Muscle Spasms: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Have you ever been jolted awake in the middle of the night by painful muscle cramps or perhaps had a sudden spasm while exercising that forced you to stop? If yes, then you’re not alone.

According to studies, up to 60% of adults experience nocturnal leg cramps, while 39% of athletes report painful muscle cramps during or after exercise.

So, what do these statistics indicate? They show that muscle spasms are common, and many of us experience discomfort, pain, and involuntary contractions. However, by recognizing the actual causes and taking preventive measures, you can protect yourself from this problem.

In this blog, we’ll explore the cause of muscle spasms, their symptoms, and preventions. So, let’s get started with what muscle spasms are.

What are Muscle Spasms?

Muscle spasms, a charley horse, muscle cramps, or twitch, are sudden, involuntary contractions that can affect anyone at any time, day or night.

Cramps or twitches usually affect muscles in the lower back, the front of the thigh, the neck, and the back of the thing, often leading to muscle spasms in the back.

Most muscles twitch resolve spontaneously within 10 minutes but can last up to one hour. They often occur irregularly, appearing and disappearing spontaneously over long periods, regardless of treatment.

People who are most likely to experience muscle cramps include:

• People over the age of 65
• Athletes.
• Infants.
• Pregnant women.
• People who are obese.

Types of Muscle Spasms              

Let’s dive into both these points.

Acute Muscle Spasms

Acute muscle spasms in the lower back are common symptom often associated with the lower back or neck.

This can be distressing and restricting, even very painful. Often, this resolves independently, simply by waiting for the symptoms to pass. These spasms can be triggered by muscle fatigue, dehydration, and abrupt movement.

Chronic Muscle Spasms

Chronic muscle spasms are persistent, recurrent contractions that continue over a long period. They may be associated with underlying medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, degenerative diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and spinal cord injury.

This condition impacts your quality of life and causes ongoing pain and discomfort. Physical therapy, medications, and more are important to improve this condition.

How to Prevent Muscle Spasms

Are you looking for the most effective way to relieve muscle spasms? These steps might help you prevent and treat muscle spasms in the lower back and provide guidance on So, let’s get started!

how to relieve muscle spasms in the neck and shoulder? 

1. Stay Hydrated

When you experience muscle spasms in your back, neck, or any part of your body, try to keep yourself hydrated, especially during workouts or in the summer.

Muscles need fluids to perform better. Hence, drinking as much as necessary is essential based on your needs, activities, lifestyle, weather, and more.

Adequate Amounts of Water and Equivalent Measurements

2. Dietary sources

The best way to stop cramps is to stretch or massage your muscles and to consume proper nutrition. Ensure your diet includes a good amount of potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. Add plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and electrolytes to your diet. This will improve your condition, and you can find them in the following foods, including:

• Bananas: Quick and time-tested option, bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which help ease muscle cramps.
• Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes can ensure easy relief due to its rich repository of nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium source. They have about six times as much calcium as bananas, helping you stay hydrated.
• Avocado: Avocados contain about 975 milligrams of potassium, twice as much as a sweet potato or banana. Potassium is a key nutrient that helps your muscles work better and keeps your heart healthy.
• Beans and Lentils: Beans and lentils are rich sources of magnesium. One cup of boiled lentils has about 71 milligrams of magnesium, while beans have almost double that with 120 milligrams. Plus, they are high in fibre, and some studies show that high-fibre foods can help ease menstrual cramps or stomach muscle spasms.

3. Avoiding Processed Foods

Foods rich in nutrients and electrolytes can help prevent painful muscle cramps. Beans, fruits, and vegetables are good sources of essential nutrients. So, if you consume processed foods, your body might lack those valuable minerals. Heavily processed foods, including fast and packaged foods, tend to have low nutritional value.

Avoid these types of food to improve the quality of your muscles and overall health.

4. Regular Exercise and Stretching

Stretching the area of ​​the muscle spasm can usually protect you from painful cramps or improve the spasm. Exercise regularly will also help you to avoid muscle cramps.

Light exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bed, may also help prevent cramps while you sleep. You can also stretch your muscles before bed to avoid leg cramps at night.

5. Routine exercise

Routine exercise can prevent muscle spasms in the lower back, neck, or other parts of the body by strengthening muscles, improving blood circulation, maintaining electrolyte balance, conditioning muscles, reducing stress, and promoting muscle flexibility.

However, vigorous or prolonged exercise may lead to muscle cramps, which typically improve after exercise. Therefore, start your workout with a light warm-up to keep your body warm and prevent muscle cramps.

Managing Spasms: Gradually Increase Activity

The best way to work around muscle spasms is to gradually increase your workout or physical activity. Orthopaedists suggest that the best way to strengthen muscles is by increasing mobility and exercising the muscles. This helps in strengthening your muscles over time and reducing the risk of cramps from sudden strain. Here is a list of things you must do to manage the occurrence of muscle spasms.

1. Avoid Sudden Intensity: Sudden increases in exercise intensity can strain muscles and lead to cramps. Gradual progression helps muscles adjust more effectively.
2. Importance of Rest: Rest between workouts allows muscles to recover and repair, minimizing the likelihood of overuse and cramping.
3. Good Posture: Maintaining good posture distributes stress evenly throughout the muscles and joints, reducing tension that can trigger cramping. Proper alignment during activities also helps prevent muscle imbalances and reduces the risk of spasms caused by poor mechanics.
4. Monitor Comorbidities: Monitoring and managing underlying health conditions such as electrolyte imbalances or circulatory problems may help prevent cramps associated with these factors.

Final Word

Muscle twitching or muscle cramps in the lower back, neck, leg, and other body parts have many everyday causes that are not serious. People can quickly treat and improve their quality of life by improving their lifestyle. Some causes of muscle cramps are more serious, but these conditions are mostly preventable.  The health conditions that can cause muscle cramps are described above.

If you’re experiencing frequent muscle cramps due to a major health condition, consult your doctor. It is advisable to consult with a specialist orthopedist who is experienced in handling muscle conditions. At the CK Birla Hospital, our award-winning team of Orthopedists comprise of experts with multiple specializations to deal each unique orthopedic condition. Reach out to us and book an appointment with orthopedist at CK Birla Hospital.

Although the condition has no cure, with proper management, balanced diet, exercise, and other factors discussed above can ensure you maintain a good quality and healthy life.

FAQs about Muscle Spasm

What should I do if I experience a muscle spasm?

Gently stretch, massage the affected area. You can apply a heat or ice pack for instant relief. Muscle cramps typically last a few seconds to several minutes but usually resolve independently. Gentle massage can help alleviate them. Sometimes, muscle cramps can be a sign of an underlying health problem.

Can muscle spasms be a sign of a serious medical condition?

Yes, especially if you frequently experience muscle cramps or severe pain. In this context, you should consult your doctor. Sometimes, muscle spasms can indicate an underlying neurological condition affecting the brain and body, known as dystonia.

Are there specific exercises to prevent muscle spasms?

Yes, of course. Stretching and light exercises can help prevent spasms. Routine exercise prevents muscle spasms by strengthening muscles, improving blood circulation, maintaining electrolyte balance, conditioning muscles, reducing stress, and promoting muscle flexibility.

Can stress cause muscle spasms?

Yes, stress can contribute to muscle tension and spasms.

How do I know if my diet is contributing to muscle spasms?

Look for electrolyte deficiencies like potassium, calcium, magnesium, or dehydration. Adjust diet as needed.

References Links

• https://upload.orthobullets.com/journalclub/pubmed_central/22258986.pdf
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/muscle-spasms-muscle-cramps
• https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-spasm-treatment#stretches