Surely, everyone or almost everyone knows what convulsions are. This phenomenon is especially familiar to athletes and pregnant women. In the best case, a cramp will bother us at night and pass just as it started, without causing harm. At worst, she will grab, for example, while swimming. And then there is a direct threat to life. One way or another, the question of how to get rid of cramps worries so many people.
Definition and types of seizures
A cramp in medicine is called a sharp contraction of muscles that occurs suddenly and completely independent of the will of a person. Most often, it overtakes the limbs, manifested by severe pain. Before you learn how to get rid of seizures, you should talk about their types.
- In terms of periodicity, they are regular and episodic.
- Depending on the duration, tonic convulsions (long and very painful) and clonic (short, painless, arising in a relaxed state - for example, when the eyelid twitches) are distinguished.
- And seizures are divided into local (spasm covers a separate group of muscles) and generalized (almost all muscles are involved).
The latter classification deserves special attention and gives rise to ask yourself the question: “Is it worth it to think about how to get rid of seizures on your own or, maybe, is it time to go to the doctor urgently?”. More on this below.
When to the doctor
If a seizure covers almost the entire body, it is possible, we are talking about a generalized form. And then the doctor should be consulted immediately, because the reasons can be very serious. Generalized seizures are often symptoms of diseases such as, for example, epilepsy, a neoplasm in the brain, a viral lesion of the nervous system (a consequence of the flu, etc.). They may also indicate that the body is deficient in calcium, potassium or magnesium. And all this needs treatment.
If the cause can be eliminated, the question of how to get rid of seizures will disappear by itself. They will not disturb you anymore.
Causes of Local Cramps
As for seizures of a local nature, their causes are still not thoroughly studied. But doctors tend to believe that they appear in such situations:
- sudden changes in body temperature or the environment;
- muscles are strained due to physical exertion;
- insufficient oxygen is supplied to a specific muscle area (due to problems with veins);
- low hemoglobin in the blood (which often happens in pregnant women);
- muscle is physically exhausted.
If you are sure that it is precisely one of this that caused the cramp, how to get rid of such an unpleasant manifestation at home, of course, it is advisable to know.
Fast ways to get rid of cramps
As noted above, sometimes a seizure seizes at the most inopportune moment - for example, while swimming. And then a man risks drowning. At stake is life. Therefore, it is so important to know how to get rid of leg cramps quickly. There are several proven methods:
- Ideally, prick yourself in a place that has spasmed. But since few take piercing objects with them, you can just pinch them. Only stronger.
- The cramp will pass after a hard grinding of the affected muscle.
- By changing the position of the legs and pulling the fingers towards yourself, there is also a chance to relieve the spasm in a matter of seconds.
- You can still grab the heel with your hand and squeeze it very hard.
All these methods, of course, are successfully used not only in water, but also in ordinary circumstances, when there is no risk to life, but a person really wants to quickly remove unbearable pain. As you know, muscle cramps often overtake us in the dark - during sleep. And if you don’t know how to get rid of night cramps in your legs, then try one of the above. In addition, you can apply such methods:
- Always store a little salt somewhere near the bed, and as soon as you feel a familiar pain, literally put a pinch on the tip of your tongue. Do not close your mouth. The cramp should go away in a couple of minutes.
- A normal magnet works well in such cases, which should be applied to the affected area.
- If you have the strength, stand and lean on your foot, which brought down. Yes, it is not easy and painful, but almost immediately everything will pass.
- Rubbing the affected area with some kind of warming agent will also help. Or at least a simple massage.
- It will also be effective to leave the bed and take a few steps on the cold floor.
The answer to the question of how to get rid of leg cramps at night is received. But what about those who have suffered, for example, a hand? Some of these methods (magnet, massage, warming ointment) will help in this case too.
Treatment of seizures with alternative methods
Traditional medicine knows a lot of ways to get rid of night cramps. In this case, we are not talking about quick methods when the spasm has already manifested, but about how to cure the phenomenon itself and minimize seizures. So:
- You can eat a tablespoon of honey on an empty stomach for five days in a row, washed down with kefir. The course is repeated after two to three weeks.
- In the mornings and evenings, rub your feet with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Wear socks after drying. And so daily for two weeks.
- Grind the husks of onions, pour it in a glass of boiling water and leave for about ten minutes. Drink tincture before bedtime.
- If you do not know how to get rid of cramps in your arms and legs, eat regularly baked potatoes. Helps a lot!
Ancient japanese method
This method, of course, not everyone will like and cause doubts, but the Japanese, who know a lot about medicine, successfully use it. They recommend people suffering from cramps to help themselves ... with a stick. The latter should be necessarily smooth and round with a diameter of about two and a half centimeters. And so, with this stick you should beat yourself a hundred times twice a day in the area of the base of the fingers (on the pads). Cramps will gradually come to naught.
Medicines
Naturally, he knows methods of dealing with seizures and official medicine. As a rule, doctors prescribe drugs such as Asparkam and Panangin to their patients. They also recommend taking vitamins and minerals during periods of exacerbation.
Cramp prophylaxis
Of course, it’s best to never ask yourself how to quickly get rid of a cramp. After all, you will not wish such pain to the enemy! Therefore, it is desirable to carry out preventive measures. For example, the following charge:
- Get on your heels, raise and bend your toes and hold on for about ten seconds. Repeat seven times.
- Cross the lower limbs, transfer the weight to the outer edges of the feet. Measure for a couple of seconds, and then swap legs.
- To rise sharply and as high as possible on toes, and then also to fall sharply. Repeat ten times.
In addition, experts recommend forever abandoning uncomfortable shoes, lose weight, if any, protect your feet from overloads and eat foods rich in minerals and vitamins. This will be an excellent prevention of seizures. In addition, do not forget that twice a year you need to visit the clinic for a scheduled examination. This will help prevent many ailments or detect them even at an early stage, when it is easiest to cure.