A muscle spasm is a sudden tightening of the muscle you can’t control. This may be caused by strain, overworking the muscle, or injury. It can also be caused by dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, diabetes, alcohol use, and some medicines. If it goes on long enough, the muscle spasm causes pain. Common areas for muscle spasm are the legs, neck, and back.
Home care
-
Heat, massage, walking, hot shower or bath, ice massage, and stretching exercises can all help relax muscle spasm.
-
When the spasm is in your arm or leg, stretch the muscle passively. To do this, have someone bend or straighten the joint above or below the muscle until you feel the stretch on the sore muscle. You can stretch the muscle actively by moving the affected body part. This will stretch the muscle that is in spasm. For instance, if the spasm is in your calf, bend the ankle so your toes point upward toward your knee. This will stretch your calf muscle.
-
You may use over-the-counter pain medicine to control pain, unless another medicine was prescribed. Talk with your health care provider before using these medicines if you have chronic liver or kidney disease, ever had a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding, or take a blood thinner.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your health care provider as advised.
When to get medical advice
Contact your health care provider right away if:
-
Your fingers or toes become swollen, cold, blue, numb, or tingly.
-
You develop weakness in the affected arm or leg.
-
Your pain increases and isn't controlled by the above measures.
Related Articles
Tailbone (Coccyx) Fracture
The tailbone, or coccyx, is at the bottom of your spine. It is possible to break (fracture) this bone when you fall and land in a seated position. This injury takes about 4 weeks to heal. Read on for details on caring for this injury at home.
Shoulder Fracture
You have a break (fracture) of the shoulder. This may be a small crack in the bone. Or it may be a major break with the broken parts pushed out of position.
ACL and PCL (Knee Ligament Injury)
An ACL or PCL injury occurs when the ligament has been torn. The tear may be partial or complete. Here's how to care for yourself at home.
Understanding a Clavicle Fracture
A fracture of the clavicle is a broken collarbone. Clavicle fractures occur most often along the middle of the bone. Depending on how badly the bone is broken, healing may take a few months or longer.
