Possible causes of cramps:
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- May 15, 2019
- 3 min read
What’s a Cramp?
If you’ve ever had a “charley horse” -- that odd pain in your calf -- you’ve had a cramp. But they can happen anywhere in your body at any time, even when you’re asleep. No matter where you get them, what’s going on inside is the same: Your muscles suddenly tighten up when you don’t want them to. Several things can bring on cramps, but you can do some things to keep them from happening.
Possible Cause: Not Enough Water
Cramps could be a sign of dehydration. Other signs include dizziness, headache, and constipation. Keep drinking water especially, in the hot weather and if you are exercising.
Possible Cause: High Temperatures
Another cause could be fluid losses during exerice and hot weather. This is due to that fact that your muscles need more water and because electrolytes losses during sweating like sodium, potassium, and calcium that help the cells in your muscles work the way they should.
Possible Cause: Medication
Statins, which are used to control cholesterol, and diuretics, which help your body get rid of fluid are examples of drugs that may cause cramps. Consult your doctor if you start a new medication or if you have cramps.
Possible Cause: Poor Circulation
Cramps while walking could be due to poor circulation or in another word low blood delivery to muscles. This due to aging, not being very active and claudication. Claudication is a condition that happened when your arteries are narrower than they should be and blood can’t get through easily. Consult your doctor when you have this symptom.
Possible Cause: Monthly Cycle
Some women get cramps during their periods. That happens because a woman’s body makes certain hormones that make the muscles in her uterus tighten up. This helps push out blood and waste, but it can also cause cramping. Over the counter pain medications could help but consult your doctor if they did not help you.
Possible Cause: Growth?
Kids often get cramps when they go through a growth spurt. These are sometimes called “growing pains,” but they may actually be caused by too much activity, or kids may just be more sensitive to pain. The cramps happen most often in the legs and can wake a child out of a sound sleep. It may help to stretch the muscle or put a heating pad on the area for a short time. If the pain doesn’t get better, call your child’s doctor.
Possible Cause: Exercise
Regular exercise can make your muscles stronger and harder to tire out, so they won’t cramp as easily. Be sure to warm up first, and do plenty of stretching before and after.
How to Feel Better
Cramps usually go away on their own fairly quickly, but you can do some things to help them along. If an activity like running triggered one, stop right away. Then gently stretch or massage the muscle or use a heating pad or hot bath to bring blood to the area and relax it. Ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen, can help if you have pain and swelling, too.
Why Stretching Helps
Muscles are bunches of fibers that quickly get smaller or bigger when you move your body to do something -- from grabbing something off a shelf to running a race. When you stretch those fibers regularly, they can do their job more easily, and that helps you cramp less.
Why Your Diet Matters
Colorful fruits and vegetables support muscles with electrolytes and your body with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Choose green leafy vegetables in addition to bananas.
When to Call Your Doctor
In general muscle cramps are not harm but consult your doctor if you dont know exactly what is the cause and if they happen ofte. They can sometimes be a sign of a condition like thyroid disease, cirrhosis of the liver, or hardening of the arteries.
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