What Are Muscle Spasms?

A muscle spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles which typically occurs quickly and powerfully; the terms muscle cramp and muscle spasm are often used interchangeably.

Cramp vs Spasm

• A muscle spasm can describe any major involuntary contraction of a muscle; the term muscle cramp is often only used to describe muscle spams that result in tight contractions that are accompanied by pain.

Causes

• Muscle spams can be caused by many different factors such as alcoholism, drug use, dehydration, fatigue and intense physical exertion.

Relief

• Spasm that result in tight muscle contractions and severe pain can often be relieved by stretching the muscle and tendon that is experiencing the spasm.

Effects

• Muscle spams can cause pain and a lack of control over the muscle that is experiencing the spasm; this can impact any physical activity that is taking place during the spasm, for instance, a spasm in the leg may make a person fall over.

Prevention

• Stretching the muscles regularly and avoiding dehydration can limit the chances of experiencing muscle spasms.