A muscle spasm is an involuntary muscle contraction that occurs when the brain sends signals for the muscles to contract when it is not warranted by the body. Muscle spasms can last for minutes to hours, depending on the severity and cause of the contraction. Single muscle spasms can occur as a result of overworked or strained muscles. Multiple muscle spasms usually occur as a result of underlying medical conditions.
Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is defined as low levels of sodium in the blood. Sodium is responsible for maintaining normal blood pressure and regulating water levels in and around the cells. When sodium is low, water levels in the body increase and the cells begin to swell. Symptoms of hyponatremia include muscle spasms, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, lethargy, fatigue, restlessness, loss of appetite and seizures, according to MayoClinic.com. Hyponatremia can be caused by excessive water intake during exercise, hormonal changes, the use of diuretics, certain medications, severe vomiting or diarrhea, kidney diseases and heart failure. Treatment for hyponatremia consists of correcting the underlying cause of the imbalance. If sodium levels are dangerously low, sodium solutions may be administered intravenously.
Tetanus
Tetanus is a serious disease caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani, which lives in the soil and can invade the body through an open wound. When they invade the body, the bacteria produce a toxin that can attach to nerves, which carry the toxin to the brain and spinal cord. This toxin interferes with normal nerve function and signaling. Kids Health notes that the motor nerves, the nerves that control muscle movement, are the most severely affected. Initial symptoms of tetanus include muscle spasms in the jaw and face, difficulty swallowing and pain in the muscles of the neck and back. As the disease progresses, muscle spasms become more severe and spread to the abdomen, arms and legs. Treatment for tetanus requires hospitalization, during which large doses of antibiotics and antitoxins are administered. Most people recover from tetanus in approximately four to six weeks, according to Kids Health.
Partial Seizures
A partial, or focal, seizure is a localized seizure that is caused by electrical disturbances in a limited area of the brain. Unlike those who experience a generalized seizure, those suffering from a partial seizure do not lose consciousness, according to Medline Plus. Symptoms of a partial seizure include muscle spasms and abnormal body movements, abnormal eye turning, numbness and tingling in various areas of the body, abdominal pain, nausea, sweating, flushing in the face, rapid pulse and hallucinations. Medline Plus notes that those who experience a partial seizure remember the events that occur during the seizure. If a seizure occurs, a physician will perform examinations to determine an underlying cause. Once the cause is discovered, treatment is aimed at correcting that condition.
