Muscle cramps – the uninvited travel companion
Stepping outside of a regular movement routine can place unfamiliar strains on muscles. Whether from a sudden increase in walking (on cobble-stoned streets or trekking with a heavy backpack) or long stretches of sitting as you cross the continent by plane or cross the state by car, the body tends to react when it falls out of its routine and the result will be felt as muscle cramps or spasms.
Muscle cramps are a common traveling nuisance.
Muscle cramps – the uninvited travel companion Dealing with muscle cramps or spasms?
Feeling a sharp pain shooting up from part of the body made up of muscles can happen when a muscle involuntarily contracts. Such cramps or spasms (sometimes called a “charley horse”) are due to painful contractions and tightening of muscles. They’re common, involuntary, and unpredictable. And they hurt. There are a few broad groupings of cramps that relate to the type of muscle involved:- Smooth muscles (internal muscles in the stomach walls, uterus, and bladder) contract slowly and rhythmically. Painful contractions of smooth muscles are usually termed spasms or colic.
- Striated muscles (also known as skeletal muscles) are attached to bones and are responsible for skeletal movements. They are under voluntary control. Involuntary contractions of an entire muscle group or an individual muscle will cause sharp pains (cramps). One of the defining features of muscle cramps is that it is usually possible to feel a hardened lump at the precise point of pain. That is the contracted muscle.
- Cardiac muscles can generate pain known as angina pectoris.
What causes muscle cramps?
- Strain can trigger a cramp from exercising a muscle without adequately warming up or overdoing the workout without allowing appropriate rest times.
- Diet deficiencies of essential substances like calcium, magnesium, or potassium can trigger persistent cramps.
- The spasm can happen when the muscles are not adequately rested after exercise due to lactic acid build-up.
- Reduced blood flow to muscles due to the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the muscles (atherosclerosis) or constriction due to cold are both triggers that can cause cramps.
- Nocturnal leg cramps (when leg muscles suddenly tighten during sleep) have no specific cause.
- A rise in the body’s core temperature above a safe level can cause heat cramps. The involuntary muscle spasms may be due to salt loss because of excessive sweating.
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injuries that compress nerves in the low back can be associated with muscle spasms.
- Chronic conditions, including diabetes, anemia, kidney and thyroid diseases, and hormone issues, are potential causes of muscle cramps.
- Medications such as diuretics can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances, triggering cramps.
Who is at greater risk of suffering from muscle cramps?
While muscle cramps can occur in anyone, they may be more common in certain groups of people:- Older adults
- Overweight people
- Athletes and sportspeople
- Women in the third trimester of pregnancy
- People with medical conditions like hypothyroidism or diabetes.
What’s behind the pain coming from muscle cramps?
The primary triggers of striated (skeletal) muscle cramps are stretching, forcing a muscle out of shape, or contracting muscles for too long. Other triggers can include physical overexertion, rapid exertion of cold muscles, muscle injury or muscle fatigue. The direct consequence of the strains is inflammation which occurs when a muscle is overstretched, torn, or contracted beyond the limit. Along with inflammation can come swelling and pain – the two typical characteristics of muscle cramps.How to treat muscle cramps and spasms?
No pill or injection instantly relieves muscle cramps. Often, stretching or massaging the affected area can bring relief. However, the cramp may repeat if the fundamental cause still needs to be addressed. Sometimes, relieving the trigger is impossible, so finding a more fundamental fix becomes necessary. For the most straightforward approach, over-the-counter medications are the first line of defense since, by definition, traveling people may not have immediate access to their regular medical help to get a prescription. NSAIDs – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can be applied externally are generally available OTC. They have the added advantage of easy use, lower levels of side effects, and widespread availability in pharmacies. Of course, being prepared is always a good strategy, so stocking up on any of the following treatments makes good sense before setting off on the trip.- Swiss relief (diclofenac) is an easy-to-apply spray that soaks into the skin above the affected muscles quickly and, with a bit of vigorous rubbing, can relieve cramps within a few minutes
- Voltaren Emulgel (diclofenac) is widely used to treat inflammation of muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments, sprains and strains, and sports injuries. It’s applied as a cream that gets rubbed over the affected area
- Flector Patch (diclofenac) is applied as a patch that releases the diclofenac over time.
