A cramp is a sudden, involuntary, often painful contraction of a muscle. This happens to everyone from time to time: at night during sleep, during physical activity, and sometimes at rest. Spasm can occur in any part of the body - in the limbs, in the side, in the buttock, in the abdomen.
Often people have no idea why their muscles cramp. However, it is very important to find out the reasons for this, because a seizure can be both a physiological norm and a symptom of a serious disease. Let's look at this in detail.
Why do muscles cramp?
The reasons can be divided into two groups. The first includes those that do not have any underlying diseases. So, if the calf or gluteal muscles cramp in a dream, there is no physiological pathology in this. The seizure in this case is a parasomnia, that is, a phenomenon associated with sleep. Spasms that occur during increased physical activity also do not indicate an abnormality.
In other cases, such discomfort may be caused by:
- neurological disorders;
- compaction of muscle fibers against the background of physical inactivity;
- metabolic disorders;
- micronutrient deficiency;
- dehydration;
- poisoning (including cramps from a hangover).
There is also a disease called hypoparathyroidism. It is characterized by a convulsive syndrome that immediately affects muscle groups. This condition is caused by hypofunction of the parathyroid glands.
Causes of nervous tics
The causes of tics are usually grouped as follows:
- primary tics
caused by psychogenic factors. In this case, there are no organic pathologies. The occurrence of a tic can be caused by stress, fear, depression, and neurosis. It is this type of tics that most often occurs in children. The cause of a nervous tic in a child can be psycho-emotional trauma, increased anxiety, obsessive fear, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); - secondary tics
. In this case, the tic is a consequence of any diseases that cause disruption of brain activity. These may be infectious diseases (encephalitis), intoxication, brain injury, cerebrovascular accidents; - hereditary tics.
Types of seizures
If involuntary contraction of muscle fibers is caused by overexcitation of the cortical part of the brain, such convulsions are classified as epileptic. Non-epileptic ones are provoked by diseases of the central nervous system, imbalance of nutrients, and unfavorable external conditions.
Also, involuntary muscle contractions can be classified according to their nature:
- tonic – long-term, turning into a state of tension;
- myoclonic – short;
- clonic - jerky, cyclically repeating and alternating with relaxation.
Based on localization, these phenomena are divided into generalized and local. The former cover a significant part of the body (arms, legs, face, neck, side, torso, and sometimes extend to the respiratory tract). The latter occur in separate areas (for example, only in the back or only in the buttock).
general characteristics
Tremor at rest is a type of hyperkinesis, which is violent involuntary movements of an oscillatory nature involving any part of the body, occurring in the absence of purposeful motor activity.
Has a rhythmic character. It is performed around a certain fixed point. Appears as a result of synchronous or alternating contractions of antagonist muscles. The resting tremor is of medium amplitude, its frequency characteristics are 3-6 Hz. It is often combined with other types of trembling (postural, intentional). Trembling movements can be local or generalized. They differ depending on the motor pattern. Tremors in the fingers often resemble “rolling pills” or “counting coins” in appearance. Head tremor can occur as a “yes-yes” or “no-no” type, tremors of the limbs can occur as pronation-supination, flexion-extension. The first place in prevalence is occupied by tremor of the fingers. Next in descending order are tremors of the lower jaw, lips, tongue, head, etc.
Causes of seizures in different parts of the body
Muscle spasm in a specific area of the body is caused by specific factors. Most often it occurs in the legs. The culprits may be overexertion (including due to intense training), varicose veins and hypothermia.
It can cramp not only the calf muscle, but also the femoral and even gluteal muscles. Sometimes the unpleasant sensation will spread throughout the entire leg.
Abdominal cramps are also common because most abdominal organs are composed of highly contractile smooth muscle cells. Most often, the organs of the digestive system spasm. This is how the well-known abdominal pain occurs. In women, contractions of the uterus (during menstruation, pregnancy or gynecological diseases) cannot be ruled out.
Muscle spasms in the back indicate diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This could be osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, degenerative changes in the spine.
Causes of pulsation of blood vessels in the head
The causes of pulsation in the head are extremely varied. Among them are those diseases that older people are more susceptible to, and those that occur in young people, being asymptomatic for the time being. Based on the nature of vascular pulsation, it is impossible to determine the exact cause of this symptom. After a conversation with the patient and a simple examination, a specialist can only suggest the pathology that provokes vascular disorders, and additional instrumental examinations will help clarify it.
Pulsation in the head accompanies diseases such as:
- Autonomic dysfunction (vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD);
- Degenerative changes in the cervical spine - hernias, osteochondrosis, instability, congenital developmental features;
- Damages of the vascular wall - atherosclerosis, vasculitis;
- Aneurysm, vascular malformation;
- Neoplasms of the head and neck;
- ENT pathology;
- Glaucoma, incorrectly selected glasses;
- Suffered traumatic brain injuries;
- Neuroses, neurasthenia and other psychiatric problems.
Arterial hypertension is one of the most common causes of pulsation in the head.
This disease is also very common among mature and elderly people, for whom pulsation in the head is a well-known symptom.
Hypertension primarily affects the arteries and arterioles, which become spasmed due to constant high pressure, resulting in impaired blood flow in the brain. Against the background of a sharp rise in pressure - a crisis - the patient feels pulsation in the temples, pain in the back of the head, possibly dizziness and tinnitus. The higher the pressure number, the more obvious and painful the pulsating feeling, but as the pressure readings drop to normal, the symptoms gradually disappear.
Autonomic dysfunction is common among young adults, children and adolescents.
More often, females suffer from the disorder, and the regulation of vascular tone by the autonomic nervous system is disrupted, resulting in fluctuations in systolic pressure, pulse, and it is quite possible that a pulsating feeling may occur even in the throat.
Pulsation against the background of autonomic dysfunction is provoked by stress, emotional experiences, physical overload and fatigue. Smoking and alcohol abuse have a negative impact.
Ripple with VSD occurs without pain, but is often accompanied by other signs of autonomic disorder - sweating, redness of the face, discomfort and rumbling in the abdomen, cardialgia, a feeling of shortness of breath with increased breathing, weakness and decreased performance, low-grade fever. Mood swings and panic attacks are also characteristic, which often help diagnose the cause of the pulsation.
Degenerative changes in the spine can be detected in almost every second adult inhabitant of the planet.
Such a wide spread of pathology is facilitated by a sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, and excess weight. Disc herniations, developmental abnormalities of the bony processes of the vertebrae, and osteochondrosis cause compression of blood vessels and nerves, resulting in pain and pulsation in the back of the head and parietal regions. The pulsations are accompanied by numbness in the limbs, neck pain, and fluctuations in blood pressure.
cerebral atherosclerosis
Structural changes in vascular walls
in the form of atherosclerosis, inflammation (vasculitis) can cause narrowing of their lumen and hemodynamic disturbances. When an artery is half stenotic by an atherosclerotic plaque, the brain begins to experience hypoxia even with the active functioning of collateral blood flow pathways. Patients with atherosclerosis of the arteries of the head complain not only of a feeling of pulsation, but also of noise, ringing in the ears and head, decreased memory and mental performance, they are prone to depression and apathy.
Inflammation of the vascular wall is called arteritis. It can be a consequence of an autoimmune disease, injury, surgery, or infectious disease. In the acute period of vasculitis, pulsation occurs with intense headache, general weakness, and possibly anxiety.
An extremely dangerous cause of pulsation of the vessels of the head is considered to be an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation. An aneurysm is a tangle of pathologically developed vessels that can be located in any part of the brain. Arteriovenous malformation is an interweaving of arterial and venous dysplastic vessels. These formations are almost always congenital in nature, are asymptomatic for a long time and can manifest as periodic throbbing pain in a certain part of the head - in the temples, back of the head, crown of the head.
Since vascular anomalies are accompanied by a violation of the structure of the walls of the vessels that form them, under certain conditions their rupture can occur - during a pressure surge, injury, or severe stress. Rupture of blood vessels results in hemorrhage into the substance of the brain or under its membranes, which is often fatal.
The feeling of pulsation depends on the size of the aneurysm - the larger it is, the more clearly the patient feels the pulsation. Small aneurysms may not cause pain, but the pulsating symptoms are usually bothersome. In addition to pulsation, other signs of malformation are possible: noise in the head, memory loss, anxiety, and with large aneurysms - seizures.
New growths in the head and neck can also contribute to unpleasant, palpable throbbing.
They occur much less frequently than hypertension, atherosclerosis or osteochondrosis, but often affect children and young people. In addition to pulsation, tumors cause pain, dizziness, with an increase in intracranial pressure, nausea and vomiting that does not bring relief are added, convulsions and other neurological symptoms are possible - decreased vision, paralysis of the limbs, coma, etc.
Ripple without other symptoms can accompany small neoplasias, which put pressure on the vessels from outside and impede the flow of blood through them. More often it appears in the morning and increases as the tumor grows. Pulsation in the head may be one of the first symptoms of tumor growth.
Inflammatory processes of the ENT organs,
accompanied by the accumulation of exudate there, can manifest themselves as pulsating sensations in the head, a feeling of fluid transfusion from the side of the affected ear. In addition, patients are bothered by headaches, noise, whistling in the head, and progressive hearing loss.
Glaucoma
, incorrectly selected glasses or refusal of them due to insufficient visual acuity create not only negative sensations in the eyes, provoke even greater vision problems, dizziness and a feeling of lightheadedness, but can also cause pulsation in the temples and frontal area.
This pulsation becomes more noticeable with an increase in intraocular pressure, eye strain when working with a computer, reading, and is accompanied by a headache.
Pulsation in the head in some cases accompanies traumatic brain injuries.
In the acute phase, it is combined with severe headache, vomiting, convulsions, and in severe cases, consciousness is also impaired. The consequence of the injury can be periodically recurring attacks of pain and throbbing in the head.
Various neurotic disorders, schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases
often occur with pulsation in the head, which the patient can describe very colorfully, clearly defining the location of its localization, which can complicate diagnosis, because it is quite difficult to check whether the patient is telling the truth.
Neurasthenia is a borderline disorder that is provoked by stress, overwork, improper work and rest patterns, and individual characteristics of emotional response. Chronic tension of the nervous system sooner or later leads to its exhaustion, and a person turns into a neurasthenic patient who complains of constant fatigue, insomnia or drowsiness, irritability, decreased appetite and bad mood. In addition to these complaints, pulsation in the head, pain, noise, which intensifies against the background of emotional experiences, are also characteristic.
In the case of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, the situation is more complicated: unclear pulsations and noise may be part of the hallucinations that the patient experiences, and in addition to a vivid description of symptoms, the doctor is often faced with their exaggeration, which significantly complicates an objective assessment of symptoms.
Who usually experiences muscle cramps?
This trouble is familiar to everyone: men and women, children and the elderly, athletes and office workers. Only some people get to know her for natural reasons and rarely encounter her, while for others she becomes a frequent companion.
The risk group includes:
- children under 3 years of age who have experienced a rise in temperature above 38 degrees;
- elderly people suffering from vascular diseases and muscle atrophy;
- men engaged in heavy physical labor;
- athletes (football players, swimmers, runners);
- people who abuse alcohol and often experience hangovers;
Predisposes to muscle spasms and pregnancy. In mild cases, they are caused by a lack of vitamins due to changes in the body; in severe cases, they are caused by eclampsia.
General rules and effective treatment methods
When there are symptoms, treatment of piriformis muscle syndrome is aimed at relieving spasm and pain, eliminating the inflammatory process.
Medications
Muscle relaxants and analgesics, NSAIDs are used. Means for normalizing microcirculation, as well as various types of compresses, are also prescribed.
Kinesiotherapy
This is one of the types of physical therapy. It promotes gradual muscle relaxation, as well as the fight against many primary diseases, such as osteochondrosis.
Massage for piriformis syndrome
Piriformis syndrome can be treated at home using massage techniques. They are aimed at gradual relaxation and relief of spasm, and with it, unpleasant pain.
Why do muscles cramp in pregnant women?
Carrying a child leads to significant changes in the body. In particular, metabolism is rebuilt. As a result, many expectant mothers are faced with magnesium deficiency, which is why cramps appear.
Pregnant women's legs are subject to greater stress due to weight gain. Hence the involuntary muscle contractions that occur in the evenings and at night. They can also be triggered by varicose veins, which often accompany hormonal changes.
Pregnant women often complain about back pain. The lumbar spine is under constant tension, forced to bend under the pressure of the uterus, so such sensations are normal. Therefore, expectant mothers are recommended to lie on their side to relieve the load on the spine.
Diagnostic methods
If the muscles cramp regularly and the person experiences severe pain, it is necessary to consult a doctor. You should also be concerned if this symptom does not have a clear cause (it is not associated with training or staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time).
A common reason why people put off seeing a doctor is not knowing who can help with the problem. It’s better to start with a therapist, and he will give you a referral to a specialist:
- neurologist;
- gastroenterologist;
- phlebologist;
- gynecologist;
- endocrinologist.
After the initial examination, collecting complaints and receiving test results, the doctor will tell you what additional diagnostic methods will be needed. If your stomach cramps, you will be referred for an ultrasound, your back for an X-ray, your neck or calf muscles for a Doppler ultrasound of the blood vessels.
What treatment is possible
If diseases of the internal organs are identified that cause muscle cramps, then treatment of the underlying disease will eliminate the accompanying symptoms. Depending on the location, this may include medication, massage, or physical therapy.
Uncontrolled use of anticonvulsants is unacceptable. They are prescribed to patients with epilepsy. If a person sometimes experiences cramps in the gluteal muscle or neck, you should not abuse such medications.
First aid also depends on the location of the spasm. If it occurs in the leg (from the buttock to the foot), you need to rub the muscles, restore blood circulation in them, and warm them up. The back should be kept at rest. But with a belly it’s better not to take risks and call a doctor right away, especially for women who know about their pregnancy.
Characteristic signs and symptoms
Before answering the question of how to treat piriformis syndrome, you need to specify its symptoms. Let's look at the most common ones among them.
Pain in the pelvis, groin, buttocks
An unpleasant sensation can occur suddenly and be short-lived, or it can torment the patient for a long time. Based on the nature of the pain, its duration and location, the doctor will be able to select the correct treatment for piriformis muscle syndrome.
Numbness, tingling in the legs
Gradual loss of sensation is one of the most common signs of nerve damage. If you feel numbness, this indicates that you need to start diagnosing as soon as possible.
Tapping the piriformis muscle causes pain
Palpation of the area being examined is one of the most common methods for diagnosing piriformis syndrome.
The gluteal muscle is relaxed; during palpation, the doctor feels the tense piriformis muscle
The appearance of such a symptom may indicate that inflammation has begun in the human body. This is especially dangerous if the sciatic nerve is affected.
What to do if a muscle is severely cramped
It is not always possible to easily endure such an attack by limiting yourself to rubbing the affected area. The pain can be unbearable. It can be removed with a sharp impulse.
For cramps due to a hangover, the patient should be placed in a horizontal position and the legs should be raised to reduce blood flow to the extremities. At the same time, it is important to make sure that we are not talking about an epileptic attack (they are not uncommon in alcohol intoxication).
In older people, involuntary muscle contractions are often a warning sign of stroke. Convulsions may give way to paralysis. Timely treatment is important here, so it is better to call an ambulance immediately.
Prevention
The best prevention of involuntary muscle contractions is moderate physical activity. Regular exercise helps keep your muscles under control. The tissues will not suffer from physical inactivity or sudden overload. This is equally beneficial for both men and women at any age.
A set of exercises to prevent cramps always includes stretching. It is useful to do it before bed so that unpleasant symptoms do not occur at rest.
Since muscles often cramp due to hypovitaminosis and lack of microelements, it is important to eat a balanced diet. If you cannot get them in sufficient quantities from food, you should additionally take vitamins B and E, as well as magnesium, calcium and potassium supplements. It is also important to drink enough fluids, because similar discomfort occurs due to dehydration.
General symptoms
The main symptoms of hyperkinesis include motor acts performed by patients against their will, the so-called violent ones. Patients themselves describe them as the result of an irresistible desire that they cannot resist.
The list of symptoms representing hyperkinesis includes:
- frequent blinking and squinting of the eyes (tics);
- convulsive tilting or turning of the head;
- tremor of various parts of the body, most often the limbs;
- myoclonus – sudden muscle twitching of the arms or neck;
- chorea - arrhythmic movements of facial expressions, involuntary sounds arising from rapid contractions of the muscles of the larynx;
- ballism - sudden rotation of the hip or shoulder;
- Blapharospasm is a pathological closure of the eyelids, as one of the signs of various diseases.
Forms of hyperkinesis can vary from intermittently frequent to constant. Some patients manage to control certain forms of hyperkinesis (for example, tics) by force of will, but after a while the attack of violent movements manifests itself again with even greater force.