What is muscle cramps and spasms?

A muscle cramp occurs when a muscle tightens up suddenly. A cramp often happens in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a muscle spasm or a charley horse.

Muscle cramps usually last less than a minute. However, the pain may last for several minutes. Leg cramps that occur at night may wake you up.

Heavy exercise, dehydration, and being overweight can increase your risk of getting cramps. An imbalance of certain chemicals in your blood, called electrolytes, can also lead to muscle cramps. People who are pregnant sometimes get muscle cramps during sleep.

Muscle cramps can be treated by stretching and massaging the muscle. If cramps keep coming back, your doctor may prescribe medicine that relaxes your muscles.

If cramps keep coming back, bother you a lot, or interfere with your sleep, your doctor may prescribe medicine that relaxes your muscles.

Talk with your doctor if you have muscle cramps that keep coming back or are severe. These may be symptoms of another problem, such as restless legs syndrome.

These tips may help prevent muscle cramps:

• Drink plenty of water and other fluids.
• Limit or avoid drinks with alcohol.
• Make sure you are eating healthy foods (especially if you are pregnant) that are rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Ride a bike or stationary bike to condition and stretch your muscles.
• Stretch your muscles every day, especially before and after exercise and at bedtime.
• Don't suddenly increase the amount of exercise you get. Increase your exercise a little each week.

If you are taking medicines that are known to cause leg cramps, your doctor may prescribe different medicines.

• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Choose water and other clear liquids until you feel better. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
• Stretch your muscles every day, especially before and after exercise and at bedtime. Regular stretching can relax your muscles and may prevent cramps.
• Do not suddenly increase the amount of exercise you get. Increase your exercise a little each week.
• When you get a cramp, stretch and massage the muscle. You can also take a warm shower or bath to relax the muscle. A heating pad placed on the muscle can also help.
• Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a charley horse.

Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. The muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up.

The cause of muscle cramps isn't always known. Muscle cramps may be brought on by many conditions or activities, such as:

• Exercising, injury, or overuse of muscles.
• Pregnancy. Cramps may occur because of decreased amounts of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, especially in the later months of pregnancy.
• Exposure to cold temperatures, especially to cold water.
• Other medical conditions, such as blood flow problems (peripheral arterial disease), kidney disease, thyroid disease, and multiple sclerosis.
• Standing on a hard surface for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
• Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
• Being dehydrated, which means that your body has lost too much fluid.
• Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, and steroids.