How to relieve neck muscle spasm in osteochondrosis
A muscle spasm is a sudden, short-term contraction of a muscle or group of muscles. Spasms can occur in healthy people (most often middle-aged and elderly) during or after physical exertion, as well as at rest and during sleep. It is impossible not to notice a muscle spasm, because spasms are painful. Other symptoms depend on the location of the spasmed muscles. The main symptoms of a calf muscle spasm are pain and the so-called plantar flexion of the foot and toes.
Causes of abdominal muscle spasm
The most frequent causes of muscle spasms:
- physical activity;
- dehydration (dehydration of the body);
- electrolyte disturbances (decrease in the level of magnesium and calcium in the blood);
- neurological diseases;
- taking some medicines.
Sometimes leg muscle spasms occur due to low physical activity or prolonged swelling of the lower extremities. Muscle spasms are observed in dystonia, tetany. Phantom spasms are also distinguished - a feeling of cramping in the absence of real muscle contraction. Abdominal muscle spasm can be caused by physical stress or injury.
Spasms in the thoracic spine are usually caused by a sports or other injury. Muscle spasm in the thoracic spine can also be a symptom of a serious pathology, such as scoliosis, osteomyelitis, tuberculosis, ankylosing spondylitis.
Muscle spasm: diagnosis
Anamnesis includes description of spasms, information about frequency, duration, localization, triggers. Symptoms that may indicate neurological or muscle pathologies are muscle stiffness, paresis, pain, sensitivity disorders. The doctor studies the factors that could have led to electrolyte disturbances, dehydration (for example, diarrhea, excessive sweating, intense exercise, taking diuretics, recent dialysis, etc.). It also focuses on previously suffered diseases that could cause muscle spasms, information on the use of medicines and alcohol consumption.
When spasm of the piriformis muscle, the diagnosis begins with a physical examination. The doctor finds out the symptoms: the localization of the pain, in which cases there is an increase in the pain syndrome (change in body position, load), learns about the presence of injuries in the anamnesis, concomitant diseases. Radiography and MRI make it possible to determine the degree of degenerative changes and visualize morphological abnormalities in the pelvis and spine in detail. Radiography of the spine is used to exclude inflammatory diseases (spondylitis), congenital anomalies and deformations, primary and metastatic tumors. CT/MRI can detect disc herniation, spinal cord tumor, spinal canal stenosis.
Spasm of the muscles of the collar zone and shoulders in a child can be a symptom of cervical myositis. Read more about the diagnosis of cervical myositis in children on our website www.dobrobut.com.
Relief of muscle spasm in the back
How to relieve neck muscle spasm in osteochondrosis? In the acute period, treatment consists in providing rest: the patient is recommended to avoid sudden movements and painful positions. Recommended bed rest, taking analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Myorelaxants for relieving muscle spasms are drugs of the first line. Physiotherapy analgesic procedures, compresses with a solution of dimexide, trimecaine and hydrocortisone are also indicated. The use of warming ointments for spasms of the lumbar muscles is effective. When reducing pain, motor activity and muscle strengthening exercises are recommended. To prevent exacerbations of osteochondrosis, you should regularly engage in exercise, avoid lifting weights, hypothermia.
Manual therapy, physiotherapy and reflexology, sanatorium-resort treatment are recommended for the relief of muscle spasm in the back during the chronic course of reflex syndromes. Surgical treatment is indicated for compression of the spinal cord disc herniation, as well as for radiculopathy accompanied by pronounced paresis (in the absence of effect from conservative therapy).
Massaging the affected area will help relieve the cramp. With a cramp in the calf muscle, you should lie down, stretch your leg, and then pull your foot towards you. If it is not possible to lie down, then you can transfer the body weight to the affected leg and slightly bend it at the knee. Treatment of leg and arm muscle spasms is prescribed after an examination and finding out the cause of the spasms. To prevent muscle spasms, doctors recommend consuming foods rich in vitamins and calcium and drinking more water.
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