The Charley horse is basically another name for muscle spasm. The Charley horses can start occurring in any of the muscles, but they are most commonly found in the legs.
These muscle spasms are excruciating because they give uncomfortable contraction in the muscles.
When the contraction in the muscles doesn’t get relaxed in several seconds or more than it then this pain becomes very severe.
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Charley Horse – Muscle Cramping Factor And Treatment
The very severe Charley horses can also lead to the soreness of the muscles, which lasts from a few hours to a whole day. Well, you need to know that this is entirely normal until the pain doesn’t start recurring.
The one thing that you need to know is that the Charley horses can easily be treated at home, specifically when they are not frequent.
But the fact is that the frequent muscle spasms also lead to underlying health conditions, which may also require medical treatment as well.
Your doctor is the one that can help you in determining that what are the causes of your frequent Charley horses.
In this way, you can also include some treatment in your routine and can also know about the preventive measure which can help you in increasing your comfort.
What are the factors which cause the charley horse?
There are a lot of factors that lead to muscle cramps or spasms. However, the factors which are the most common are listed below, so have a look to know more about them.
- Improper level of blood flow to the muscle
- Injuries of the muscle
- Doing exercise in the more heat or cold
- Overusing the particular muscle during the exercise
- Most properly stretching before performing the workout
- Compression of nerve in the spine
- Depletion of minerals
- Less amount of calcium
- The lower level of potassium and sodium in the blood
- Dehydration
You will be shocked to know that so many people suffer from the Charley horses when they area sleep, and then they are awakened after the pain caused by it.
Muscle spasms, which cause the Charley horses when you are sleeping, is generally very common. Well, the thing is that why these painful spams start occurring at night is not understood yet.
At the same time, it is believed that lying on the bed in an awkward position for an extended period of time can lead to it.
What is the treatment for the charley horse?
Now you may be thinking that what may be the treatment for the charley horse, right? Well, the treatment of this issue depends on its causes.
You need to understand that the treatment of the charley horse differs from person to person due to its underlying causes of the charley horse.
For instance – if the charley horse is due to exercising, then simple stretching and the massage can help in relaxing the muscles and also stop them from getting contracted.
The heating pad can also come to the rescue in such a situation, and it can accelerate the process of relaxation in the body. You can also use the ice pack to numb the pain.
If your muscle is still causing you pain, then your doctor might recommend you nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
You need to know that the recurrent Charley horses might require more severe and aggressive treatment. Your doctor can also describe you to take the pain medications too.
While in the severe cases of the charley horse, the doctor may also prescribe the antispasmodic medication. Along with this, some physical activity can also help in coping up with the muscle spasms and also prevent further complications.
In the extreme cases of the charley horse, doctors might recommend the surgery to the patient. If any other treatment keeps failing, the surgery is done for enlarging the space around the nerve in order to relieve its pressure. This might also help if the nerve compression was the cause of the spasm.
The bottom line!
The charley horse is really very common nowadays can it can occur in any muscle at any time.
They can be treated usually and can also be prevented sometimes from happening.
If any pain is caused by the spasm, then it will not last more than a day. But if you are experiencing the Charley horses in a frequent way, then talking with the doctor about the treatment is the best option for you.
Dr. Jase Neo earned his MS and Phd degree from Columbia University. His interests are centered in general health, mental health, and he is also an accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapist. He has written articles on the connection between socioeconomic status and health, homelessness, violence, stigma, and discrimination. Now he is researching health disparities by race or ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
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