Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Muscle Spasms
By Sara Butler
Many people work in an office all day long, sitting behind a desk staring at a computer screen and typing away on their keyboards. These people also often experience a sore neck or back when they come home in the evenings from a long day at the office. If this sounds familiar, how do you handle it? Do you take a pain reliever, sit down and hope it goes away so you can go to sleep and do it all over again tomorrow? The truth is that these muscle spasms or cramps shouldn’t just be ignored – and here’s why!
Muscle Spasms Defined
So, what is a muscle spasm anyway? A muscle spasm may also be referred to as a muscle cramp. It is an involuntary contraction of a muscle in the body. They come on fast and may resolve quickly too, but can be painful in the interim.
The causes of muscle spasms vary, and often depend on where the spasm is occurring, the environment and any factors that may predispose a person to them. For example, if a muscle spasm occurs when you’re feeling tired and your muscles have been working overtime holding the same position all day long, your inactivity and holding one position for a long period of time is probably to blame.
Muscle Overuse
When you use a muscle continuously the fluid and energy from the cells located in the muscle become depleted. This creates an environment where the muscle can suddenly contract, forcefully and quite painfully. The spasm can happen in the whole muscle, part of it, or even bleed over into the muscles surrounding it. Muscle spasms that occur from overuse are often seen in:
- Office workers
- Construction workers
- Athletes
Muscle spasms can also arise during routine daily activities such as shoveling snow, moving, or raking grass. Any unfamiliar exercise or activity that is strenuous can lead to muscle spasms.
Chiropractic Care for Muscle Spasms
The reason you shouldn’t ignore a muscle spasm is because it is a signal from your body that something isn’t right. Perhaps you have a muscle imbalance or you are dehydrated. They may even indicate a problem with your blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.
If you suffer from muscle cramps you need to speak with your chiropractor about it. They may be able to offer some natural and non-invasive ways to improve your body’s function and stop the muscle spasms from occurring and improving your overall health along the way!
