A muscle cramp is a sudden, involuntary contraction of one or more muscles. A swift contraction is a muscle spasm; a cramp occurs if the muscle continues to contract. Muscle cramps cause the muscle to harden in a way that you can often both see and feel. The treatment for a cramped muscle depends both on its location, and the duration of the cramp.
Method 1 of 2: Treating With Nutrition
1. Drink more water. The single most common preventable cause of cramped muscles is dehydration. Before trying any other treatment for your cramps, drink some water. Working out when you've not had sufficient hydration is a common cause of cramped muscles.[1]
Try to drink 16-24 ounces of water at least an hour before working out. This will ensure that your body is sufficiently hydrated for exercise. Follow your exercise with drinking more water. You may also choose to drink a sports drink with electrolytes. Drink water in small sips, not large gulps. Drinking water slowly allows your body to process it more easily.
2. Get more electrolytes in your diet. Muscle cramps can be caused by a lack of electrolytes, which include the minerals potassium, magnesium and sodium. If you're experiencing muscle cramps, eat a potassium-rich banana or two.[2] Other foods containing potassium include sweet potatoes. oranges, cantaloupe, lentils, pinto beans, wild salmon and papaya.
Good food sources for magnesium include dark, leafy greens (such as kale), nuts and seeds, soybeans, avocado, and wild salmon. If you find yourself often getting cramped muscles after exercising, consider drinking liquids that replenish electrolytes. These are often high in sodium, and so should be avoided at times other than your workout.
3. Increase your Vitamin E intake. Including more Vitamin E in your diet may help treat night-time cramped muscles in the legs. Studies suggest that Vitamin E helps blood circulation, including blood flow through the legs. If your legs are cramping at night, taking supplementary vitamins should be considered.[3]
Taking 100 I.U. three times a day before meals has been shown to be effective in treating "restless legs" or muscle cramps at night. Alternatively, consider taking 400 I.U. of the vitamin twice a day after meals for two weeks. If symptoms are relieved, cut down to 400 I.U. once a day, If symptoms recur, up the dosage until symptoms are relieved but never take more than 1,200 I.U. daily.
4. Consider your calcium intake. Calcium deficiency is a common cause of muscle cramps.If you are postmenopausal, trying to lose weight, or don’t consume enough calcium, you are liable to developing cramps.[4] Foods high in calcium include dairy products, dark leafy greens, sardines, and soybeans. Many food items are often fortified with calcium as well. Nevertheless, calcium deficiency is a common occurrence. Consider taking dietary supplements to increase your calcium intake. Many people find relief by taking a 1200 mg calcium supplement at bedtime.
5. Try a spoonful of yellow mustard. No one really knows the reason behind most muscle cramps, and there is no "one size fits all" solution. One remedy that's safe and inexpensive to try at home is a spoonful of yellow mustard. While there's been little research on this particular remedy, some people swear by it for their muscle cramps.[5] Plain yellow mustard is the best mustard to use for this purpose. Don't bother with stone-ground or fancier varieties. It may be the vinegar, or it may be the turmeric in yellow mustard that results in muscle easing.
Method 2 of 2: Relaxing Your Muscles
1. Stretch deeply. A cramping muscle can relax when stretched correctly. A regular program of stretching lengthens muscle fibers so they can contract and tighten more vigorously when you exercise. A stretch should never feel painful. If you feel something sharp or stabbing, relax your stretch.[6]
For a calf cramp, set your feet apart, the affected leg in front of the other. Lean your body weight towards the front leg, bending slightly at the knee, keeping heels of both feet on the floor. Hold for 15-30 seconds.
Another calf stretch is seated with both legs extended together in front of your body. Hold the feet in a relaxed position, and keep your back straight. Place hands on the floor on the outside of each leg. Gently slide forward, leaning toward your feet. When you reach the edge of the curve, hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Stretch your thighs one at a time. Standing, raise one foot towards your buttocks, bending at the knee. Hold your raised leg by the ankle or back of your foot. Pull as close as you can to your buttocks, stretching the thigh muscle, and hold for 30 seconds. You may want to hold the wall or a chair with your free hand for balance.
2. Apply heating pad. Heating pads are commonly used to apply heat to a cramped muscle on the back, arms or legs. Heat will help relax the muscle, and encourage the blood circulation within the affected area.[7]
Set the pad on its lowest setting, and allow to remain in place for 20 minutes. Always remove the pad for at least 20 minutes before reapplying. Heat is primarily used for muscle pain and relaxation purposes. Don't apply heat for an injured muscle, or a muscle that is strained, torn, or pulled. Other options for applying localized heat include: water bottle, heated gel pack or heated bean bag.
3. Massage the cramped muscle. If your cramped muscle is in an area you can touch with your hands, such as your legs, try to massage it. Grasp your leg muscle tightly with both hands, and rub deeply and firmly to help it relax.[8]
Having a second person who can help massage areas you may not be able to reach will help. It's not necessary that the person be a trained specialist. Simply deep rubbing of your muscle often helps the muscle relax. A massage should not be painful. If your muscles are tightly bound by cramp, certain types of massage can cause injury. Never continue with a massage that is painful.
A massage therapist works with deep tissue relaxation, and therapeutic treatment of muscle cramps. Seeing a professional massage therapist should be considered for chronic cramps that don't respond to your own treatment. Mix 1 part wintergreen oil with 4 parts vegetable oil. Massage this mixture into the muscle cramp. Wintergreen contains methyl salicylate, which relieves pain and stimulates blood flow
4. Take a warm bath or shower. Soaking in an Epsom bath helps relax your muscles, and releases the cramp. Taking a bath for at least 12 minutes, 3 times a week can help treat and prevent cramped muscles.[9]
Epson salts are not actually salt, but a mineral combination of magnesium and sulfate. If you are using a hot shower for muscle cramps, direct the water flow towards the affected area. If you have a high-pressure water stream, this will provide additional massaging benefits.
5. Try medication to help with the pain. Over-the-counter medications including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) are effective at relieving pain caused by cramped muscles, though they don't actually treat the muscle itself.[10]
Check with your medical professional if you have health conditions that may be negatively affected by taking painkillers. Examples of such conditions include any type of kidney or liver disease, or consume more than 3 alcoholic beverages daily. Muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal) can be helpful to relax cramping muscles. Speak with your doctor to learn if this is an option for you. Botox (botulism toxin) has been used in recent years to treat muscle cramping as a result of spastic muscle disorder.
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