• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Joy of Wellness

Living better and longer, Natural Health

Main navigation

The Joy of Wellness

What? Would you like to find?
Browse by categories
  • Weight Loss
  • Health and Beauty
  • Diets and Nutrition
  • Natural Remedies
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Life in Fullness
  • The Joy of Wellness from A to Z
  • All topics

Cramps: Causes and Natural Remedies

  • Be careful: Parkinson's Disease could Affect Individuals as Young as 30
  • How to Clean your Intestines: 5 Pieces of advice for doing so naturally

Published: 09/03/2018 - Updated: 02/28/2019

Author: MSc. Miriam Reyes

Cramps, or involuntary muscular contractions could be due to several different causes that are easy to cure.  If you want to know more about this topic, here we will tell you about the most common causes of cramps, and how to find a solution for them.
Cramps: Causes and Natural Remedies

Contents

  • Causes of Cramps
  • Symptoms of cramps
  • Natural remedies for cramps

Causes of Cramps

  • Lack of blood flow (insufficient oxygen)
  • Excessive loss of liquids and mineral salts
  • Prolonged efforts
  • Brisk, sudden, or strong movements (when the muscle is cold)
  • Accumulation of lactic acid
  • Brisk contact with cold water
  • Overweight
  • Alcoholism
  • Dehydration
  • Kidney failure
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Medications
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Metabolic problems
  • Pregnancy
  • Low levels of magnesium and calcium in the body
  • Improper posture while sleeping or studying for long periods of time in the same position
  • Lack of vitamins or minerals in the body, primarily calcium and magnesium
  • Stomach cramps are caused by the blood rushing principally to the stomach after eating, for digestion.  If you exercise, the muscle that is working will demand blood, and this will rob it from the stomach, which is why it is necessary to avoid exercising or making physical efforts after eating.
  • Hand cramps are primarily due to circulation problems or carpal tunnel syndrome, which effects people who use the computer or the mouse a lot.
  • Emotional tension or prolonged or excessive anxiety caused by being very possessive or stubborn.

Symptoms of cramps

  • Local pain in the affected area.
  • Sensation of a torn muscle, or tingling

Natural remedies for cramps

  •  The best thing you can do during a cramp is to lightly stretch the affected area: this will relieve the pain and will help the muscle to return to a relaxed position.
  • You should follow a high quality diet, try to include foods rich in calcium (oranges, almonds, broccoli, vegetables, soy milk, etc.), and magnesium (walnuts, whole grains, beans, cacao, soy flour, seaweed, etc.).
  • If your cramps are contractions in the neck area, these can be alleviated by going to a good physiotherapist and by sleeping without a pillow.  You should try to give yourself a good massage.
  • Practicing Yoga and Tai-Chi help your muscles to be very flexible and tension-free.
  • Running and doing physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, so the blood oxygenates all your tissues and muscles, and provides ample nutrients.
  • Massage, thalassotherapy, reflexology, Chinese or Swiss massage help free accumulated tensions in the muscles and promote oxygen circulation and irrigation.  Massages are great during pregnancy, but consult your doctor regarding which ones are best for you.
  • Leg cramps can be prevented by giving yourself a good massage, or by elevating your legs at night and pretending to ride a bike.  You should also begin to check that you are not lacking any calcium or potassium in your diet.
  • If you exercise a lot, keep proper amounts of electrolytes in  your body.  For this, drink isotonic drinks to prevent dehydration

NOTE: avoid giving yourself any type of massage after having eaten.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 02/28/2019 linkedin

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading...

About the author

By MSc. Miriam Reyes

Mire Reyes has a mayor in nutrition and is a renowned therapist with years of experience in the care of overweight patients and nutritional problems. She offers help from her therapeutic approach that brings together the best of conventional therapies and alternative or complementary therapies. Linkedin

Reader Interactions

You may also be interested

  • Sugar can be just as harmful as Alcohol Sugar can be just as harmful as Alcohol Do you like sugary foods?  Do you love pastries, or even worse, do you not [...]
  • High Cholesterol: Super Effective Avocado Diet for Lowering it High Cholesterol: Super Effective Avocado Diet for Lowering it Avocados are one of the most rewarding fruits, with some of the most healing properties [...]
  • Diarrhea: Causes and Natural Remedies Diarrhea: Causes and Natural Remedies Diarrhea is a change in the bowel movements that causes much softer feces than normal.  The [...]

You are here: The Joy of Wellness » Health and Beauty » Cramps: Causes and Natural Remedies

All about Health and Beauty

  • Maturity and Emotional conscience: the Art of Living and creating your reality Maturity and Emotional conscience: the Art of Living and creating your reality To feel more free, more content and fulfilled in our lives and who we are, [...]
  • Vitamin B1 for health Vitamin B1 for health Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, belongs to the B group vitamins, which are hydro-solubles, [...]
  • Do-in: a natural health alternative Do-in: a natural health alternative The ancient Chinese discovered that the body is dissected by a series of energetic "pathways" [...]
  • Transgenic Corn and Intransigence Transgenic Corn and Intransigence Tortillas (previously made with natural and completely organic corn) are one of the most popular [...]
  • Facial Massage with a Jade Stone Roller Facial Massage with a Jade Stone Roller Jade was once highly valued by Ancient Chinese Dynasties just as diamonds are, and it [...]
Footer
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2023 · The Joy of Wellness
   
Disclaimer  About Us  Cookies Policy  Privacy Policy  Contact  Topics
The services, content and products on our website are for information purposes only. The Joy of Wellness does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment