Muscle cramps are painful and are usually caused by contraction of muscles that fail to relax. The condition is very common and is witnessed by almost every one. It is mainly caused by overuse of a muscle, dehydration, fatigue, stress, low sodium, low potassium or low magnesium. Muscle cramps are common in aged people, though kids may also face the condition.
It is hardly possible to avoid the problem as it may manifest in involuntary muscles. These muscles are not under human control and work on their own. A common condition is the one in which the muscle contracts for a prolonged period and leads to muscle cramps. The only widely known technique to get rid of muscle cramps is to let the muscle relax by stretching. Various other home remedies which work effectively for the problem are discussed in this article.
7 Best Home Remedies For Cramps
Stretch
Stretching is the most widely used and effective method for muscle cramps. Stretch the part of your body which suffers from the problem. In case stretching does not help a lot, accompany it with light massaging. Stretching allows the muscle to relax and massaging helps in increasing blood circulation. This may cause a little pain, but the procedure is extremely effective and will provide immediate results.
Hot Compress
Using a hot compress increases blood circulation and allows the muscle to relax. Take a pan of hot water. Make sure that the water has a temperature which your body can bear.
Dip a small towel in the pan and twist the towel to squeeze off all the water. The towel now has only the heat of water. Keep the towel over your cramped muscle and press lightly.
Cold Compress
Cold compress relieves you from the pain of cramps by numbing the muscles. Take 3-4 ice cubes and wrap them in a cloth. Apply the cloth over cramped muscle and press lightly for about 15 minutes. Discontinue the process for next 15 minutes and then again cold compress for 15 minutes.
Follow the procedure till all the ice in the cloth melts. In case you are unable to bear the coldness of ice for 15 minutes, start with less time say 2 minutes. Initially use the procedure for 2 minutes and gradually increase the time upto 15 minutes. Make sure not to use ice directly, else you will end up hurting your muscles.
Drink Water
If you get muscle cramps very often, then the reason might be dehydration. Lack of water in body leads to the problem. An easy way to avoid the condition is by drinking alot of water. Drink atleast 8 glasses of water in a day. It would not only help you with the problem of muscle cramps, but also improve your overall health. Drinking water will not cure your cramps immediately, but it will help your to avoid them. So if you have cramps, don’t go fetching for drinking water! Rather use some other remedy.
Those who usually suffer from muscle cramps after exercising should use baking soda in order to avoid the condition. When you go for vigorous exercise, your body produces lactic acid. Accumulation of lactic acid in body may be a reason for cramping of muscles. Baking soda, being basic in nature, would neutralize the acid. Mix one-fourth teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and have it every time you come back after exercising.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is rich in magnesium and thus imparts relaxation to muscles. Fill your bath tub with warm water and add half a cup of epsom salt to it. Soak your body in the tub for 15-20 minutes. The warmth of water will improve blood circulation and epsom salt will allow your muscles to relax. If you feel that the result is not very good and the muscle cramp still persists, start massaging a little over the affected area while in the tub. You’ll soon feel relaxed.
Electrolyte Balance
Low level of electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, calcium or potassium might be a reason of muscle cramps. Increasing intake of food products that are rich in sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium will help in avoiding the condition. Common salt is rich in sodium and should not be excluded from diet. Having meals that have added salt would be enough to maintain sodium level in body.
For magnesium, you can add nuts, beans, cereals, rice, oats and whole grain breads in your daily diet. Bananas, oranges, spinach, yogurt, salmon, avocados are rich in potassium and should be included in daily diet so as to avoid muscle cramps. Calcium rich food such as milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, spinach, oranges, salmon and almonds should be taken daily to maintain electrolyte balance in body.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
