Archive for March, 2009

Exercise Muscle Cramps

The value of doing a warm up and stretching before any strenuous exercise  lies in having flexible muscles that don’t automatically cramp.

Regular and hard exercise does not necessarily equal great health. People who exercise or run are known to receive what the experts call exercise associated muscle cramps, these are caused by exercising and straining the muscles, later on when the muscle relaxes the muscle starts to tighten up. When exercising people will feel the fatigue in their muscles and this is a very common occurrence.

 Treatment for leg cramps 

Many runners suffer from calf cramps while running, the best remedy to stop the cramps is to let the muscle contract and finish its movement, rub the muscle and let the blood flow continue and the muscle will start feeling better. In many eastern cultures the best way to help with muscle cramping is to get the blood flowing again they do this by using acupressure or acupuncture to stimulate the blood flow to the effected area. If you do receive a muscle cramp stretch and squeeze the muscle this will get the blood flowing again, use some heat on the muscle and this will relax it.

Doctors have researched muscle cramps in tri-athletes and found some interesting findings; the cramps that athletes suffer from are not caused by blocked blood flow, dehydration, or vitamin deficiencies.

What about mineral salts? Does potassium prevent muscle cramps? Well, the advice is bases on loss of electrolytes theory and it now looks as though this theory may be unfounded

From the ancient orient there is a word Chi, the definition of this word is energy, energy of the muscle and energy of the body need to be in harmony. Muscles, the storehouse of energy in a living body, contract to help in the movement of different parts of the body. Another theory on the cause of running cramps says that carbohydrate depletion and a resultant loss of energy and build-up of waste products in the muscle leads to cramps.

It wasn’t so long ago that visualization techniques, stretching and yoga were introduced into sport and running and made an impact. When it comes to training and exercise, sometimes people are very impatient to do a stretching routine before they go for a run; most people don’t want to waste there workout time by stretching their muscles.

What causes an EAMC. There are many reasons why people get muscle cramps of the most common is because people do not warm up before exercising or training. Many people who exercise or don’t exercise receive excruciating pains in their muscles, the muscles tighten up and there is nothing you can do at that point because you can’t move, so before this happens or if you feel it happening rub some type of heat cream on the muscle, take aspirin, use a heating pad, or try to stretch the muscle to loosen it up.

 Pain relief for cramping muscles 

But does stretching before a run help prevent injury? But where do you get the energy from and enough of it to prevent cramping. Bodyworkers can play a role in helping their clients manage and prevent these types of afflictions by sharing some basic tips and information with them.

Author: David Fishman

How to Get Rid of Side Cramps

Loosen up: Side cramps are known to ruin runners’ plans for a good race. Try to loosen up before a race, so your abdominal muscles and organs will work perfectly when the gun fires. Have a friendly chat with your fellow runners 

Avoiding Runners Cramps

If you are suffering from cramps and muscle spasms then it may be to do with your diet. Preventing muscle cramps may just require a change in diet away from sugars and fats to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

How To Run in Hot Weather Wiki Guide  General Running

If you stop sweating and begin to feel dizzy or nauseous, stop running, get in the shade, drink some water, and get medical attention. Those are symptoms of heatstroke. Heat cramps, which usually strike runners in the legs

Help with Running Cramps: Potassium has Nothing to do with Running 

Running cramps, particularly running calf cramps, afflict everyone from the person going out for a morning jog, to elite athletes. And it’s not just runners that get cramps they can be a factor in any sport – tennis, swimming, golf

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Ow I Have Cramps From Working Out

Feeling sore from your last workout?Here are some tips for prevention and recovery.

abdominal muscle spasms Here’s a quick checklist for helping to reduce the amount of muscle soreness you may experience. You can use one or all of these the next time you feel a little too sore from your last workout.

For Sore Muscles This Works Like Crazy

As discussed in some previous articles, muscle soreness can be caused by three hypotheses, muscle damage, tissue damage, muscle spasms,  resulting in cumulative micro trauma resulting in some type of cellular damage. At times, this can be the leading cause of overtraining and being uncomfortable for a few days after training.

Pain treatment for muscle cramps and spasms

Continual cellular damage over and over to the point where the body cannot recovery can result in overtraining.

Don’t worry…

Here’s a quick checklist for helping to reduce the amount of muscle soreness you may experience. You can use one or all of these the next time you feel a little too sore from your last workout.

Phase 1 – Pre Training Recovery

Leg Elevation: Many of us stand or sit for long periods of time before going to the gym and training. This is a less than optimal condition because your overall circulation is less than ideal. What you can do is 20-30 minutes before you train, lay down with your feel against a wall or other object and get the blood back to your upper body and heart.

You’ll improve your circulation especially when you train legs or your lower back.

If you want, you can take this opportunity to listen to music or take a quick nap and begin the mental transition into training.

Phase 2 – Recovery During Training

Rest Intervals Between Sets:

A great way to boost the intensity of any workout without changing a single thing is to decrease the rest time between sets. You’ll instantly get more work done in less time. If you feel that the intensity is too high, you can increase the time between sets and help reduce the build up of lactic acid as well. The time you take to rest between sets has a significant impact on your next set as well as future performance.

Movement Between Sets:

Just think about it. It’s like a warm up and cool down all over again but between the sets. Most people understand the importance of warming up before lifting weights. They also know about a proper cool down after working out.

But did you know that you can use those sample principles on a minute level in between your sets?

This movement not only serves as a ‘transition’ between an all out effort and recovery but it aids in better circulation and helps reduce the swelling of muscular tissues.

Periodization:

Remember that soreness can be caused by a few hypothesis (tissue damage, muscle damage, spasms). But did you stop to think that if you keep on training “heavy” you just keep on damaging the muscle at a micro level over and over without a change to recover?

Incorporating a light day or week into your training can help flush the area with new blood, reduce the formation of scar tissue and flush waste from the area.

Planning these type of workouts in your training program will speed up the time needed to recover as well as add variety to your program which in turn provides overall recovery.

prevention treatment for muscle spasms
Phase 3 – Post Training Recovery

My strong hunch is that most people will be unable to avoid soreness at some point and seek treatment.

So that’s why there’s a few ways you can help reduce the severity of soreness during your training as well as aid in the recovery process after your training.

Contrast Showers:

Done on your lumbar area, this involves using short bursts of hot and cold water to improve the circulation. You can further stretch during this time to flush new blood to the area.

Post Workout Nutrition:

Needless to say…

After your workout your body is in a prime time to devour nutrients. This is an ideal time to give it the protein it needs with the carbohydrates for energy recovery.

You see, if muscle soreness is caused by micro trauma resulting in cellular damage then obviously you want to give your body plenty of materials quickly to repair itself.

Proper post workout nutrition can reduce the amount of soreness you can experience.

Therapeutic Modalities:

This can encompass such things as massage, sauna, whirlpool, chiropractic adjustments, acupressure and others are among the more popular therapeutic modalities. Make no mistake….

Recovery really begins when you leave the gym. Depending on factors such as your level of fitness, age, medical conditions, you may be wise to use some or all of these post workout recovery methods to speed up overall recovery.

There’s no magic formula per se but anything you can do to help speed the recovery process will result in less muscular discomfort and quicker recovery for the next workout.

Have you heard that 90% gym-goers overtrain 90% of the time?

Could it be that they simply “under-recovered” and could easily stand to train more if only they could recover quicker?

Sleep:

While there is not a set number of hours you need to sleep as that depends on the individuals schedule, personal preferences and level of stress it’s still clear that sleep is vital to recovery.

This is the time your body repairs all that micro trauma.

If you aren’t getting enough quality sleep, it can affect your overall recovery and body’s ability to repair itself. That can lead to prolonged muscle soreness. The amount of sleep each person needs will vary.

Home hypnosis programs can help you get a good full night’s rest

how to relax sore muscles so you can fall asleep
Make no mistake about muscle soreness…   It’s uncomfortable!

But using any or all of the above recovery methods you can significantly reduce the duration of muscle soreness.

More important than that…   Create a periodized program that helps to keep your body in a state of recovery and avoid overtraining.

About the author:
Marc David is a bodybuilder and author of the, Beginner’s Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding. You can get info on Marc’s e-book here. To get Marc’s free e-zine, visit http://www.JustAskMarc.com

By Marc David

How to Get Rid of Side Cramps

According to another theory, stitch is caused by dehydration, so washing the organs with fluids will help reduce or get rid of stitch. Grunt when you exhale. Apparently, it gets rid of side stitch by forcing the diaphragm out of its … Don ‘t push yourself too hard: Some people are tempted to do strenuous exercises right away when they work out. They also reach a kind of high when they don’t want to stop exercising or running even when their body has clearly… 

30 Steps To Beat Heat

before the exercise, warm up right, keep a steady pace, tune down and do not forget to drink water after the round of exercise. Hat for hair: Your hair can be damaged by the heat and harmful rays. Wear a hat to protect your hair. … In case of heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Cool the body slowly. Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. Give fluids. 

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Muscle Relaxants

When talking about muscle relaxants we are more often than not referring to a drug or type of medication used to relieve the pain of muscle spasms by reducing muscle tone. However there are also other more  natural muscle cramp treatments available that can be used alongside or instead of regular drugs, (with the advice of an appropriate health professional)which include massage and diet.

Muscle relaxant medications or natural muscle relaxers

By definition muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that help  relieve muscle spasm pain in skeletal muscles. This pain can range from nagging to debilitating, and very often relaxants can take the form of various therapies, instead of just drugs.

Natural muscle relaxants

To learn more about muscle relaxants we need to know something about the way muscles work and what can cause a cramp or spasm in them. Muscle cramps and spasms often appear suddenly. There is a sudden rapid contraction that leaves you immobile, and in most cases there is no apparent cause or if there is, a very insignificant one. Most people would not even recollect there being a reason for such a sudden, ferocious stab of pain. However, a person who gets frequent cramps in any particular part of the body may actually be suffering from some yet undiagnosed neurological or even muscular disease.

Causes of Muscle Spasm Pain and Cramps

Cramps often manifest themselves as the slowing down of the muscle’s ability to relax, and sometimes spontaneous contractions of even a relaxed muscle. To understand why and how muscle cramps occur, we need to know how muscles move. This happens when electrical signals are sent from the brain through the spinal cord to the nerve endings distributed through the body. These nerve cells are called motor neurons. The set of motor neurons that lead out from the spinal cord to the muscle are called the lower motor neurons. When a signal to move comes in, they release chemicals to stimulate the internal release of calcium ions stored in the muscle, which in turn react with muscle protein, causing movement.

causes of muscle cramps When the fixed ends of these muscles pull closer, the cells shortens and the calcium ions are recaptured, thereby easing the movement and causing the muscle fibers to relax. Any break in this process or any kind of abnormal activity at any point may cause abnormal situations like absence of relaxation in a muscle. This could be anything from damaged nerve pathways to more serious diseases like multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury or even some external influences like insecticides.

Muscle cramp relief

It may also be due to something as banal as the inability of the muscle to recapture the calcium ion, and can lead to prolonged muscle cramps. This is what happens when one undertakes heavy exercise after a heavy meal, when blood flow is directed towards the stomach, leaving the muscles with less energy. Another cause could be dehydration or lack of salt intake, which can be taken care of by drinking enough fluids containing the essential salts.

Most muscle cramps are not very serious affairs and can be dealt with some mild stretching and massaging. In more severe cases, drinking plenty of fluids helps to loosen the muscle, with salt replacement in fluid form. If drugs are to be used, the most popular ones are carbamazepine, phenytoin, or quinine. Of course if muscle spasms are happening due to some underlying physiological problem, the treatment will be aimed at the disease.

Effects of Muscle relaxers

In most cases, muscle relaxers are prescribed in addition to therapy or exercise, or both. It is important to bear in mind that muscles will take a while to come back to their relaxed position, so just because a  drug helps stop the pain , do not get back into normal activity levels. This may just relapse the process of relaxing the muscle. Muscle relaxers are recommended for a muscular spasm or cramp only if the underlying reason is an injury. They may not be very useful for cramps due to other more physiological reasons. When this is the case, one may feel lightheaded, dizzy or drowsy, and even suffer from blurred vision. That is why driving or doing jobs that require precision operations like machinery operating, should be avoided after taking a muscle relaxant drug.

There are a few other precautions to be followed before taking muscle relaxant drugs – diabetics should know that certain drugs like Skelaxin may induce false tests results for sugar in urine tests. People suffering from epilepsy should be warned that the administration of a muscle relaxant drug may increase the likelihood of a seizure. In addition, certain muscle relaxants may not agree with certain medical conditions like a kidney disorder, thyroid problem, hepatitis or any liver disease, has a history of glaucoma or problems in urination, or has been in drug abuse at some time, even breast feeding mothers – need to watch out.

More towards a drug free therapy, some good muscle relaxers are Ginkgo (from the Maidenhair tree) and Japanese quince. In many cases supplements of multi vitamins and B-complexes also help. It is a good idea to take a supplement of vitamin E or calcium just before bedtime, to combat night cramps.

Preventing Muscle cramps

As always, it is better to have a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutritious diet and adequate exercise, much before any medicines can be taken for muscle spasms and cramps. A diet rich in minerals and appropriately balanced in terms of heating foods will help avoid heat cramps. Night cramps can also be reduced by taking a relaxing massage or warm bath just before bedtime.

By Kanika Goswami

Natural Beauty Products: Fibromyalgia Treatment Options

Muscle Relaxants – If muscle relaxants are taken before sleeping, they may help reduce pain and spasms. ?Narcotics – Physicians don’t usually recommend narcotics for treating FMS because of the potential for dependence and addiction.

Muscle Relaxant Medications

Cramp Treatment, Muscle Cramps Valerin All Natural. for natural muscle relaxants, leg cramp relief, leg cramp remedies and. source for muscle relaxers, natural muscle relaxants, treatment.

Natural Muscle Relaxants

Prior to the development of drug-based muscle relaxants, people have been using natural remedies to alleviate muscle spasms and soothe stiff joints. These natural muscle relaxants are often herbs and common plants 

Muscle Relaxants

Glucosamine, (with Chondroitin) is the most com natural product that thousands use and is somewhat effective for minor pain. I would love to show you how simple that can be and how great the properties can be.

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Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment

Do you have an irresistable urge to move your legs,especially at nipotassium deficiency restless leg syndromeght and does it get worse when you are resting?

Then you may have RLS. RLS, or restless leg syndrome, is something that affects almost 10% of the population.

It is the most common neurological disorder in the world. This sort of disorder is known to cause restlessness of the legs as suggested by the name. This means that the leg suffers cramps or a feeling of tingling sensations.

Hypnosis for restless leg syndrome.

RLS can strike at any time

It is often triggered by keeping the leg idle for long periods of time. This happens when a person travels in an aircraft, or travels for long periods of time in a car, or even falls asleep on a chair for a long time. Cramped positioning of the legs will trigger this disorder, which can be very painful at times. Often sufferers wake up in the middle of the night with leg cramps. This disorder also causes twitching, or involuntary movement, of the legs while sleeping. Because of this, RLS causes insomnia in many patients as those suffering are unable to sleep through the symptoms.

Until recently, prolonged periods of inactivity were thought to trigger the disorder. Relief is provided when the sufferer starts stretching or moving the affected limbs. This can include taking a walk, or stretching the leg, or even moving the toes of the legs in a circular motion. This helps in resuming the flow of blood and oxygen to the legs, which helps in getting rid of the cramps or the creepy sensations that happen due to RLS.

Quinine treatment for RLS

Quinine is a medication that is used to treat RLS. However there are also many natural remedies available that can effectively deal with RLS symptoms. Many people prefer these natural remedies because of fewer instances of side effects. There are many remedies that are commonly available in the market that help in providing relief such as herbs, essential oils and vitamins.

Vitamin supplements for RLS and cramp relief

They help in effectively treating the pain caused by leg cramps. Many people have benefited from such a diet. This is mainly because these agents circulate the flow of blood and oxygen to the legs so that there is no chance of cramps. Also, when Quinine is mixed with Vitamin E and consumed, it has the ability to relieve the patient of many of the painful symptoms of RLS.

Yoga is another great cure for RLS. This is because Yoga relaxes the muscles in the legs. Tests have shown that the relaxation is caused by increased oxygen flow to the muscle. This will help to decrease the pain and cramps that are brought about by prolonged periods of inactivity. RLS symptoms are treatable. Natural treatment usually provides relief.

RLS is a very real disorder even though the description of it can sound a little strange. It is the cause of many a night’s loss of sleep and can add much stress to one’s life if left unaddressed.

Author: Brad Chase

Are There Natural Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome?

Dr. Alan Inglis fields a question about restless leg syndrome, and how to treat the ailment naturally using iron supplements. … Herbs and Supplements

Herbs For Restless Leg Syndrome

what are symptoms of restless leg syndrome? My legs have been killing me and it is hard to keep them still especially when my body is getting tired and rubbing them don’t help I have to punch them to get any kinda of comfort.

Natural Treatment For Restless Leg Syndrome

Massage is another natural way to restless leg syndrome. Massaging or needing your calf muscles helps promote blood flow to the area and helps to relieve restless legs. Combined with moderate exercise, massage is a great way 

Medication for Restless Leg Syndrome

Instead of medication for Restless Leg Syndrome, natural remedies include herbs, vitamins, supplements and essential oils. Changes in habits, diets and lifestyle including increasing calcium and folate intake, juicing, yoga and massage .

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Muscle Spasms In Legs, Cramps And Treatment

We have a body that is full of muscles from the tops of our heads to the tips of our toes and it is a real marvel that they all manage to work so wonderfully well most of the time.

When we use our muscles that can be controlled voluntarily (arms and legs), they contract and relax alternately as we move our arms and legs. Similarly, the muscles that support our head, neck, neck and trunk are synchronized to hold our posture. When a muscle or just a few fibers of it that contracts involuntarily, it is called a spasm, and if this is forceful and sustained, it turns into a cramp.

Leg cramp relief at this point is in high demand. It often happens swiftly and without warning

Therefore a leg cramp is an unwillingly and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. Leg cramps can last from just a few seconds to fifteen minutes. On the other hand, the entire, or several muscles may be involved in a leg cramp. Leg cramps cause pain especially in the calf.

Causes of Leg Cramps

Leg Cramps involve part or all of a single muscle or a group of muscles that in general act together. Most doctors agree that these cramps are caused by hyper excitability of the nerves that stimulate the muscles. Leg cramps are usually caused by:

Injury: A persistency muscle spam could happen as a protective mechanism following an injury such as a fractured bone. In this case, the spam tends to lower its movement and stabilize the area of injury. A muscle injury may cause the muscle to spasm.

Vigorous Activity: Leg cramps are linked with the vigorous use of muscles or muscle fatigue in sports or with unusual strenuous activities. Such cramps may appear during the activity or sometimes much later. Muscle fatigue also may come from sitting or lying for an extended period in an awkward position or any repetitive use can cause cramps. The elderly are at risk for cramps when performing forceful physical activities.

You may want to stock up on leg cramp relief products before the onset of cramps so that they are available to hand when you need them

Rest Cramps. Particularly in the elderly, cramps at rest (often at night) are very common although may be experienced at any age even in childhood. They are very disruptive of sleep and disturbing. They sometimes persist frequently and are very painful. The real cause of night cramps is unknown. An example is pointing the toe down while laying in bed, which shortens the calf muscle, a common place for cramps.

Dehydration: Sports and vigorous activities can cause excessive fluid loss from perspiration which increases the likelihood of leg cramps. Leg cramps are more likely in warm weather and can be an early sign of heart stroke. Chronic volume depletion of body fluids from diuretics and poor fluid intake may act similarly to predispose to cramps in the elderly. Loss of sodium is usually a function of dehydration.

Low Blood Calcium, Magnesium: These may be predisposing factors for the spontaneous leg cramps experienced by many older adults, as well as for those noted during pregnancy

Contractures: Results when the muscles of the leg are unable to relax. The constant spasms are cause by a depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy chemical within the cell. This prevents muscle fiber relaxation. The nerves are inactive in the form of muscle spam. Contractures can be inherited or acquired.

An Effective Way to Prevent Leg Cramps

A good way to prevent leg cramps is to maintain the muscles relaxed avoiding spasms. As a result you will be able to sleep comfortably and wake up totally energized. Now you can achieve this by using an orthopedic pillow like the Leg Wedge Pillow- This affordable dual purpose, contour leg spacer knee wedge and leg elevation pillow is designed to fit the natural curves of your body and legs, cradling you in comfort.

Author: D. Charles Jameson

Allison Orthopedic Back Support Wedge

Allison Orthopedic Back Support Wedge. Designed to relieve back discomfort and support the lumbar area of the spine. Solid foam filler with black vinyl covering. Great for cars trucks boats at home or in the office.

Orthopedic Bed Wedge

Some of these wedges come with contoured thigh and calf supports for extra comfort. They are available in different elevations – usually starting at 150mm or 6 inches. An orthopedic wedge can help the circulation in the legs 

Orthopedic Products: Buying a new bed

This blog is about providing information, suggestions, external recommendation and any other (non medical) direction relating to finding out about orthopedic products that enhance our everyday life. 

Orthopedic Pillow

There are many types of orthopedic pillows for almost every part of the human body, as well as orthopedic beds, mattresses, top mattresses, supports and cushions for different orthopedic problems. Some of them have multipurpose 

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Muscle Cramps Cause and Cure


An involuntary contraction or spasm of a muscle in the leg or foot can lead to leg cramps.

Leg Cramps – Causes and Cures

thigh cramps, sports crampsLeg cramps usually occur at night or after an exercise session or from exertion. This can even lead to lactic-acid buildup.

You should try to flex your toes to ease a cramp. Breathing deeply and relaxing at the same time also helps to give relief from leg cramps. As oxygen is taken through the muscles the cramp releases and you can slowly massage the leg. You should try massaging toward the heart so that you drain the lymph. This will also help in the increased circulation and blood flow to the muscles.

Deficiencies in B-complex vitamins are the main cause for leg cramps. Pain in the muscles or joints can be attributed to lack of vitamin-C. You should eat nutritionally balanced foods, such as spinach and other green leafy vegetables having sufficient amounts of these nutrients to get relief from this condition. Or take specially prepared supplements.

Chamomile tea with fresh ginger is another excellent remedy. Chamomile helps in relieving cramps by acting as a sedative for the nerves. It is also high in calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals. Ginger helps in increased blood circulation and brings warmth to the body. You should be cautious and increase your calcium intake. By adding sufficient amount of yoghurt, milk in your diet every day, you can avoid leg cramps. You can also opt for other calcium fortified foods in your diet.

If the problem of leg cramps that you suffer has nothing to do with nutrition, you should consult a nutritionist, or a trainer who would help you gain fitness or conditioning that will help you to root out the problem. Or apply approriate muscle cramp relief medications.

Muscle cramps can also occur among athletes especially when they are dehydrated. You must increase salty foods after exercise as that would help retain fluids and prevent dehydration. You must drink water in proportion to the amount you sweat when you exercise. You should also practice other relaxation techniques and avoid sitting in the same posture for a long time. Sitting for long hours in front of the computer or TV can also lead to leg cramps.

It is essential to have small breaks between working hours and eat the right food that will help you guard against this problem. If all the above said recommendations fail to work and if leg cramps still persist you must consult a health care professional to rule out any other serious problem. And you can also make use of popular cramp and  pain relief treatments

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.

Author: Tom Chuong

Joe’s Finish Line

He used to run marathons, especially when he lived in Indianapolis, and took quinine pills to quell calf cramps that once led us both to finish ne fef ar last in a 20-miler on Martha’s Vineyard. We stuck together, no matter what

Vitamins and Herbal Nutritional Supplements

Hyland’s Leg Cramps with Quinine is a traditional homeopathic formula for the relief of symptoms of cramps and Discomforts in lower back and legs often made worse by damp weather. Working without contraindications or side effects

A Diet To Reduce Leg Cramps

I have a lot of leg cramps. Almost every night. They could hit anywhere from my toes to my thighs and jolt me out of a sound sleep in agony. I used to take Quinine Sulphate pills and they worked in minutes, like magic. 

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Growing Pains In Children, Sleepless Nights

child growing pains

Does your child complain of achy legs? If he is not sick or does not have a fever, he may have growing pains.

Growing pains are muscle aches children experience in their legs, usually late in the day and at night.

Child Leg Pain: It May Be Growing Pains

They typically occur between the ages of 3 to12 years of age or typically around a growth spurt period. It is not a disease, nor is there evidence that the process of bone growth causes pain. However, growing pains tend to cease when children stop growing. By the teenage years growing pains seem to stop.

Growing pains is thought to occur in 1/3 of all children. Usually the pain is in the front of the thigh, the calf muscles, and muscles behind the knee. Growing pains almost always occur in both legs.

Some physicians believe growing pains occur because children are very active and hard on their musculoskeletal systems while they are still growing. It is thought children experience growing pains at night due to the overuse of the muscles during the day. The pains usually start right before bedtime. However, some kids go to bed without any pain only to be awakened in the middle of night with aches. The pains normally go away by morning.

Growing pains usually can be relieved by daily stretching exercises and massages. Stretch the muscle by pushing the foot and toes upward as far as they will go and then gently massage the calf and upper thigh muscles. A moist heating pad may also help. Do this a few times a day. Continue the exercises even after the pain subsides in order to keep the muscles relaxed.

Some physicians suggest giving a glass of tonic water (quinine) before bed. While I do not know of any studies regarding its effectiveness, it won’t hurt to give tonic water a try.

Make sure your child is getting enough calcium, iron and potassium. Also make sure he is drinking plnty of fluids. This can help avoid any cramping associated with the pains.

Give your child ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Aspirin should be avoided in young children because of Reyes syndrome.

Call your doctor if:

If it happens every night it may be due to restless legs syndrome (RLS), a condition in which your legs feel extremely uncomfortable while you’re sitting or lying down.

Swollen joints which are hot to the touch or red and tender

Pain is in only one leg, limping

Movement increases the pain

Touch increases the pain

Fever, Unexplained rash

persistent pain, pain worsening over time, pain in the morning

pain associated with an injury

loss of appetite and weight loss

weakness, tiredness

uncharacteristic behavior

If you’re concerned about leg pain or discomfort that your child is experiencing, consult your doctor.

Author: Kaaryn Walker

Night Leg Cramps Relief For Adults

For relief of muscle spasms and cramps that are painful and keep you awake at night

Nocturnal Leg Cramps  Health

Have you ever had a leg cramp wake you out of a sound sleep? Not the best way to wake up! Why does this happen sometimes? Even when we sleep, our bodies are still in motion. We roll over, we fight for the blankets, we stretch. … “I am a current student taking Child and Adolescent Development in college and we were recently talking about children and vaccinations 

Hives And The Itchies

The poor guy itches almost constantly, and strangely enough (or not so strangely), the leg cramps have returned (bone pain). He’s such a trooper, though. He still wakes up (at least when he finally decides to give up on trying to sleep) with a smile on his face, giggling, and singing (or … Mastocytosis is a group of rare disorders of both children and adults caused by the presence of too many mast cells (mastocytes) and CD34+ mast cell precursors in a person’s body

What Causes Leg Cramps In Pregnancy And What You Can Do About It?

According to some experts, leg cramps are common in pregnancy possibly because there maybe some abnormal level or processing of electrolytes, essential elements and chemical substances, which are needed for the proper functioning …. Have you ever heard about growing pains in children? If you have a preschooler or a tween, you probably have heard your child complaining about this. Growing pains occur normally in children, and it can affect around 25 to 40% of children

Foot Pain is Not Normal In Children

The most common is when a child wakes up in the middle of the night with a leg cramp. This is commonly called “growing pains.” Growing pains should not be of concern if they occur infrequently. When it occurs, have the child stand and …

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Causes Of Calf Leg Pain

If you have ever taken up some exercise all of a sudden without doing any warm up exercises first you will know that it often leads to some kind of pain.

Calf Muscle Pain -  is generally self induced and is caused mainly by too much exercise especially related to stretching.

Calf pain varies from micro tearing of muscle fiber to complete tearing of muscle fiber. Although it is generally around only for a short time it can also lead to cramps which can be especially uncomfortable if they happen during the night

Calf muscles are located at the back of lower leg. Calf muscle pain is generally associated with a short time recovery and is curable. It is generally self induced and is caused by too much exercise or lack of following the proper methodology in exercise especially related to stretching.

It can also be related to a sudden loss of essential fluids and salts due to excessive sweating.

And this can lead to the causing of cramps which is again primarily related in the first instance  to an improper way of stretching related to exercise. But leg cramps can also arise over the longer term too and this is often related to diet or as the side effect of taking certain medications.

There are various  treatments available to remedy calf muscle problems

And there are various options for treatment to help relieve the pain

The calf muscle is made up of three types of different muscles, two of gastrocnemeius and one of the soleus. These muscles should be stretched tolerably while doing exercise and after exercise too.calf pain swelling, treatment

Causes of Calf Pain
Generally sports persons have more chances of getting calf pain.

The games like basket ball, running, hurdles, long jump, rugby, football soccer etc, where stretching is necessary, may increases the chances of calf muscle pain. We may also come across cases of calf pain due to fatigue, overexertion and cold weather.

an improper way of exercise and stretching of muscles are the main cause of calf pain. Sometimes putting sudden stress on calf muscle when they are not ready for stress and a direct blow on the calf muscle can also lead for calf pain.

In spite of these, excessive running on steep hills, deficiencies in calcium, minerals, magnesium and dehydration are the other reasons of getting the calf pain. Also pain in the calf may arise as the result of a herniated disc or varicose veins and other medical conditions.

Symptoms of Calf Muscle Pain

1.Stiffness through exercise – Sometimes there is stretching with some micro tearing of muscle fibers which are known as Grade 1 muscle strains. These are easily curable after treatment of at least 3 weeks of duration. Sometimes stretching may lead to Grade 2 Muscle strain where you may find partial tearing of muscle fibers. They can recover within 2 months of duration.

2.A torn muscle – This is graded as Grade 3 Muscle strain in which there is complete tearing of muscle fibers. This recovery may take more than 3 months of duration.

3.Aching calves – This can be caused by varicose veins and are graded as Grade 2 Muscle strain.

4.Cellulites – This is also known as inflammation of subcutaneous tissues or of the skin and one of cause of calf pain.

Treatment for calf pain

When a calf pain is diagnosed, its treatment depends upon the severity of the calf muscle pain. The treatment may include the following steps in orderly manner depending on the strain:-

1.To give a complete rest to your lower legs without following the activities of strain on it. This can be continued until the pain and local tenderness of the muscle are gone. It may hardly continue for 1 to 2 weeks.

2.You can always apply some cold pack or ice to the calf area 3 to 4 times a day. Keep the ice or cold pack in a cloth or towel and apply it on your skin for at least 20 minutes each time.

3.If you see some kind of additional swelling around your lower leg you can wear an elastic compression bandage to reduce the swelling of the part.

4.You can try keeping your leg at little height than your heart as possible to reduce the swelling. You can find the difference in 24 hours.

5.If your swelling still remains and you still have the tenderness in the calf with a pain then you can better go for pain relief medications such as aspirin or acetaminophen.

6.If you are a sports person and wants to return back to your physical activity then it is always suggested to use heat. For rest of then do not try to use heat at least for 4 to 5 days.

7.When you feel like most of the pain and swelling is reduced you can start with slight stretching exercise for at least 5 to 6 times a day. Remember the thing that your stretching activities should not be beyond your limitations.

It is always true that you can only help yourself from getting calf muscle pain and the best way is to keep yourself fit and your calf muscle strong and ready for sudden physical stress!  For calf pain or leg cramps at night find a remedy here.

By Jayashree Pakhare

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Hypothyroidism, Signs and Symptoms Of Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps in the night are traditionally associated with either over exertion of muscles, rapid dehydration or a lack of essential mineral salts such as potassium but there are also some other causes, one of which might be related to thyroid function.

Muscles cramps caused by hypothyroidism

Muscles cramps and hypothyroidism are interrelated but do not consider it as the only reason for your regular muscular sprains. It is basically due to temporary contraction of muscular tissue which is experienced mostly at the time of excess physical strain. But if a person is experiencing a continuous muscular pain then it might be a sign of malfunctioning of the thyroid gland which in other words is also known as hypothyroidism.

Our body consists of voluntary and involuntary muscles. Voluntary muscles are the muscles which can be controlled by the human being themselves. There contraction and movement is controlled through the channel of brain and sensory nerves. However, if these muscles contract themselves and refuse to come to normal state themselves then it is called a muscle cramp. The reason for such a situation can be excess loss of fluid from the body due to prolonged physical stress which not only strains body muscles but also drains out water from the body.

Hormones like thyroxine define the energy levels of a person. It is basically the energy booster of the body muscles which processes body nutrients to provide energy to the muscles. Its level of production also defines how efficiently the food consumed is burned. Thyroxine is produced by thyroid gland. If thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones in the body then a person is likely to face  persistent muscle cramps.

Hypothyroidism is a hormone disorder which is mainly because of low levels of production of thyroxin hormone in the body. Thyroid gland is the most important gland in the body which not only has its individual function but regulates the working of other hormone glands as well. The thyroid gland looks after the growth and development of the body. It is also manages various other cellular processes as well. So, it is a very essential gland of our body which commands some very significant body functions.

For people having regular muscle pull thyromine is the best solution. It is a natural thyroid supplement that enhances the body functions by producing adequate amount of thyroid hormone. The best part is that it does not have any side effects. It can cure your muscle pains and injuries. However there are few precautions one needs to take along with regular medication. Here are a few precautions you need to take if you are suffering from hypothyroidism. Muscle cramps occur with excessive strain so do not over exert yourself. Massaging can be the best way to improve blood circulation. It will also enhance your muscular contraction and expansion which will give them strength and energy. Get a thyroid check regularly and keep your medication going until your thyroid gland works efficiently.

By Ryan English

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Two hours after eating Friday night, I had a vicious leg cramp in my left inner thigh. It was excruciating, and (in my mind) directly related to eating. Had I still been not eating, I firmly believe the cramp would not have happened. 

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