Muscle spasms are caused by short contractions in all or part of the muscle. They can affect any muscle; however, they are more common in the limbs, eyelids and diaphragm. They are typically caused by muscle stimulation or a problem with a nerve. While most muscle spasms are nothing to worry about and pass quickly, some are stronger and can be a symptom of serious illness.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Stopping a Mild Muscle Spasm
Step 1. Massage the muscle
Often a massage can relieve the contraction of a pulled muscle. Moving it in multiple directions can help release the tension that causes it to contract.
If you feel you can, gently massage the affected muscle. Stop massaging it if it starts to hurt or contract more
Step 2. Get enough rest
If you don't get enough sleep, you may experience frequent muscle spasms. Make sure you get a good night's sleep and additional rest during the day if you feel the need.
- If you have trouble sleeping, avoid taking substances that can interfere with sleep, such as caffeine. You can also set up a relaxing routine before bed: do something that makes you sleepy, like reading or meditating.
- While lack of sleep isn't scientifically proven to cause muscle spasms, sleeping more will make your body work better and help keep nerve impulses at bay.
Step 3. Reduce Stress
Some spasms can be minimized by decreasing the stress level. While it is unclear what causes eyelid muscle spasms, there is evidence that reducing stress can help minimize them.
Simple ways to reduce stress are to exercise regularly, spend time with family and friends, indulge in your favorite hobby, and get psychologically assisted by an expert
Step 4. Minimize your intake of stimulants
Some muscle spasms can be minimized by reducing the intake of stimulants such as caffeine. Drinking fewer caffeinated beverages is helpful in staying calm and having fewer contractions.
Instead of cutting caffeine out of the blue, you can try to gradually reduce your caffeine intake. For example, start drinking elongated coffee with decaf coffee or switch to a low-caffeine coffee
Step 5. Wait for the spasms to pass
Some muscle contractions take a while to pass. Hiccups are the most striking example: they are a form of spasm caused by contractions of the diaphragm. Hiccups can pass quickly or last for hours.
Generally, wait 48 hours before seeking health care for hiccups that don't go away. In some cases, hiccups can be a symptom of pathologies such as tumors or multiple sclerosis: if it does not pass, it is better to have a check-up
Step 6. Take a different medication
Some of the medications that are usually prescribed can cause muscle spasms. If you take diuretics, corticosteroids, or estrogen, these are likely to cause the contractions.
Talk to your doctor about changing medications. It is always good to speak to your doctor before changing a drug or reducing its dosage
Part 2 of 2: Treating Muscle Spasms Associated with a Disease
Step 1. Assess the severity of the spasms
Pay attention to the duration of the contractions. Many of them are short and do not affect the quality of life. However, if the spasms are severe, frequent, or constant, consider seeing a doctor.
Track the frequency of the spasms. If they occur daily, last for more than a couple of minutes and you don't think factors such as stress may have exacerbated them, contact your doctor
Step 2. Get a medical examination
If the spasms last a long time, affect your quality of life and don't go away, contact your doctor for a checkup. Although rare, some serious conditions can cause muscle spasms - make sure this isn't the case for you. Your doctor will probably give you a general visit and then, if he suspects that the spasms are caused by a pathology, he will do more specific tests.
Serious but rare conditions that can cause spasms are Tourette's syndrome, Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophies, spinal muscular atrophy, Isaac's syndrome, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, brain injury, brain tumors, liver failure, kidney failure, nervous system disorders and genetic diseases
Step 3. Treat the condition
The conditions that cause the spasms must be treated by a doctor. Often by intervening on the disease it is also possible to keep spasms at bay.
- Sometimes the contractions can be caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals. Once these imbalances are resolved, the spasms should pass.
- Some rare progressive neurological diseases start with symptoms such as mild muscle spasms. These diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cause spasms that worsen over time and become gradually uncontrollable.
- The spasms caused by some cancers can be resolved by having surgery.
Step 4. Take medication to counteract the spasms
If the contractions do not decrease even by treating the pathology that causes them, consider taking a specific drug to counteract the spasms. Among those usually prescribed to keep contractions at bay are muscle relaxants and neuromuscular blockers.
