficulty finding a bathroom on a full bladder, you may experience muscle spasms that cause your bladder to leak. These can occur frequently or only on specific occasions.
What Causes Muscle Spasms?
Muscle spasms sometimes happen without sufficient cause. They aren’t always a sign that something is wrong or requires immediate medical attention. In many cases, people can identify the cause of muscle spasms and prevent them through healthy lifestyle changes.
Myoclonus
Myoclonus is a condition characterized by sudden muscle spasms or jerking motions that cannot be controlled. Many people with myoclonus experience these jerking motions when they’re fully at rest. They’re sometimes aroused from a near-sleep state by a sudden unexpected jerking motion.
Myoclonus is common in people with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, but the two don’t necessarily occur in conjunction with each other.
Imbalances or Deficiencies
Your muscles need to be properly hydrated, and they need to hold onto that hydration with electrolytes. Potassium and magnesium are necessary electrolytes. Electrolytes help the body retain and effectively utilize water.
Make sure you’re meeting your daily requirement for hydration, and if you’re having issues with electrolytes, simple drops or powders can be added to your water to resolve deficiencies.
Excessive Caffeine Intake
It’s important to note that what constitutes “excessive” caffeine intake will vary from person to person. Someone who has regularly ingested coffee for their entire life won’t typically develop muscle spasms due to caffeine use.
If you’ve recently increased your caffeine intake and are experiencing muscle spasms, it could be the caffeine that’s to blame. Reduce the amount of caffeine you’re using or stop using caffeine. The spasms should resolve on their own.
Physical or Mental Stress
Your body needs sleep to repair and recharge. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you’re putting both your mind and your body into a state of stress.
You’re overexerting your muscles without resting them. You’re carrying around excessive tension. You may not be eating properly or drinking enough water.
If you’re stressed to the point where you’re exhausted and experiencing muscle spasms, it’s time to make some lifestyle changes to prioritize your wellbeing. You deserve to give yourself enough time to prepare and enjoy healthy meals. Remember that eight hours of sleep is a necessity, not a suggestion.
Undue Strain on the Body
Muscle strain can cause muscle spasms. Muscle strain due to improper posture or bad form while exercising can cause muscle strain. Using a posture aid or working with a personal trainer can help to prevent this kind of strain.
If you work at a desk, make sure your chair properly supports your back. Be sure to stand up and move around several times a day.
Body Changes Relating To Pregnancy
The body changes tremendously during pregnancy and childbirth. Muscles stretch to accommodate a growing baby, and childbirth can be traumatic to the back and abdomen muscles.
Muscle spasms are common during this time, and they generally resolve after the body fully recovers from the experience.
Certain Medications
Asthma medications, ADHD medications, pseudoephedrine, and other stimulant drugs can sometimes cause muscle spasms as a side effect. These spasms will persist throughout the duration of treatment with these medications.
Diseases of the Muscle or Spinal Injuries
Existing spinal or muscular injuries can lead to muscle spasms. Improper posture or failure to adhere to a treatment plan, such as physical therapy or massage, can cause spasms to persist. In some cases, periodic muscle spasms may be lifelong.
Do I Need to See a Doctor About Muscle Spasms?
If muscle spasms are new, frequently occurring, or in conjunction with pain, you need to speak to your doctor about them. If you’ve corrected your posture, getting enough sleep, eating and drinking adequately, and supplementing electrolytes to no avail — you need to see a doctor.
Muscle spasms that do not resolve on their own, particularly if they’re becoming disruptive to your life, warrant medical attention.
How Are Muscle Spasms Treated?
If you’re waiting to see a doctor about your muscle spasms or if the cause is identifiable, you can treat your muscle spasms yourself at home.
Take It Easy
Even if your muscle spasm came and went, you should still take it easy for a little while. Relax in a chair or on a bed that adequately supports your back. Wait a few days before resuming any athletic activity like lifting heavy things or working out. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
Take Care of Yourself
Address any potential deficiencies in your diet by drinking enough water and eating balanced meals. Healthy fats, lean protein, leafy greens, and electrolyte supplements will help restore your body to homeostasis.
Apply Cold Compresses
If spasms are recurring in the same muscle, applying cold compresses may help. You can use an ice pack if you have one.
A bag of frozen peas may work better, as it easily conforms to the shape of your body. Make sure to wrap the bag’s exterior in a hand towel to avoid the cold from coming into direct contact with your skin.
Cold compresses shouldn’t be left in place indefinitely. Try to leave them in place for a maximum of 20 minutes. Take them off for an hour and reapply, if necessary.
Give Yourself a Topical Relief Massage
Massaging your muscles feels good, whether or not you’re dealing with muscle spasms. Massaging the affected area with a topical pain relief cream like Hempvana Platinum Pain Relief Cream will provide a whole host of benefits.
The massage itself will help to promote healing, while the pain relief topical will work to ease any uncomfortable sensations associated with your muscle spasm.
Finding Relief from Muscle Spasms with Hempvana
Muscle spasms aren’t always painful. If they are, your doctor will determine the underlying condition and work with you to develop a plan to treat them.
Hempvana’s pain relief creams are formulated with hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil helps to draw moisture to the skin and seal it within. It also provides enough slip to make it easy to rub the cream in without creating friction. It glides on smoothly and conditions the skin as the pain relief ingredients begin to work
Lidocaine
Hempvana’s Lidocaine Cream is formulated with four percent lidocaine. Lidocaine is a topical numbing agent that doctors use to relieve pain from the surface of the skin. It’s what dentists inject into your gums before they perform a dental procedure, keeping you pain-free throughout the process.
Trolamine Salicylate
Hempvana Pain Relief Cream uses the active ingredient trolamine salicylate. Trolamine salicylate is similar to aspirin. It penetrates the surface of the skin to provide relief to painful or inflamed muscles.
Head For Hempvana
Hempvana’s line of topicals safely provides on-the-spot relief to achy muscles and joints. However, if feelings of discomfort persist, contact your provider right away.