What Causes Muscle Spasms? Understanding & Prevention

Muscle spasms are sudden, painful muscle contractions (unexpected tightening of one or more muscles). They are also called muscle cramps (the medical term is myoclonus). However, keep in mind that not all muscle spasms are painful.

The contraction or tightening in the muscles is involuntary and unpredictable and can occur in any part of the body. Leg cramps in the calf muscles are the most common — these muscle spasms in legs are commonly called charley horses.

You can also experience neck spasms, back spasms, abdomen spasms, chest spasms, rib cage spasms, arm spasms, hand spasms, and eyelid spasms.

How Does a Muscle Spasm Feel?

A muscle spasm causes an uncontrollable tightening of a muscle. A mild muscle cramp may feel like the muscle is tightening on its own. You may even see the muscle twitching (moving or jumping under the skin surface). A severe muscle spasm can feel like a forceful, painful contraction where the entire muscle stiffens.

Most muscle cramps last from a few seconds to a few minutes. After the tight muscles relax, they can remain sore for a few hours or longer. Learn why muscles get sore.

Associated Symptoms with Muscle Spasms

Other symptoms that can accompany a muscle spasm depend on the underlying cause and may include:

Muscle pain
Muscle weakness
Muscle stiffness
Numbness and tingling (pins and needles sensation)
Paralysis (inability to move the muscle)
Problems with muscle coordination

Risk Factors for Muscle Spasms

Anyone can develop muscle spasms, but some people are at a higher risk, including:

Athletes due to excessive exercise and dehydration due to sweating.
Obese individuals due to extra strain on the muscles from excess body weight.
Infants (for example, stomach cramps due to colic).
Pregnant people due to stretching of the muscles and ligaments due to a growing baby.
Older adults above age 65 due to loss of muscle mass.
People with poor physical conditioning.
Certain medical conditions and medications can increase the risk of muscle cramps.

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Common Causes of Muscle Spasms

Lack of Stretching

Stretching is necessary to keep muscles flexible and maintain range of motion. When you don’t stretch, skeletal muscle fibers can shorten and become tight. Then, when you try to use the muscles during activity, they cannot stretch to their full length, putting you at risk of muscle cramps, pain, strains, and long-term muscle damage.

Muscle Fatigue and Overuse

Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) are common and occur during or immediately after intense exercise. There is no exact cause for EAMC. However, dehydration and electrolyte (mineral) imbalances are considered common factors. Your muscles need adequate electrolytes such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium to work properly. Excessive sweating can deplete these essential minerals, disrupting normal muscle function.

Another theory is that neuromuscular fatigue also contributes to muscle cramps with intense exercise. An imbalance in signals sent from the nervous system to the muscle is believed to cause the muscle to cramp up.

Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalances

Dehydration (lack of enough fluids in the body) can cause muscle cramping by causing electrolyte imbalances. Electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium are necessary for transmission of signals between nerve and muscle cells. These signals allow your muscles to tighten and relax properly. When there are electrolyte imbalances in the body due to dehydration, muscles may contract uncontrollably, resulting in painful cramps.

Exercising in extreme hot weather can lead to severe dehydration and heat cramps. Lack of adequate water intake, excessive sweating, and illnesses that cause diarrhea and vomiting are potential causes of dehydration.

In addition, dehydration can lead to reduced blood flow to the muscles, preventing them from receiving enough oxygen and nutrients.

Lifestyle Factors

Some of the lifestyle factors that can lead to muscle spasms include:

Emotional stress can cause muscle tension and spasms.
Prolonged sitting can put pressure on the back of the thigh and cause the hamstring muscles to cramp. It can also lead to nerve compression (sciatica pain).
Poor posture can cause neck, back, and abdominal cramps and pain.
Standing or working on hard surfaces like concrete floors can put extra strain on your muscles, causing them to spasm.

Underlying Medical Conditions

Some medical conditions can increase the chances of experiencing muscle spasms, for example:

Diabetes
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
Liver disease
Kidney disease
Nerve disorders or problems with the brain or spinal cord
Rare genetic disorders such as Brody myopathy, myotonia congenita, muscular dystrophy, and hereditary angiopathy with nephropathy, aneurysms, and muscle cramps (HANAC).

Medication Side Effects

The use of certain medications can also increase the risk of muscle cramping, particularly nocturnal leg cramps (also called rest cramps). These are painful muscle contractions in the legs or feet that occur during sleep or periods of prolonged rest. Some prescription medications linked to muscle cramps and muscle twitching are:

Certain diuretics (water pills) which are prescribed for high blood pressure, heart failure, and edema (swelling). Examples include spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide).
Statins, which are cholesterol-lowering drugs. Statins can increase the risk of muscle pain. However, it is not certain if they also contribute to muscle cramps. Examples of statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor).
Long-acting beta 2 agonist (LABA) inhalers, which are used to treat lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Examples include Serevent (salmeterol), Foradil (formoterol), Striverdi (olodaterol)
Stimulants like amphetamines used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulant medications do not directly cause muscle cramps. However, by increasing alertness and focus, stimulants can indirectly cause muscles to tense up unconsciously. Over time, the prolonged tension can cause muscle stiffness and discomfort.

Nutrition and Vitamin Deficiencies

Mineral deficiency (low levels of calcium, potassium, or magnesium in the body) due to poor dietary intake can cause muscle cramps. Find the best magnesium supplement for sore muscles.

Prevention Strategies for Muscle Spasms

Here are some tips to prevent muscle spasms:

Stretch regularly and especially before exercise.
Ease into a workout program gradually to avoid overworking your muscles.
Avoid exercising in extreme heat.
Maintain overall fitness to support muscle health.
Maintain a healthy body weight.
Drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated.
Sit and stand with good posture.
Take regular breaks from prolonged sitting by getting up and walking around.
Wear well-fitting shoes.
Avoid standing on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
To prevent leg spasms during sleep:
- Stretch before going to bed
- Hang your feet over the edge of the bed if you sleep on your chest
- Heep your toes pointing up with the help of a pillow if you sleep on your back.

Management and Treatment Options

At-Home Remedies and First Aid

Drinking water can relieve dehydration-related muscle cramps.

Gently stretching the area can also provide fast relief from muscle spasms. It may also help to massage the affected area with your hands or a massage roller.

If you have been sitting for a long time, getting up and walking around may ease muscle cramps.

You can also apply gentle heat to tight muscles or an ice pack to sore muscles for relief.

Find out when to apply heat vs ice for pain.

OTC and Prescription Medications

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can relieve muscle soreness related to playing sports or doing intense exercise. However, there are no over-the-counter muscle relaxants.

Your doctor may prescribe skeletal muscle relaxants (also categorized as antispasmodics and/or antispastics), which are drugs that act on tight muscles to relax them and reduce involuntary spasms. While both types of muscle relaxants work to relieve symptoms of muscle spasms, pain, and spasticity, they differ in how they work.

Antispasmodics act on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to decrease muscle spasms:

Antispasmodics: carisoprodol (Soma, Vanadom), chlorzoxazone (Lorzone, Parafon Forte DSC, Relax-DS, Remular S ), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, Fexmid), metaxalone (Metaxall, Skelaxin), methocarbamol (Robaxin), orphenadrine (Norflex).

Antispastics act directly on the spinal cord and skeletal muscle to reduce muscle tightness:

Antispastics: baclofen (Lioresal), dantrolene (Dantrium).

There are two muscle relaxants that have both antispastic and antispasmodic properties:

Combination Antispasmodic and Antispastic: tizanidine (Zanaflex), diazepam (Valium).

When to Seek Professional Help

Make an appointment to see your healthcare provider if you have:

Frequent muscle spasms that don’t get better with self-care measures or keep coming back.
Severe muscle pain or discomfort.
Redness, swelling, or numbness in the area of muscle spasms.
Skin changes.
Leg cramps that wake you up at night.

These could be signs and symptoms of an underlying health condition that should be properly diagnosed and treated. Your doctor can make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and basic blood tests. They may order further tests if they suspect an underlying neurological condition or neuromuscular disorder.

Common Questions About Muscle Spasms

How Do I Stop My Muscles From Spasming?

Muscle spasms are often self-limited and resolve within a few seconds to minutes without any specific treatment. To stop your muscles from spasming, try the following:

Stop whatever activity caused the muscle cramp.
Gently stretch the cramping muscle.
Massage the affected area with your fingertips or use a foam roller.
Apply heat or ice.
Drink fluids such as water or sports drinks.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if the discomfort continues.

What Vitamin Gets Rid of Muscle Spasms?

No vitamin can get rid of muscle spasms immediately. Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet so that your body gets all the essential nutrients. Talk to your healthcare provider about taking dietary supplements if your muscle spasms continue. You may have a mineral and vitamin deficiency and supplementation may provide relief from muscle cramps.

What Disease Starts With Muscle Spasms?

A movement disorder known as dystonia causes repeated involuntary muscle contractions and twisting muscle movements that cannot be controlled. These movements can involve the neck, eyelids, jaw, tongue, vocal cords, and hands. Dystonia can be a symptom of medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s disease, or multiple sclerosis. It can also be a side effect of certain medications like antipsychotics or anticonvulsants.

What Drink Stops Muscle Cramps?

Water is the best drink to stop muscle cramps. Other options include sports drinks like Gatorade, coconut water which is naturally rich in electrolytes, cherry juice, and pomegranate juice. Avoid caffeine which can trigger muscle spasms and muscle twitches.

What Triggers A Muscle Spasm?

Dehydration and overexertion are two of the most common triggers for muscle spasms and muscle twitches.

What Is The Strongest Natural Muscle Relaxer?

Some natural muscle relaxants include:

Fruits such as tart cherries and blueberries.
Magnesium-rich foods like spinach, edamame, almonds, and cashew nuts.
Curcumin (found in spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger).

What Are You Lacking When You Have Muscle Spasms?

You may be lacking potassium, calcium, or magnesium if you have muscle spasms. These minerals play an important role in nerve and muscle communication.