How to Stop Leg Muscle Cramps ? (Home Remedies)

How to Stop Leg Muscle Cramps

The muscles in your legs are made up of bundles of fibers that alternately contract and expand to produce movement. A cramp is a sudden, involuntary contraction (tightening) of one of these muscles, typically in your calf. Cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. They can be mild, or intense enough to wake you out of a sound sleep. A sudden, painful muscle spasm in the leg is called a Charley horse, which legend has it is named after baseball player Charlie "Hoss" Radbourn, who reportedly suffered from frequent cramps back in the 1880s.

Cramps usually occur for a reason. If you haven’t strained a muscle, you’re probably cramping because your muscle is fatigued or overused or your body is dehydrated.

Or maybe you’re not getting enough electrolytes, such as potassium or magnesium. These minerals help your muscles work more smoothly, and fluids help your body process the minerals.

Most cases of muscle cramps don’t indicate a worrisome underlying condition. People who are 65 and older are at greater risk for them. Cramps might be related to alcoholism, hypothyroidism, or diabetes. If the frequency of your cramps bothers you, tell your doctor.

There are several Home Remedies that can relief your muscle cramps:-

Stretching

Relax the cramping muscle. Stop any activity that may have induced the cramp and lightly stretch the muscle, gently holding the stretch. You may even massage the muscle while you stretch or after you finish.

1. Standing Calf Stretch - Stand facing a wall with your elbows extended and both palms on the wall at chest height. Place one leg forward with the knee bent and the other leg back with the knee straight .Both feet are in full contact with the floor. Flex your feet so that your trunk moves forward. Keep your trunk straight and your heels in contact with the floor .
2. Standing Hamstring Stretch - Stand Facing a chair. Place one heel on the chair with the knee of that leg fully straightened. Flex at the hips so that your trunk tilts forward. Keep your trunk straight. The Foot on the floor should maintain full contact and the other heel remains in the contact with the chair.
3. Seated hamstring and calf stretch - Sit on the floor or a firm bed with both legs extended. Grasp your toes with both hands. Flex at the hips so that your trunk tilts forward, Keeping your trunk as straight as possible. Keep your toes and the top of your feet pulling back (dorsiflex the feet at the ankles.)

Consider applying a heating pad to the area after stretching. If your calf muscle cramps in the middle of the night, stand up and slowly put weight on the affected leg to push the heel down and stretch out the muscle.

Magnesium

If you regularly have leg cramps that aren’t related to a more serious condition, you might try adding more magnesium to your diet. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of magnesium. Other food that are high in Magnesium include:-

• almonds
• Banana
• spinach
• cashew nuts
• peanuts
• soy-milk
• black beans
• baked potatoes with skin
• cooked brown rice
• plain, low fat yogurt

Magnesium Trusted Source has been suggested for treating pregnant women’s muscle cramps, but more studies are needed. Talk to your doctor before taking any magnesium supplements if you’re pregnant.

Take Vitamin E to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. Studies suggest that taking vitamin E improves blood flow through the arteries.

Heat

Heat increases the blood flow and circulation to stressed or painful tissues, muscles and joints. Heat also loosens tight trigger points and softens muscles to decrease stiffness and increase flexibility. If you're experiencing muscle cramps place a heating pad in the area for 15-20 minutes to reduce pain.

Start the hot pad on the lowest setting and only increase heat if you’re not getting any relief at all.

If you have diabetes, a spinal cord injury, or another condition that might prevent you from feeling heat, a heating pad isn’t a good option.

Hydration

Another possible way to stop leg cramps is to hydrate. It might take a little longer to ease your pain, but once you’ve had water or a sports drink with electrolytes, you could prevent another cramp.

Get moving

Walking around may help ease leg cramps by sending a signal to the muscle that it needs to relax after it contracts.

If all else fails, and you continue to have regular muscle cramps, consider getting regular massages to help the muscles relax.

MUSCLE CRAMPS : Causes, Prevention, Treatment and Remedies .

What are Muscle Cramps?

A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. A muscle (or even a few fibers of a muscle) that involuntarily (without consciously willing it) contracts is in a "spasm." If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. Muscle cramps often cause a visible or palpable hardening of the involved muscle.

Muscle cramps can occur in any muscle; cramps of the leg muscles and feet are particularly common.

Muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to a quarter of an hour or occasionally longer. It is not uncommon for a cramp to recur multiple times until it finally resolves. The cramp may involve a part of a muscle, the entire muscle, or several muscles that usually act together, such as those that flex adjacent fingers. Some cramps involve the simultaneous contraction of muscles that ordinarily move body parts in opposite directions.

Almost everyone experiences a muscle cramp at some time in their life.

There are a variety of types and causes of muscle cramps.

Muscle cramps may occur during exercise, at rest, or at night, depending upon the exact cause.Cramps of the extremities, especially the legs and feet (including nocturnal leg cramps), and most particularly the calf, are very common.

What are the symptoms of common muscle cramps? How  muscle cramps diagnosed?

Characteristically, a cramp is painful, often severely so. Usually, the sufferer must stop whatever activity is under way and seek relief from the cramp; the person is unable to use the affected muscle while it is cramping. Severe cramps may be associated with soreness and swelling, which can occasionally persist up to several days after the cramp has subsided. At the time of cramping, the knotted muscle will bulge, feel very firm, and may be tender.

There are no special tests for cramps. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of muscle

cramps  is relatively easy. Most people know what cramps are and when they have one. If present during a cramp, the doctor can feel the tense, firm bulge of the cramped muscle.

When to see a doctor ?

Muscle cramps usually disappear on their own and are rarely serious enough to require medical care. However, see your doctor if your cramps:

• Cause severe discomfort
• Are associated with leg swelling, redness or skin changes
• Are associated with muscle weakness
• Happen frequently
• Don't improve with self-care
• Aren't associated with an obvious cause, such as strenuous exercise.(swimming laps, aerobics, running, jogging, basketball, cycling etc..)

Causes :-

Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle strain or simply holding a position for a prolonged period can cause a muscle cramp. In many cases, however, the cause isn't known.

Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition, such as:

• Inadequate blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your legs (arteriosclerosis of the extremities) can produce cramp-like pain in your legs and feet while you're exercising. These cramps usually go away soon after you stop exercising.
• Nerve compression. Compression of nerves in your spine (lumbar stenosis) also can produce cramp-like pain in your legs. The pain usually worsens the longer you walk. Walking in a slightly flexed position — such as you would use when pushing a shopping cart ahead of you — may improve or delay the onset of your symptoms.
• Mineral depletion. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps.

Risk factors :-

Factors that might increase your risk of muscle cramps include:

• Age. Older people lose muscle mass, so the remaining muscle can get overstressed more easily.

• Dehydration. Athletes who become fatigued and dehydrated while participating in warm-weather sports frequently develop muscle cramps.

• Pregnancy. Muscle cramps also are common during pregnancy.

• Medical conditions. You might be at higher risk of muscle cramps if you have diabetes, or nerve, liver or thyroid disorders.

Prevention :-

These steps may help prevent cramps:

• Avoid dehydration. Drink plenty of liquids every day. The amount depends on what you eat, your sex, your level of activity, the weather, your health, your age and medications you take. Fluids help your muscles contract and relax and keep muscle cells hydrated and less irritable. During activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals, and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished.
• Stretch your muscles. Stretch before and after you use any muscle for an extended period. If you tend to have leg cramps at night, stretch before bedtime. Light exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bedtime, also may help prevent cramps while you're sleeping.

Treatment

You can usually treat muscle cramps with self-care measures. Your doctor can show you stretching exercises that can help you reduce your chances of getting muscle cramps. Making sure you stay well-hydrated also can help. For recurrent cramps that disturb your sleep, your doctor might prescribe a medication to relax your muscles.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

If you have a cramp, these actions may provide relief:

Stretch and massage.

Stretch the cramped muscle and gently rub it to help it relax. 

Stretching

Stretching the area that has the muscle spasm can usually help improve or stop the spasm from occurring. Below are stretches for the muscles in your calves, thighs, back, and neck.

Stretches for calf muscle spasms :-

To do the first stretch:

• Lie down, stretching your leg by pointing or pulling your toes toward your head. (Pointing the toes toward you is called dorsiflexion.)
• Hold for a few seconds or until the spasm stops.
• You can also use a strap or belt looped around your foot to gently pull the top of your foot toward you.

This also works for a hamstring muscle spasm.

Other stretches to do:

• Stand and put your weight on the cramped leg, bending your knee slightly.
• Stand on your tiptoes for a few seconds.
• Lunge forward with the leg that isn’t cramped, keeping the cramped leg straight.

Apply heat or cold. Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscles. Taking a warm bath or directing the stream of a hot shower onto the cramped muscle also can help. Alternatively, massaging the cramped muscle with ice may relieve pain.

Alternative medicine

Some suggest taking vitamin B complex supplements to help manage leg cramps. However, more research is needed to confirm this benefit.

Excess Sugar Consumption: 12 Reasons to Quit Sugar!

Excess Sugar Consumption: 12 Reasons to Quit Sugar!

Sugar is sweet, but Too much of it can Sour your Health.

It is a well-known fact that excess sugar consumption is definitely bad for you in more ways than one can count. However, most of us still continue to do it regardless of the health implications.

The reason is that we’re surrounded by sugar and sugary food items all around us. All our meals, especially our breakfasts, contain copious amounts of sugar that cannot be overlooked.

Fruit juices, energy drinks, coke, breakfast cereal, candy, sweetened dairy, baked goods, coffee, milkshakes, and desserts are laden with sugars up to the brim and we continue consuming them anyway. Even bread and ketchup make it to the list.

As per the American Heart Association, the regular intake of sugar must not exceed 6 and 9 tablespoons in women and men respectively. Despite that, an average American consumes 20 teaspoons of added sugars per day! That’s quite an amount!

1. Unhealthy weight gain:

Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.

Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.

Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods .

Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating.

In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.

Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don't .

Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

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"WhatsAppitis" : is real, and happening!

"WhatsAppitis" : is Real and Happening

What if you are told that excessive chatting or texting on 'WhatsApp' messenger service can hamper your health to an extent that you get a thumb disease!

"WhatsAppitis" is real, and happening.

A report in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, said that "WhatsAppitis" is a credible disease, after a doctor in Spain diagnosed a 34-year-old female patient with bilateral wrist pain induced by excessive use of 'Whatsapp'

"She held her mobile phone for at least six hours and continuously used both thumbs to send messages to relatives and friends," Spanish physician Ines M Fernandez-Guerrero wrote in the journal.

Prolonged and repetitive movements can result in tendon inflammation and injury. This results in pain and difficulty in moving the thumb

The next morning, that woman woke up with
painfull wrists.

"The diagnosis for the bilateral wrist pain was 'WhatsAppitis'," Fernandez-Guerrero added.

He treated the woman with non-steroidal,
anti-inflammatory drugs and asked her to
completely avoid using the cell phone to send
messages.

We can’t deny the fact that it’s now hard to imagine a day without our smartphones by our side.

The use of smartphones has grown rapidly over the last decade. This coupled with the availability of affordable and practically unlimited internet data packs has contributed to people spending a significant amount of their day browsing social media and on messaging apps. It is estimated that smartphone users spend more than three hours every day on their phones. People often look at their phone screens more than 100 times each day. The overuse of smartphones has resulted in certain peculiar medical conditions.

Other medical conditions of the hand due
to smartphone overuse:

• De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is another condition where there is inflammation of the tendons of the thumb due to overuse of handheld electronic devices. It is also known as ‘BlackBerry thumb’, ‘texting thumb’ or ‘gamer’s thumb’.

• Overuse of smartphones may also increase the risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which is characterized by pain, tingling, burning, and numbness along the area of the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger. Prolonged smartphone usage can also cause Arthritis of the joints at the base of the thumb.

There can also be a decrease in grip strength or range of motion.

The opposable thumb is very good at perfor
-ming opposing actions to the hand and fingers,
known
as gripping. The muscles and mechanics of your
anatomy support this function.

Texting Thumb can be a form of tendonitis (inflammation of tissue connecting muscle to bone), tenosynovitis(inflammation of the tendon sheath) or a combination of both of those disorders. In either case, it means something is irritated, inflamed and swollen. In Texting Thumb there is an inflammation of the tendons and/or the synovial sheaths that cover the tendons that control the motion of your thumb.

How WhatsAppitis can be treated?

Treatment of WhatsAppitis is just like most other medical conditions, and ‘prevention is better than cure’, here too. Keep your smartphone use in check. There are several apps that can track your daily screen time along with the details of time spent on different apps. Use this feedback to limit your smartphone usage.

There are few tips to help you avoid smartphone hand pain:

• While using smartphones, keep your wrists straight, try to hold your phone in both the hands.
• Do not use your phone for more than 15-20 minutes at a time.
• Avoid marathon browsing or messaging sessions
• The use of larger and heavier smartphones can further increase the risk of tendon injury. Using the voice message function of popular messaging apps may be better than typing the message in order to reduce the strain on your thumb.
• Vary the hand you use.

A periodic ‘smartphone detox’ can also be beneficial. If you already have symptoms of WhatsAppitis, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and a wrist brace in addition to the above. Evolution is a slow process. Our hands are yet to adapt to this swiftly rising use of smartphones in our day-to-day lives. Till then, we must be judicious with our smartphone usage.

Exercises

There are few exercises of hand, specially thumb exercises can help you to reduce symptoms.Stop these exercises if you feel any pain otherwise you can do more harm than good.

If you have texting hand :-

• Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat x 5
• Pull your thumb firmly with the other hand. Repeat x 5
• Wrap an elastic band around the tips of fingers and thumb and open your hand against the resistance. Repeat x 20
• Palms down wrap an elastic band around each thumb and force apart. Repeat x 20
• Tap the palm and back of your hand on your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat x 20
• Massage thumb web, back of forearm and front of forearm. 2 minutes.
• Press and rub in a circular motion the painful nodules in those muscles. 30 seconds for each nodule.
• If it still hurts after a week of doing exercises wrap an ice pack on sore hand and arm parts. Do not put ice directly on the skin but wrap in a thin cloth or piece of kitchen roll. 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Repeat x 3.

If there will be no improvement in your pain then go and consult with your Doctor or Physiotherapist ,but do not delay !

What is "TEXT NECK" ?

What is Text - Neck ?

Do you find yourself with neck pain after looking at your phone, tablet or laptop for too long?

If you suffer from neck pain or headaches, you might have text-neck!

Between keeping up with messages from friends and family, work, news, emails and for leisure – the average person spends 5 hours every day looking at their mobile device! And unfortunately, all that time looking down at your device has consequences for your neck.

“Text-neck” is a term used to describe neck pain, back pain, and maybe even headaches or migraines that people experience as a result of frequently looking down at your mobile device, whether that be a cellphone, tablet or computer.

How do you get text-neck?

The human head weighs approximately 10-12 pounds. When the head bends forward to look down at your mobile device, the weight that is put on your neck (aka cervical spine) increases. Even with a small, 5 degree forward tilt, your neck has to support nearly 30 pounds! The more you crane your neck, the more weight it has to carry, as the image below shows.

What are the Symptoms associated with text-neck?

If you have text-neck, you may feel one of, or a combination of the following:

• Neck and upper back pain ranging from a dull, stiff pain to sharp muscle spasms that are typically worse at the end of the day,
• Headaches in your temples, forehead or behind the eye,
• Shoulder pain and stiffness,
• Numbness and tingling down your arms.

Check-in with how your body feels during or after using your mobile device. The quicker you can take steps to reduce the symptoms, the better your overall health and wellbeing can be!

So, what can I do?

It’s important to practice good posture and habits when you are on your mobile device, in order to prevent and minimize pain. Here are some tips that you can easily implement in your day-to-day life.

1. Bring your screen to eye level. When you are on your phone, bring your arms up. When working at a desk for prolonged periods of time, stack books under your monitor screen, or invest in an ergonomic desk set up.
2. Try your best to maintain a good posture. Sit or stand tall, like a ballet dancer. Look forward with your gaze aligned to the horizon rather than towards the floor when using your mobile device.
3. Take frequent breaks from your screen. Set reminders on your phone every 20 minutes to get up, stretch and move around. Your neck and back will thank you!
4. Arch your neck and upper back backward to look up at the ceiling periodically for a nice stretch.
5. Share these tips with your friends, family, co-workers, and everyone else you see who may have text-neck!

Digital health and wellness is an important aspect of modern-day society and mobile devices are here to stay. We must continue to use them responsibly and with good habits so we can prevent any future aches and pains our bodies may feel. If you have any questions, would like to know more or if the pain continues to bother you, please consult your local healthcare professionals.

Exercises and Stretches to Reduce Neck Pain

With text neck and other conditions related to forward head posture, muscle imbalances usually develop as follows:

The deep cervical flexor muscles at the front of the neck become elongated while the muscles connected to the head at the back of the neck become shortened
The upper back muscles become elongated while the chest muscles become shortened
See Forward Head Posture’s Effect on Neck Muscles.

Any exercise program to help alleviate text neck pain and reduce forward head posture typically involves addressing and reversing these muscle imbalances to restore a more naturally-aligned posture. Some common options include:

Physical therapy program- 

 A physical therapist or other health care professional can design a stretching and strengthening program for the patient’s specific needs. This program is typically performed at a clinic, at least initially, to ensure that the stretches and exercises are performed in an effective and safe manner. Depending on each case, several training sessions may be needed prior to advancing to an independent, patient-specific home exercise program.

Home exercises. Many exercises and stretches can be done at home to improve the neck’s strength and flexibility, as well as to reduce forward head posture. Though each case is unique, achieving long-term pain relief from text neck usually takes a commitment to regularly performing exercises and stretches in the home. 

Exercises 

1. Exaggerated nod -
The exaggerated nod counterbalances the downward/forward head position by pulling your shoulders down and back, and increasing neck mobility. 

How to do it?

1. Start by sitting at your desk or standing comfortably with your shoulders relaxed. With your mouth closed — teeth touching but not clenching — look up to the ceiling.
2. Pause here and let your jaw relax and open your mouth. Now see if you can bring your head further back an inch or two (typically you can).
3. Keep your head still here and bring your lower jaw to your upper jaw, closing your mouth. You should feel a stretch in the front of your neck.

2. Downward-Facing Dog

Downward-Facing Dog is useful for opening the anterior chest wall and shoulders — which are often rounded and tightened from excessive tech usage, Goodrich points out. This pose is all about upper-body strength, which means if you don’t have the shoulder strength you might compensate by scrunching your shoulders up to your ears. If you notice yourself doing this, actively draw your shoulder blades down your back, which will create space in your neck.

How to do it:

1. Begin on all fours. Tuck your toes and lift your hips high, reaching your hip bones toward the ceiling.
2. Reach your heels back toward the mat, but don’t let them plank on the ground.
3. Drop your head so that your neck is long. As you stay here, make sure that your wrist creases stay parallel to the front edge of the mat.
4. To alleviate the pressure on your wrists, press into the knuckles of your forefingers and thumbs.
5. Breathe here for at least three deep breaths. Then release.

3. Cat-Cow

Your core and pelvis should drive the Cat-Cow flow: As you inhale you create an anterior tilt to the pelvis so that your tailbone is facing the ceiling, and as you exhale you create a posterior tilt so that your tailbone is turned toward the ground. This movement sequence helps increase spinal awareness, which is a large part of less than perfect posture.

How to do it:

1. Start on all fours with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, your hips stacked over your knees, and the tops of your feet pressed into the ground. Look down a few inches in front of your fingers and lengthen from your head down to your tailbone.
2. To begin the ‘cat’ phase, use your abs to curl your spine toward the ceiling while tucking in your tailbone (making the shape of a Halloween cat) as you exhale. Lengthen your neck and allow your chin to reach down and in, toward your chest, so your ears come down by your biceps.
3. To begin the ‘cow’ phase, swoop and scoop your pelvis so your belly drops down to the floor as you inhale. Broaden across your shoulder blades, drawing your shoulders away from your ears, and lift your chin and chest to gaze up toward the ceiling.
4. Cycle through Cat-Cow a few times, keeping stress and pressure out of the head and neck.

4. Padahastasana

Padahastasana stretches the neck and hamstrings, which means that it’s fighting text neck and hips that are tight from sitting all day at the same time, explains Goodrich.

How to do it:

1. Take off your shoes and begin with your feet hip-distance apart. Then, bend forward, letting your arms touch the floor. If it’s difficult, take your arms only as far as it’s possible without straining.
2. Bend your knees and lift the balls of your feet off the ground to slip your hands, palms face-up, underneath your feet.
3. Allow your toes to come right into your wrist creases. Press into your palm with the balls of your feet and relax your head. Breathe here for at least three deep breaths.

5. Bow pose

Bow pose helps to counteract slouched shoulders by opening them from the front, and strengthening them from the back.

How to do it:

1. Lie flat on your stomach with your chin on the floor and your hands resting by the sides of your body.
2. Bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your buttocks as you can. Reach backwards with both hands and grab onto your outer ankles. As you inhale, lift your heels up toward the ceiling so that your chest, thighs, and upper torso lift up off the mat.
3. To intensify the stretch, try to lift your heels higher while keeping your tailbone pressed into the mat. Look forward and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
4. Hold this position for 10 breaths. Release on an exhale by slowly lowering your thighs, and then the rest of your body, to the ground.

6. Chin tuck

Chin tuck is a simple exercise you can do at your desk, at a stoplight, or even in a meeting at work. This simple stretch will help increase spinal awareness, while strengthening the neck muscles to help pull your head back into alignment.

How to do it:

1. Sit up tall and keep your chin parallel to the floor. Without tilting your head in any direction, gently draw your head and chin back, like you’re making a double chin. Be careful not to jam your head back. You should feel a stretch along the back of the neck.
2. Now imagine there’s a string pulling your head upward like a puppet, and actively elongate your neck. Actively push the base of your skull away from the base of your neck. Keep your jaw relaxed and hold this position for 3 deep breaths.
3. Release your chin forward. Repeat.