Cramp: what it is, causes and what to do

The cramp, or cramp, is a quick, involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle that can appear anywhere on the body, but that usually appears on the feet, hands or legs, especially on the calf and the back of the thigh.

Generally, the cramps are not severe and last less than 10 minutes, appearing especially after intense physical exercise, due to the lack of water in the muscle. However, they can also happen during pregnancy or due to health problems such as lack of minerals, diabetes, liver disease or myopathy, for example.

Thus, when the cramp appears more than 1 time a day or takes more than 10 minutes to pass it is recommended to consult the general practitioner to identify the cause of the cramp and start the most appropriate treatment.

The most frequent causes are usually:

1. Excessive physical exercise

When exercising too intensely or for a long time, cramps are common. This is due to muscle fatigue and a lack of minerals in the muscle, which were consumed during exercise.

In this situation, cramps may still appear during exercise or even a few hours later. Similar to exercise, standing still for a long time, especially in the same position, can also cause muscle cramps due to lack of movement.

2. Dehydration

Cramps can often also be a sign of mild or moderate dehydration, which is when there is less water than normal in the body. This type of cause is more frequent when you are in a very hot environment, when you sweat for a long time or when you are taking diuretic medicines, due to the great loss of water.

Usually, along with cramps, other symptoms of dehydration may appear, such as dry mouth, feeling of frequent thirst, decreased amount of urine and tiredness. Check out a more complete list of signs of dehydration.

3. Lack of calcium or potassium

Some minerals, such as calcium and potassium, are very important for muscle contraction and relaxation. Thus, when the level of these minerals is very low, frequent cramps can occur, which can happen during the day, without an apparent cause.

The decrease in calcium and potassium is more common in pregnant women, in people who use diuretics or who are having a vomiting crisis, for example. However, it can also happen due to decreased intake of foods with potassium or calcium.

4. Tetanus

Although more rare, tetanus is another possible cause of frequent cramps, since the infection causes constant activation of nerve endings throughout the body, causing cramps and muscle contractions anywhere in the body.

Tetanus infection occurs mainly after a cut on a rusted object and causes other symptoms such as stiffness in the neck muscles and low fever. Take our online test to find out the risk of having tetanus.

5. Poor circulation

People who have poor circulation may also experience cramps more often. This is because there is less blood reaching the muscles, there is also less oxygen available. This type of cramp is more common in the legs, especially in the calf region.

See more about poor circulation and how to fight it.

6. Use of medicines

In addition to diuretics, such as Furosemide, which can cause dehydration and lead to cramps, other medications can also have the side effect of involuntary muscle contractions.

Some of the remedies that most often cause cramps are: Donepezil, Neostigmine, Raloxifene, Nifedipine, Terbutaline, Salbutamol or Lovastatin, for example.

How to relieve cramps

The treatment for cramps is usually done by stretching the affected muscle and massaging the area, as there is no specific treatment.

In addition, to prevent cramps from recurring it is important to:

• Eat foods rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium, such as bananas or coconut water. See other recommended foods for cramps; Drink about 2 liters of water a day, especially during physical activities; Avoid physical exercise after meals; Stretch before and after physical exercise; Stretch before bed, in case of night cramp.

Check out these and other tips in the following video:

If muscle cramps are caused by health problems, such as diabetes, liver disease or lack of minerals, the doctor may also recommend treatment with nutritional supplements, especially sodium and potassium, or specific remedies for each problem.

When it can be serious

In most cases, cramp is not a serious problem, however, there are cases where it can indicate a lack of minerals in the body or other problems. Some signs that may indicate that you need to see a doctor include:

• Very intense pain that does not improve after 10 minutes; Swelling and redness appear at the cramp site; Development of muscle weakness after the cramp; Cramps that appear many times in a few days.

In addition, if the cramp is not related to any cause such as dehydration or intense physical exercise, it is also advisable to consult a general practitioner to assess whether there is a lack of any important mineral, such as magnesium or potassium, in the body.