![]() However, muscle spasms can also be triggered by alcoholism, poor circulation in the legs, cardiovascular disease, arthritic changes in the spine, spinal cord injury, hormone issues, underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism), low red blood cell count (diabetes, anemia), nerve dysfunction, kidney failure or low levels of minerals (potassium or calcium) in the body. The more common causes (and most benign) of muscle spasm are injury to the muscle (or surrounding soft tissue) and muscle overuse/fatigue, menstruation or pregnancy. Muscle spasms occur when there is tightening of the muscle and/or muscle stiffness and can be caused by a multitude of factors. Ultimately scar tissue will causes stiffening in the muscles, entrapping nerves (painful!), restricting movement, reducing elasticity of soft tissue and blood circulation. The growth of scar tissue and adhesions can be significant and very debilitating. As mentioned the build-up of scar tissue may also be a secondary cause for more pain. If you suffer from on going muscle spasms that cause daily stiffness and tightness to your muscles it could be representative of a more serious problem so you should see a physician. Scar tissue may plague you for weeks, months and maybe even years, depending on your level of activity. Unfortunately, scar tissue is not elastic and will usually result in a loss of ROM (range of motion). The body's natural response for repairing damaged soft tissue (muscles,tendons,ligaments) is to heal it the quickest way by growing scar tissue and adhesions to bind torn tissue together. If the cramping is happening often to the same muscle, the tissue around the cramp location may have been strained or damaged. Up to 60 percent of adults report that they have had nocturnal leg cramps. Cases of nighttime leg cramps are common and this condition is also termed as restless leg syndrome. When they happen in the middle of the night waking you up from sleep, these are called nocturnal cramps. Chronic neck and back pain sometime result from frequent muscles spasms in the large muscle groups of the neck (trapezius muscle), and the rib cage/mid-back (latissimus dorsi muscle), and lower back. Many areas of the body can have muscle cramps as they are common in the feet, hands, arms, and legs. Leg cramps (also known as a charley horse) are the most common type of muscle spasm for people in good physical condition the leg spasms normally only last for a brief few moments. The greater the change in intensity of your work out, the greater the chance you have of developing a muscle cramp. This build up of toxins reduces the signal to the muscles to relax and we end up with a painful muscle cramp. After we stop exercising our blood slows and toxins build up in the blood vessels. When we exercise, our blood vessels widen, our heart rate increases and the blood moves faster thru our veins. ![]() This basic movement of blood into your muscles is also responsible for the chemical interaction for your muscles to move. It carries oxygen, nutrients, water and antibodies. Your blood is the transport mechanism for everything that's good inside you. The term spasm is also unfortunately used when describing twitches, tics or jerks although they are not spasms at all. In my personal case, I have a pinched nerve in my neck from an old trampoline injury - my left upper back and shoulder muscles tense up and harden (spasm) when it flares up. For instance, a facial spasm may occur when a blood vessel is pressing against a facial nerve - such a condition is called hemifacial spasm. Irritated or pinched nerves can trigger muscle spasms as well. In cases where there is damage to a muscle (often resulting from a large tear, complete rupture or broken bone), the muscle spasms may be very strong and you will be unable to move the area of your injury. Take a herniated disk - muscles in the back will spasm to help prevent 'more' pain from happening. This system works in two ways, (1) restricting movement of the injury site (basically acting like a protective splint to freeze up the joint) and (2) guarding against pain. Your own body has a built-in protection system and will use a muscle spasm as a way to shield itself after an injury or disease. Muscle spasms are short term contractions that can appear in any muscle in the body and cause extreme pain or, in some cases, no pain at all.
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