Muscle Cramps: Why They Happen And 6 Ways To Treat Them

Muscle cramps can happen to anyone big or small. They can happen at any time and anywhere. The causes of muscle cramps are common and they are easily treated. But it’s always better to prepare yourself so you never have to deal with the pain, awkwardness, and tightness experienced from a muscle cramp.

Muscle cramps can be caused by:

• injury
• overexercise
• exposure to cold temperatures
• medical conditions
• standing for a long time
• bad posture
• dehydration
• low levels of essential minerals in the body

Here are six of the best ways to prevent and treat muscle cramps! Follow one, two or all of these methods to keep your muscles pain free and enjoy your day.

Take a warm shower or bath

One of the best ways to treat a muscle cramp is to take a warm shower or bath. The warm water relaxes the muscle and reduces the tightness that causes the cramp. If you’re not able to jump into a shower, placing a heating pad on the affected area can help treat your muscle cramp.

Stretch or massage the cramp

If your muscle cramp is really bad and you need to treat it right now, then stretching and massaging the affected area can help a lot. Slowly try to stretch the area to release the tightness and stop the pain. If the cramp is in the leg, try walking around and see if that helps.

Another way to treat the cramp is to massage the muscle until the cramp goes away. The massage may require a little or a lot of pressure, but never use so much pressure that it causes pain. If you were able to massage the cramp away, that’s great! But you should make sure it doesn’t come back again. It’s highly recommended that you use an electronic massager later in the day to further relax the muscle.

Drink water and take a painkiller/muscle relaxant

You can never drink too much water. Water makes up most of the human body, so drinking it regularly throughout the day is a healthy habit. Not only does drinking water regularly prevent muscle cramps and help treat them when they happen, but have many other health benefits, too.

If your muscle cramp is happening right now and you were able to make most of it go away, but a little pain, soreness or tightness is still left, take a painkiller. Painkillers like Tylenol or Advil are not only able to make the pain go away, but are also able to relax the muscle and help blood flow more easily through the body.

Are you getting enough essential minerals?

Science has been able to find out one of the most common reasons why muscle cramps happen. If you’re not getting enough of your essential minerals every day through diet or by taking vitamins, you’re likely to get muscle cramps at some point. These essential minerals are:

• Sodium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium

All of these minerals are found in your muscles. If you lose too much of any of these minerals throughout the day due to sweating or not getting enough from your diet, you’re at risk of getting muscle cramps. If you exercise a lot, you can get a few of these essential minerals from drinks like Gatorade and Powerade.

Get a real massage

You work hard. Whether it is at work doing your job, hitting the gym, running a few extra miles at the end of the day – whatever you do – you do it well. But your body can get exhausted over time. Your muscles get sore, become inflamed, can cause pain and tightness – ultimately leading to muscle cramps.

Treat yourself to a massage. Get a masseuse that is willing to dig deep into your muscle and stretch them out, taking out the tightness, reducing soreness, and making you feel refreshed at the end. Getting a massage once in a while will keep your muscles, your body, and your mind healthy.

Drink apple cider vinegar

One of the best home remedies for muscle cramps is to drink apple cider vinegar. This drink is high in potassium, and there are several nutrients in it that help to prevent dehydration. It’s super easy to make, too! Simply mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of warm water. Then stir, and drink daily to prevent and treat muscle cramps.