Our West Vancouver Chiropractor treats a lot of muscle spasms that are often painful and can arise completely out of the blue. Generally, spasms in a patient’s muscles are caused by overexertion, over-exercise, and general bodily fatigue. On rare occasions, consistent muscle spasms can be a sign of a systemic or neurological issue.
If you are noticing regular muscle spasms or intense pain, it’s a good idea to contact your chiropractor. Here at Ambleside Chiropractic in West Vancouver, we offer close one-on-one check-ups that are designed to diagnose the simplest to the most serious musculoskeletal conditions.
Why do muscle spasms happen?
Muscle spasms afflict many different types of muscles in the body, which means two symptoms can be completely unique. Spasms in the skeletal muscles are usually caused by overexertion of those muscles, as well as other factors such as dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.
Muscle spasms, sometimes called cramps, are caused by a muscle contracting suddenly. This is a completely involuntary action and often over within a few seconds, though the pain can be significant regardless of how long the muscle spasm lasts.
Both skeletal muscle and smooth muscle are susceptible to muscle cramps, and knowing the difference between the two is invaluable when analyzing the associated symptoms.
Who is the most susceptible to muscle spasms?
Muscle spasms can affect anyone from any walk of life. Someone could have exercised too hard, worked long days on a construction site, or suffer from peripheral arterial disease. Regardless of your symptoms, if you are experiencing regular contractions of the muscles, either at night, during the day, or exercise, it is likely worth contacting our West Vancouver Chiropractor for an exam and diagnosis.
Skeletal Muscle
Skeletal muscles are the muscles that control the most significant parts of your body, such as your arms, legs, and neck. These muscles are tethered directly to the bone and are consciously controlled by the brain.
Spasms may regularly occur in these muscles if you’re carrying out exercise or putting a strain on your arms, legs, or neck. Skeletal muscle can also spasm if the muscle is held in the same position for a long time. Bad postures, sitting in front of the computer, or even doing something repetitively for a long period of time will cause those skeletal muscles to shorten and get into a spasm.
Smooth Muscle
Smooth muscle is found inside the hollow structures of your body and organs, such as the intestines or bladder. Muscle spasms in these areas are much harder to understand because the pain can be harder to pinpoint. It’s not always clear why a smooth muscle might be contracting or spasming. Neurological or chemical imbalances in your blood might be some of the causes.
One well-known form of smooth muscle spasm is Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where the muscles in the intestine wall go into regular, painful contractions. If you regularly experience pain that you can’t understand, though you expect it to be a spasm, contact our West Vancouver Chiropractor right away to figure out the cause. If the problem is outside of the scope of our Chiropractor he will refer you to your family doctor for an in-depth exam.
How To Prevent Muscle Spasms, Advice From Your Chiropractor
Muscle spasms are short-lived and painful, and usually a result of too much exercise or too little water during your session. Regular stretches and a suitable exercise schedule are the simplest ways to reduce the regularity and pain of muscle spasms.
Irregular exercise, or trying out a new exercise that you haven’t done before, will likely cause spasms in the respective key muscle areas. Take ab crunches for example – if you do not often try ab crunches, the muscle in your stomach can be expected to spasm if carried out for too long.
Getting enough water is also very important. Professionals understand that there is a direct correlation between muscle spasms and a lack of a healthy balance of electrolytes in the body. The easiest way to prevent muscle spasms is to drink enough water – this means muscles get all the water, glucose, and sodium (among other key nutrients) they need to perform as needed.
Muscle Spasms and Links To Other Conditions
Muscle spasms on their own are not a cause for great concern – they are often short-lived and mildly painful, with the symptoms resolved by appropriate stretches, plenty of water, heat, and massages.
However, in some cases, muscle spasms can be linked to a more serious condition or unrelated to exercise entirely.
For example, you may experience muscle spasm in your toes and legs while you sleep. This is a well-known form of sleep disturbance that increases in likelihood as you get older – there is no direct cause known for this type of spasm, although it is generally not painful.
Chronic back and neck pain can also cause more extreme muscle spasms. This could be general body fatigue, increasing arthritic conditions, or obesity. Chiropractors and other medical professional are best suited to help tackle the causes and symptoms of more severe muscle spasms. Regardless, if you are experiencing any of these muscle aches and spasms, don’t hesitate to call our West Vancouver Chiropractor right away for a proper exam and care.
