what is the best treatment for muscle cramps

Medication

Muscle cramp

• Treatment. You can usually treat muscle cramps with self-care measures. ...
• Lifestyle and home remedies. Stretch and massage. ...
• Alternative medicine. Some suggest taking vitamin B complex supplements to help manage leg cramps. ...
• Preparing for your appointment. ...

Procedures

Quinine is a medicine which has been used to treat cramps for many years. There is conflicting evidence for its ability to reduce cramps. Quinine can cause serious, even fatal adverse events, especially in overdosage. Study characteristics. This review includes 23 trials, with 1586 participants. The trials compared quinine or quinine-based ...

Therapy

Some cases may require alternating with heat and cold therapy. This technique will increase the blood flow to the site of injury, helping it to heal faster. Heat and cold therapy, both are useful in different types of injuries, including muscle cramps.

Self-care

Use heat to relax your muscles and take the edge off of the pain.

• Taking a warm shower or bath will relax you and help with the pain of a muscle cramp. ...
• Using Epsom salts in a warm bath may also help relieve cramps.
• Fill hot water bottle or get a heating pad and place it on the area of your thigh that it cramping.
• Over the counter heat rubs may also help alleviate muscle cramps and relax the affected area.

Nutrition

What is the best home remedy for muscle cramps?

Why you should never take quinine for muscle cramps?

Is heat or cold better for muscle cramps?

How to alleviate muscle cramps?

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What is the best medicine for muscle cramps?

Medical treatment for muscle cramps Muscle relaxant medications may be used over the short-term in certain situations to relax muscle cramps due to an injury or other temporary event. These medications include cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal).

What can I drink for leg cramps?

Drink plenty of fluids. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, will often help leg cramps.

What is cause of muscle cramps?

Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle strain or simply holding a position for a prolonged period can cause a muscle cramp. In many cases, however, the cause isn't known. Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition, such as: Inadequate blood supply.

What deficiency causes muscle cramps?

Twitches, tremors, and muscle cramps are signs of magnesium deficiency. In worst-case scenarios, deficiency may even cause seizures or convulsions ( 1 , 3 ). Scientists believe these symptoms are caused by a greater flow of calcium into nerve cells, which overexcites or hyperstimulates the muscle nerves (4).

What's the quickest way to get rid of leg cramps?

How do I stop a leg cramp? Try forcefully stretching the affected muscle (for example, stretch your calf muscle by flexing your foot upward). Jiggle your leg, massage it, or force yourself to walk. It might also help to apply ice or heat – use a heating pad or take a warm bath.

Do bananas help with leg cramps?

You probably know that bananas are a good source of potassium. But they'll also give you magnesium and calcium. That's three out of four nutrients you need to ease muscle cramps tucked under that yellow peel. No wonder bananas are a popular, quick choice for cramp relief.

What is the best vitamin for leg cramps?

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for regulating your body's functioning. It's involved in more than 300 of your body's biochemical processes, including muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Magnesium is a widely used remedy for leg cramps.

What is your body lacking when you have leg cramps?

Muscles need calcium to function properly, which is why a lack of calcium in your blood can lead to muscle-related complications, including muscle cramps and irregular heartbeat ( 12 ).

What is the best home remedy for leg cramps?

Apply heat or cold. Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscles. Taking a warm bath or directing the stream of a hot shower onto the cramped muscle also can help. Alternatively, massaging the cramped muscle with ice may relieve pain.

What are the 10 signs of low magnesium?

10 Symptoms of Magnesium DeficiencyCalcification of the arteries. Unfortunately, this is one of the first symptoms to appear, as well as one of the most serious. ... Muscle Spasming & Cramping. ... Anxiety & Depression. ... Hormone Imbalances. ... High Blood Pressure / Hypertension. ... Pregnancy Discomfort. ... Low Energy. ... Bone Health.More items...•

What are the signs of low magnesium in the body?

What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency symptoms?loss of appetite.nausea and vomiting.fatigue and weakness.shaking.pins and needles.muscle spasms.hyperexcitability.sleepiness.More items...

Can low vitamin D cause muscle cramps?

Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency include bone problems, muscle aches or cramps, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, fatigue, cognitive impairment (in older adults), severe asthma in children, and cancer.