Skeletal cramps, which is what we're talking about, the one you get in your calf, or arch of your foot, or in your hand, as I do, happen to everyone young and old, but more commonly to older people. There are many causes. Dehydration from various medication can cause cramping. One commonly used drug that can cause dehydration and cramping are the statin drugs to lower cholesterol. Exessive exercise and muscle fatigue can also cause cramping. Deficiency of certain vitamins might cause cramping, but this is not commonplace in the Western World. Night cramping is common in men and women as they age, but the cause is really unknown. I often get cramping in my hand from holding cards (playing bridge). Man, is it painful. I try stretching out my fingers and massaging the palm of my hand, but that usually doesn't do much. What works the best is to run my hand under hot water for about a minute. This seems to relax the muscle and reduce the pain. Ron, on the other hand, gets cramps in his calf. Usually at night, and seemingly out of nowhere, a cramp appears. Stretching the muscle seems to aleviate the pain. My mom gets her cramp at night, usually in the arch of her foot. Again, standing on it and stretching the muscle seems to work.
So the answer is that we don't really know why we get the cramp, but in most cases it is a very easy thing to relieve. Dehydration and a variety of meds are probably the two most common reason for cramps. Read below for more information on how to relieve cramps.
What is the treatment of skeletal muscle cramps?
Most cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched. For many cramps of the feet and legs, this stretching can often be accomplished by standing up and walking around. For a calf muscle cramp, the person can stand about 2 to 2.5 feet from a wall (possibly farther for a tall person) and lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor. (It is best to learn this maneuver at a time when you don't have the cramp.) Another technique involves flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head while still lying in bed with the leg as straight as possible. For writer's cramp (contractures in the hand), pressing the hand on a wall with the fingers facing down will stretch the cramping finger flexor muscles.
Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak. If the cramp is associated with fluid loss, as is often the case with vigorous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) replacement is essential. Medicines generally are not needed to treat an ordinary cramp that is active since most cramps subside spontaneously before enough medicine would be absorbed to even have an effect.
Muscle relaxant medications may be used over the short-term in certain situations to relax muscle cramps due to an injury or other temporary event. These medications include cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal).
In recent years, injections of therapeutic doses of botulism toxin (Botox) have been used successfully for some dystonic muscle disorders that are localized to a limited group of muscles. A good response may last several months or more, and the injection may then be repeated.
So women, you thought your days of cramps were gone once you hit menopause. Well, the body had something else in store for you, cramps in your extremedies. Thank goodness the skeletal cramps are much easier to relieve than the menstrual cramps we all suffered with for so many years. As I always say, you get rid of one problem and a new one pops up. Luckily, this is a pretty easy one to take care of.
Suggested Reading on Muscle Cramps by Our Doctors
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