Muscle spasms are described as sudden, involuntary muscle contractions caused by the stimulation of motor neurons.
Symptoms of muscle spasms may include the characteristic muscle cramps and they can occur anywhere in the body.
The most common muscle-contraction disorder is muscle spasm which affects at least 50 percent of people at some point in their lives
There are many possible causes for muscle spasms including several neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Some toxins, infections, and inflammations can also cause muscle cramping. Another disorder that includes myalgia (painful muscles) is dystonia. Dystonia is a movement disorder that can result in uncontrolled muscle spasms.
One of the most common muscle-contraction disorders is muscle spasms which affect at least 50 percent of people at some point in their lives.
In addition to muscle cramps, muscle spasms can also originate from any muscle in the body and are usually caused by muscle strains or muscle injury.
Muscle spasms can be extremely painful and even cause additional damage to the muscle that was initially injured.
Can stress cause muscle spasms?
In people under stress, muscle spasms may become more likely. Stress can cause muscle tension and muscle cramps.
Stress is also associated with muscle stiffness and muscle cramps, especially in the neck and upper back.
If you’re stressed out, your body tightens up to prepare for action (and maybe even flee or fight). That adrenaline rush can lead to muscle tension that sometimes triggers muscle cramps—especially if you haven’t been active lately. Over time, this extreme muscle tension can lead to chronic muscle pain and tenderness.
How do I stop random muscle spasms?
Because muscle spasms are usually the result of muscle strains or muscle injury, muscle strain should be treated before muscle spasms can be prevented.
To begin with, muscle pain and muscle spasms will disappear on their own as long as you don’t overuse your affected muscles. In short, rest is pivotal if you want to limit damage to your muscles and avoid muscle cramps.
In addition to resting from overusing the affected areas, using heat can also help soothe your aching muscles.
When it comes to muscle cramps that come out of the blue though, there might not be much you can do besides taking a few days off from exercise once they hit.
Prevention is key here since most types of muscle cramps (like muscle spasms) come and go quickly.
To prevent muscle cramps, it’s a good idea to avoid dehydration and muscle fatigue, which can happen when you exercise intensely or overdo it.
You need your muscles to be hydrated and well-oiled for them to function properly and cramping is the result if they’re not.
Since muscle cramps do often resolve without any intervention we would recommend seeing a doctor if no improvement has been seen after 3 days of rest and muscle pain relief.
For muscle spasms, in particular, prevention is key since most types of muscle cramps come and go quickly. To prevent muscle cramps, it’s a good idea to avoid dehydration and muscle fatigue, which can happen when you exercise intensely or overdo it.
You need your muscles to be hydrated and well-oiled for them to function properly and cramping is the result if they’re not.
For muscle spasms, in particular, prevention is key since most types of muscle cramps come and go quickly.
To prevent muscle cramps, it’s a good idea to avoid dehydration and muscle fatigue, which can happen when you exercise intensely or overdo it.
You need your muscles to be hydrated and well-oiled for them to function properly and cramping is the result if they’re not. For muscle spasms, in particular, prevention is key since most types of muscle cramps come and go quickly.
Two muscle relaxants are often used to treat muscle spasms in people with myalgia (painful muscle). These drugs work by blocking nerve impulses that cause muscle contractions.
Muscle spasms may be treated with medications, however, the most common treatments for muscle spasms are still rest, heat, and muscle-specific stretching exercises.
Muscle relaxants are often prescribed when other methods have failed to find any relief from muscle pain or muscle cramps/spasms.
A doctor might also prescribe anticonvulsant medications for managing muscle spasms of the hands or feet.
One medication commonly prescribed is Robaxin® (methocarbamol), which is used to help relieve muscle pain.
Be sure to see your doctor if muscle pain or muscle cramps persist for more than 3 days. You should also seek medical attention immediately if muscle spasms are accompanied by muscle weakness, changes in muscle color, rashes, fever, confusion, nausea, and vomiting.
A muscle relaxer may be prescribed if you have muscle pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments. These medications work by decreasing nerve impulses involved in muscle contraction.
Muscle relaxers are often used to treat people with myalgia (painful muscle). Muscle relaxants are often prescribed when other methods of treatment for muscle spasms have failed.
A doctor might also prescribe anticonvulsant medications for managing muscle spasms of the hands or feet. Muscle relaxants are often prescribed when other methods of treatment for muscle spasms have failed.
A doctor might also prescribe anticonvulsant medications for managing muscle spasms of the hands or feet.
A muscle relaxer may be prescribed if you have muscle pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments. These medications work by decreasing nerve impulses involved in muscle contraction.
Muscle relaxers are often used to treat people with myalgia (painful muscle).
A doctor might also prescribe anticonvulsant medications for managing muscle spasms of the hands or feet.
What kind of doctor do I see for muscle spasms?
Doctors who practice family medicine, sports medicine, physical therapy, and neurology are all involved with muscle spasms.
The first step will be to determine what muscle is being affected and why it is going into a muscle spasm. Once this has been determined then the appropriate treatment can be started.
One of the most commonly treated muscle groups in a muscle spasm condition would be a muscle in the neck.
A muscle in the neck might go into a muscle spasm because of an injury such as whiplash from an accident, poor posture where you sit at your computer for long periods of sleep with your face buried in your pillow.
The best thing to do if you believe that you might have cramped up frequently or continuously in your muscle is to see your primary care physician. They will be able to do an exam on you and determine if muscles are located in the neck or elsewhere in the body.
The muscle spasms can be treated with muscle relaxers, muscle injections, physical therapy manual muscle stretching, chiropractic adjustments, and massage therapy.
What is the difference between a cramp and spasm?
A muscle cramp is a sudden, involuntary muscle contraction or tightening that lasts for several seconds.
Whereas muscle spasms are more sustained muscle contractions, often of the same muscle group, which may last for minutes to hours.
Cramps and spasms can also be painful but not always painless. Spasms are usually associated with an injury where muscles tighten up as part of the healing process.
Muscle spasms, however, sometimes occur without an apparent cause in healthy people too.
