Cramps

Causes and symptoms of seizures

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What is cramps?

Convulsions are paroxysmal, involuntary muscular contraction as a result of their surge. Cramps occur suddenly and do not last long, however, after a certain time interval can be repeated. They usually cause severe pain. Young people complain of painful cramps much less frequently than older children. These muscle contractions occur mostly at night, when the body warm during the sleep state, or during muscle activity.

Most susceptible to cramps of the gastrocnemius muscle – less thighs, back, neck and abdomen. Seizures can be in one muscle and involve a group of muscles.

Causes of seizures

Cramps because of insufficient blood circulation in the muscles, especially during physical exertion. Some convulsions appear and increase when exposed to external stimuli – body needle prick, sudden loud sounds, alcohol abuse.

Factor in the development of cramps in athletes is a lack of body salts caused by increased sweating.

Can cause seizures even repetitive movement such as typing on the keyboard or movement of a computer mouse.

Night cramps – the result of a complex psycho-physiological disorders (low blood circulation and stress).

If the same groups of muscles are under load, the fatigue they can also be subject to twitch. It is primarily for people who work standing up.

Sometimes convulsions are the result of diseases of the nervous system (epilepsy, tetanus, neurosis), poisonings, metabolic disturbances, or activities of the endocrine glands.

Convulsions in children related to lack of maturity of the brain and nerve fibers, weak brakes. On the development of convulsive readiness influence of harmful factors during pregnancy, mother, delivery and the postpartum phase, acting on the nervous system of the baby. Before the birth it might be toxemia, intrauterine infection, drug intoxication, acute and chronic illness of the mother; during delivery – brain damage of the fetus by mechanical means; after childbirth, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, complications after vaccination, a traumatic brain injury.

Cramping of calf muscles and are an independent disease, and may accompany any disease (e.g. varicose veins). They occur during a long walk, swimming.

The symptoms of cramps

The manifestations of seizures range from mild to very severe. In mild form possible confusion, blackouts, snorting, with convulsive twitching and tingling in a specific body part. Moderate severity – when the previous symptoms add to the incontinence of urine and feces short-term swoon.

The most dangerous form of convulsion is an epileptic seizure. In this case there is an inexplicable feeling of fear and numbness, nausea, dizziness, salivation, frothing at the mouth, deviation of the direction of eye and head. Cramps lasting more than two minutes, after which there is a loss of consciousness.

Treatment of convulsions

Treatment of seizures is performed, depending on the underlying disease. Applicable anticonvulsant drugs: phenobarbital, hexamidine, benzonal, difenin. The positive effect of heat treatments, local massage, a clear mode of work and rest. In convulsive status or repeated seizures have a medical emergency, otherwise there is a risk of developing cerebral edema, respiratory depression, and other functions.

To prevent dehydration in hot weather, the patient is recommended to drink cold water with dissolved table salt (per liter of water – 1 teaspoon of salt).

Another way of improving blood ow with repetitive convulsions – to the affected area applying alternately hot and cold compresses.

If the cramp has begun, the attack can not be stopped. The surrounding forces as quickly as possible to summon medical assistance, as well as to protect the patient from injury and bodily harm that he can inflict himself.

Self-help if you experience cramping is stretching the affected muscle. For example, to get rid of the spasm in the calf muscle, you need to overcome the pain and push heel down to lengthen the muscle.

General convulsions and loss of consciousness – symptoms of epilepsy. Before the arrival of the doctor it is necessary to create the patient calm, to put it in order to help the muscles relax. If you're having breathing problems, it is necessary to provide fresh air or give oxygen from the oxygen mask. Suffering from epilepsy should always take a note of the number and duration of epileptic seizures. These data will be very useful for doctors.

General indications in the treatment of cramps is massaging the region with involuntary muscle contractions. This procedure improves localblood circulation and therefore accelerate delivery to the muscles more blood and oxygen. Especially effective strong stroking and sliding movement, necessarily directed towards the heart.

Simultaneous aromatherapy will enhance the massage effect. You can use oils of juniper, lavender, marjoram, rosemary. Diluted essential oil will cause skin redness, dilate blood vessels will improve blood flow, which will relax the muscles and relieve cramps.