Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions or cramps of the muscles in the body. They are usually very painful and most commonly occur due to dehydration, or when a muscle becomes irritated, is used excessively or is injured, according to the National Institutes of Health. Most people will experience a muscle spasm at some point in life, and most spasms are innocent. In some cases, however, the spasms may recur and become debilitating. In these cases, medical evaluation is necessary to discover the underlying cause and develop an effective treatment plan. Infrequent spasms typically respond to home care.
Step 1
Drink water or an electrolyte solution if your muscle spasm is associated with dehydration. When your muscles become depleted of potassium, water, sodium, magnesium, glucose and calcium, which can occur following heavy sweating, they are more likely to spasm and cramp.
Step 2
Stretch the muscle to stop the spasm, and then gently massage the affected area until the spasms and pain subside. Stretching may be painful during a spasm, but it should speed recovery and reduce the risk of the muscle going into spasm again.
Step 3
Take a hot shower or bath, or apply hot compresses to the affected muscle as soon as the spasm begins. Heat can help relax the muscle and ease pain.
Step 4
Apply ice to the affected muscle once it begins to relax and the pain lessens. Do not apply ice directly to your skin, as doing so can damage or burn your skin. Instead, wrap ice in a towel or place a piece of fabric between your skin and the cold compress.
Step 5
Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, to ease pain and inflammation. If over-the-counter medication is not strong enough to stop your symptoms, ask your doctor for a prescription-strength anti-inflammatory or an antispasm medication. Injections of botulinum toxin are also beneficial at preventing and stopping muscle spasms, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Step 6
Prevent recurrent muscle spasms by treating any underlying medical disorders, increasing your fluid intake before and after exercising and stretching regularly to improve your flexibility.
Tips and Warnings
- A muscle spasm or twitching that occurs under or around the eye is called a blepharospasm, according to EyeCare Source website. These muscle spasms are usually nothing more than a temporary annoyance caused by irritation to the facial nerve, but severe or recurrent blepharospasms require medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause.
Things You'll Need
- Hot compress
- Ice pack
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication
