Muscle Cramps: Causes and Treatment

Muscle cramps occur mainly in athletes and can be very painful. We reveal possible causes and what can be done about it.

What are muscle cramps?

Muscle cramps mean a sudden and violent contraction of a muscle or muscle group that can be very painful. Often the legs are affected, but the muscle cramps occur as calf cramps, especially at night. But theoretically muscle cramps can occur in all muscle groups. In many cases the cramps are harmless, but sometimes a serious illness can be behind them.

Who is affected by muscle cramps?

Basically, everyone can suffer from muscle cramps at times, but often affected are athletes who do not allow their muscles enough rest between training sessions. However, the risk of muscle cramps and calf cramps also increases with age: the older we get, the higher the probability, especially for nightly leg cramps and cramps during rest periods.

Common causes of muscle cramps

It is not always possible to find a clear cause for muscle cramps or leg cramps. But often the following things play a role:

• General tensions, e.g. due to a lot of training
• Sports injuries
• An underdeveloped musculature due to lack of exercise
• Lack of liquid
• Imbalanced mineral balance, e.g. due to a magnesium deficiency or a lack of potassium or calcium
• Hormonal or metabolic disorders, e.g. hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
• Various diseases, e.g. of the nerves or diabetes
• Certain drugs
• Low electrolyte values, e.g. due to alcohol abuse
• Hormone fluctuations, e.g. due to pregnancy

Cramps can also occur after dialysis, as dialysis removes a lot of fluid from the body.

Symptoms: How do muscle cramps manifest themselves?

Muscle cramps are not only noticeable through actual and painful cramps. There are also other symptoms that speak for a muscle cramp. These include:

• Muscle twitching
• Slight cramp-like pain in the arms or trunk
• Physical weakness
• Additional tension headaches
• Tingling or persistent numbness (these symptoms can be an emergency!)

It is important to know that muscle twitching and cramps in the arms or trunk have a much more frequent pathological cause than, for example, occasional calf cramps during the night. In order to find the trigger, one should first of all have the mineral balance checked in order to rule out a lack of magnesium, for example.

When should I see a doctor for muscle cramps?

If the muscle cramps only occur from time to time, this is usually harmless and does not need to be taken into account further – because even a single careless movement can lead to such a cramp. The situation is different if the muscle cramps are accompanied by physical weakness or severe fluid loss (e.g. due to diarrhoea or vomiting) or if diseases are known as a possible trigger. Even if alcohol abuse is present, a doctor should always be consulted. Tingling and numbness can even be a case for the emergency doctor!

The doctor will usually carry out a physical examination, ask the person concerned about symptoms and, above all, ask about the type of muscle cramps. He may ask the following questions, for example:

• Where do the cramps appear?
• How long do they last?
• How painful are they perceived to be?
• How often do they occur?
• Does the patient already suspect possible triggers?

The causes can be narrowed down primarily on the basis of the other symptoms. A lack of fluid is indicated by diarrhoea or vomiting, for example, while a strong increase in weight and sleeping disorders can be signs of hypothyroidism. A blood test can also be used to determine whether a deficiency of nutrients such as magnesium is present. Depending on the suspected cause, the family doctor can then refer the patient to a specialist, e.g. from neurology in the case of suspected nerve disorders or orthopaedics in the case of musculoskeletal disorders.

Treatment: What helps against muscle cramps?

An acute muscle cramp is best relieved by stretching the affected muscle. This can be done by stretching the leg, pulling the tip of the foot towards the body and extending the heel forward. In fact, most people do this kind of stretching for cramps purely instinctively. Depending on the severity of the cramp, a light massage of the affected muscle can also help.

In the long run, you can only do something against the muscle cramps if you know the exact cause. Basic diseases, for example, should be treated. If you have a fluid deficiency, it is important to drink a lot: 2.5 litres a day is the minimum, and if you do a lot of sport or live in an environment with high temperatures, drink more.

A balanced and healthy diet is also important for an optimal supply of nutrients. This includes lots of vegetables and fruit, lean meat, lots of fish and lots of fibre, which is contained in wholemeal products, for example. Nuts are also considered very healthy. If, for example, there is a lack of magnesium or calcium despite a healthy diet, supplementation can also be useful in consultation with a doctor.

For our muscles to be strong and healthy, they also need exercise. Strength training in particular is good for our muscles, but endurance training such as running or swimming also keeps us fit. Even three times a week, 30 minutes of exercise each time, is considered sufficient to strengthen the muscles.

Do drugs help against muscle cramps?

There are some drugs that are used for muscle cramps, but nowadays they are mostly avoided. This is because these drugs are often associated with severe side effects. In close consultation with the doctor and in the case of severe muscle cramps, the drugs can be tested, but it is better to stop taking them if there are severe side effects and to test other methods of fighting the cramps.

Tips for prevention: How can muscle cramps be prevented?

If the trigger for the cramps is known, treatment of the corresponding cause often ensures that the complaints stop or at least occur less frequently. If there are no exact causes, even a few small lifestyle improvements can usually help. These include:

• Regular stretching exercises of all muscles
• Abstention from stimulants such as alcohol and cigarettes
• Caffeine abstention
• Gentle muscle relaxation before bedtime
• Drink enough every day and eat a balanced diet
• Carry out regular blood tests, e.g. to detect a magnesium deficiency at an early stage