Treatment FAQ

what treatment is used for muscle spasms

by Mr. Korbin Torp I Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How do I stop a muscle spasm? There's no pill or injection that instantly relieves muscle spasms, so the best thing you can do is stretch your affected muscle and massage it. If it's in your leg, get up and walk around. Try applying ice or heat (take a warm bath or use a heating pad).Mar 11, 2021

What drugs help muscle spasms?

What the Science Says About Chiropractic for Muscle Spasms

  • Chiropractic Better Than Muscle Relaxants. This first study details a randomized clinical trial comparing chiropractic spinal manipulation to muscle relaxants for those with low back pain.
  • Reducing Muscle Activity with Chiropractic Care. ...
  • Muscle Spasms Because of Injury. ...

Is there an over the counter treatment for muscle spasm?

The 7 Best Natural Muscle Relaxers

  1. Chamomile. It contains 36 flavonoids, which are compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. ...
  2. Cherry juice. People who sign up for marathons train vigorously, often causing a lot of stress on their muscles. ...
  3. Blueberry smoothies. Another sweet and natural way to relax your muscles is by eating blueberries. ...
  4. Cayenne pepper. ...
  5. Vitamin D. ...
  6. Magnesium. ...
  7. Rest. ...

What is the best muscle relaxant for TMJ?

Your doctor may ask a series of questions to better inform the diagnosis of TMJ:

  • What TMJ symptoms are you experiencing?
  • How long have you had these symptoms?
  • Is this the first time experiencing these symptoms or have you had them in the past?
  • Does anything in particular trigger your TMJ?
  • Are you on any medications, prescription, or over-the-counter to treat your TMJ?

More items...

What medications help muscle twitching?

What You Need to Know About Muscle Twitching

  • Causes of muscle twitching. There are various conditions that can cause muscle twitching. ...
  • Diagnosing the cause of muscle twitching. During your appointment, your doctor will ask you about your muscle twitching to determine the underlying cause.
  • Treatment for muscle twitching. ...
  • Preventing muscle twitching. ...

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How do doctors treat muscle spasms?

Prescription medication. If you have a persisting muscle spasm, especially if it's severe, your doctor may prescribe a muscle relaxant or a pain medication. Muscle relaxants used for muscle spasms are called centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants (SMRs), and are often only prescribed for 2- to 3-week periods.

How do you stop a muscle spasm?

Stretch your muscles. Stretch before and after you use any muscle for an extended period. If you tend to have leg cramps at night, stretch before bedtime. Light exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bedtime, also may help prevent cramps while you're sleeping.

What is the main cause of muscle spasms?

Muscle pain, fatigue, and overuse are the most common causes of muscle spasms. Other causes include stress or anxiety, which can lead to muscle twitches in the face. Trapped nerves can result in spasms in the back.

How long does it take for muscle spasms to go away?

Spasms typically last from seconds to 15 minutes or longer, and may recur multiple times before going away.

How to prevent muscle spasms?

However, there are some reported methods that might be helpful when it comes to overcoming those risk factors and preventing the muscle spasms: Perform flexibility exercises on a regular basis. Work towards better overall fitness. Stretch your muscles regularly . Do this especially for those most prone to muscle spasms.

How to get rid of muscle spasms in legs?

If it’s in your leg, get up and walk around. Try applying ice or heat (take a warm bath or use a heating pad).

How to get rid of nocturnal leg cramps?

You and your healthcare provider should come up with a treatment plan together. Have a prevention plan and a plan for what to do when a muscle spasm hits. Do the following every day: Exercise (but not in intense heat). If you get nocturnal leg cramps, do some walking before you go to sleep. Stretch.

What is it called when you can't relax?

Otherwise known as muscle cramps, spasms occur when your muscle involuntary and forcibly contracts uncontrollably and can’t relax. These are very common and can affect any of your muscles. They can involve part or all of a muscle, or several muscles in a group. The most common sites for muscle spasms are the thighs, calves, feet, hands, ...

What is muscle spasm?

Muscle spasms (muscle cramps) are painful contractions and tightening of your muscles. They’re common, involuntary and unpredictable. Although there are steps you can take to prevent a muscle spasm and treat it when it attacks, those methods are not always reliable. Muscle relaxants, stretching and massage are most likely to help.

What is it called when you have a leg cramp at night?

A leg cramp that happens at night when you’re at rest or asleep is called a “nocturnal leg cramp.”.

How to prevent leg cramps from a sprained leg?

Choose water and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Avoid exercising in hot weather. Wear shoes that fit you properly. Keep your weight at a healthy range. Experiment with mild exercise right before bed to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. Avoid medications that may cause muscle spasms as a side effect.

How to treat muscle cramps?

You can usually treat muscle cramps with self-care measures. Your doctor can show you stretching exercises that can help you reduce your chances of getting muscle cramps. Making sure you stay well-hydrated also can help. For recurrent cramps that disturb your sleep, your doctor might prescribe a medication to relax your muscles.

How to get rid of a cramp in the back of the hamstring?

This will also help ease a back thigh (hamstring) cramp. For a front thigh (quadriceps) cramp, use a chair to steady yourself and try pulling your foot on the affected side up toward your buttock. Apply heat or cold. Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscles.

How to help a calf cramp?

If you have a cramp, these actions may provide relief: Stretch and massage. Stretch the cramped muscle and gently rub it to help it relax. For a calf cramp, put your weight on your cramped leg and bend your knee slightly . If you're unable to stand, sit on the floor or in a chair with your affected leg extended.

How to relieve muscle spasms?

The spasm occurs abruptly, is painful, and is usually short-lived. It may be relieved by gently stretching the muscle . If muscle spasms are especially painful, if they do not resolve or if they recur, medical care should be accessed to look for other possible underlying causes.

What is a muscle spasm?

A muscle twitch, or fasciculation, is an uncontrolled fine movement of a small segment of a larger muscle that can be seen under the skin .

How long do muscle spasms last?

Smooth muscle cramps may last for a prolonged period of time until the underlying problem that caused the spasm is resolved.

What are some examples of muscle spasms?

Examples include torticollis and blepharospasm.

What is the muscle that moves when it contracts?

Skeletal muscles are anchored to bone, either directly or by a tendon. When the muscle contracts, the associated body part moves. This allows arms to lift, legs to run, and the face to smile. Most of these muscles are under the willful or conscious control of the brain.

What is it called when you get cramps in your neck?

When this occurs associated with heat exposure, the condition is also known as heat cramps. Overuse can also occur with routine daily activities like shoveling snow or mowing or raking grass, causing muscle spasms of the neck, shoulder, and back.

What are the three types of muscles?

Muscles are complex structures that cause movement in the body. There are three types of muscle in the body: Heart muscle pumps blood ( cardiac muscle ). Skeletal muscle moves the external body parts, like the arms and legs, neck, back, trunk, and face. Smooth muscle moves portions of hollow structures inside the body.

How to prevent muscle spasms in legs?

Drinking plenty of water and stretching the muscles before any exercise or repetitive movements can help prevent muscle spasms. Some people experience muscle cramps in the legs during the night. Stretching the limbs before bed can help prevent this from occurring.

What is muscle spasm?

Seeing a doctor. Summary. A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary movement in one or more muscles. People may also call it a charley horse or a muscle cramp or twitch. These movements can happen in any muscle of the body, and they are very common. Muscle spasms often occur as a result of stress, exercise, or dehydration.

How long does a muscle spasm last?

Muscle spasms can last just a few seconds or up to several minutes, but they tend to go away on their own without any treatment.

How long does it take for muscle spasms to go away?

Muscle spasms usually resolve on their own. It might take a few seconds or even several minutes for them to stop, but they do not often need treatment. Drinking plenty of water can help ease dehydration-related muscle cramps.

What are the most common causes of muscle spasms?

hands. arms. thighs. abdomen. intercostal muscles, which are around the rib cage. Muscle pain, fatigue, and overuse are the most common causes of muscle spasms.

What are the symptoms of muscle spasms?

These might include: pain in the back, neck, or head. weakness in the muscles. skin numbness. a pins-and-needles sensation.

How to help a cramping calf?

stretching the cramping muscle gently. using a heating pad to relax tight muscles. applying an ice pack to soothe sore muscles. If the pain is in the calf muscle, the person can try putting their weight on the affected leg and bending their knee slightly. Doing this will stretch the muscle.

Drugs used to treat Muscle Spasm

The following list of medications are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of this condition.

Alternative treatments for Muscle Spasm

The following products are considered to be alternative treatments or natural remedies for Muscle Spasm. Their efficacy may not have been scientifically tested to the same degree as the drugs listed in the table above. However there may be historical, cultural or anecdotal evidence linking their use to the treatment of Muscle Spasm.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

How to treat muscle spasms?

Your muscle spasms or spasticity are likely treatable with rest, physical therapy, medications , or all of the above. Work with your doctor to put together a care plan that can ease your pain and get you moving comfortably again.

What is the term for a muscle spasm that causes stiffness, rigidity, and tightness?

Muscle spasticity , on the other hand, is a continuous muscle spasm that causes stiffness, rigidity, or tightness that can interfere with normal walking, talking, or movement. Muscle spasticity is caused by injury to parts of the brain or spinal cord involved with movement.

What is a muscle relaxer?

Muscle relaxers, or muscle relaxants, are medications used to treat muscle spasms or muscle spasticity. Muscle spasms or cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions of a muscle or group of muscles. They can be caused by too much muscle strain and lead to pain. They’re associated with conditions such as lower back pain, neck pain, and fibromyalgia.

Does dantrium cause muscle spasms?

It’s not fully understood how it works, but it seems to block nerve signals from the spinal cord that cause muscles to spasm. Side effects can include drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, and fatigue. Dantrolene: Dantrolene (Dantrium) is used to treat muscle spasms caused by spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, or MS.

Do antispasmodics work better than acetaminophen?

While antispasmodics can be used to treat muscle spasms, they have not been shown to work better than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen. In addition, they have more side effects than NSAIDs or acetaminophen. The more common side effects of centrally acting SMRs include: drowsiness. dizziness.

Can antispasmodics be used for muscle spasms?

Antispasmodics are used to treat muscle spasms, and antispastics are used to treat muscle spasticity. Some antispasmodics, such as tizanidine, can be used to treat muscle spasticity. However, antispastics should not be used to treat muscle spasms.

Can you take muscle relaxers with alcohol?

While taking a muscle relaxant, avoid activities that require mental alertness or coordination, such as driving or using heavy machinery. You should not take muscle relaxants with: alcohol.

What are some good remedies for muscle spasms?

Golden Raisins. Golden raisins contain chondroitin and glucosamine which are both rich in sulfides. Over time, sulfides have been used for pain relief purposes which then supports its use as a spasms remedy. Eat a handful of golden raisins to treat muscle spasm symptoms.

How to prevent muscle spasms?

People with obesity have a higher tendency to experience muscle contractions than their friends who are more in shape. Healthy eating habits, exercising, and other activities that help to keep weight gain in check are very helpful in avoiding the onset and symptoms of spasms.

What are some examples of muscle spasms?

Examples of Muscle Spasms. Typical examples of spasms often experienced include lower back pain, diarrhea, and menstrual cramps. However, the charley horse is known to be the most frequent and severe kind of muscle spasms. This condition has the tendency to induce acute calf muscle cramps which can wake you out of sleep.

What is the best supplement for muscle spasms?

Celery. This plant has been tested and confirmed to contain anti-inflammatory elements which make it an appropriate choice of home remedy for spasms. Celery is rich in potassium, and since the lack of potassium complicates spasms, celery is deemed an essential dietary supplement. Eat celery whenever your muscle spasms act up.

What is the best vitamin for sore joints?

Vitamin C. Vitamin C has two significant medical benefits: it cleanses the body of free radicals and it also increases the secretion of collagen in the body. These two advantages of Vitamin C will consequently also lead to the soothing of your sore joints.

How to prevent spasms in joints?

These simple, healthy routines include: jogging short distances, taking a short walk to your immediate environment or open fields. Regular physical activities will help keep your body in shape, improve your health and prevent frequent dysfunction. Less stress will be felt in your joints and pains will be actually reduced.

Can you get muscle spasms from aging?

However, it is noteworthy that just about anyone can experience muscle spasms not just those that are aging and losing muscle mass. People who are prone to frequent muscle cramps include anyone with chronic inflammation or poor circulation.

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