Whether you involve in regular physical exercise or do brisk walk, you may experience or have experienced the problem of muscle cramp at some point in your life. Especially, people experience a common condition of exercise-associated muscle cramp immediately or during any physical exercise.
Cure and prevention strategies related to muscle cramps include kinesio taping, electrical cramp induction, massage therapy, compression garments, hydration, electrolyte supplementation, stretching, corrective exercises and hyperventilation strategies.
Alternative Treatment For Muscle Cramps
Now, let us have a look on alternative treatment options to cure muscle cramps in detail.
Calcium– Calcium is an important mineral in our body and it plays a prime role in almost every type of activity, whether it is to increase the density of bone minerals or functions of the nervous system. Now, if we talk about muscle cramps, most of the specialists perceive that calcium deficiency leads to muscle cramps/spasms, as lack of enough calcium results in improper muscle control and its movement. For this, you should try calcium reach foods, like cheese, leafy greens, fish and almonds and so on. 1
Electrolytes– Electrolytes are one of the important minerals to transfer fluid and allow muscle movement in the body of human beings. Especially, doctors recommend for two primary types of electrolytes i.e. magnesium and potassium to deal with muscle cramps effectively. Potassium electrolyte is easily available in cantaloupes and bananas, while you may get magnesium electrolyte from grains, beans and nuts.
Wintergreen Oil– If you overcome your muscle cramps problem quickly, you should go with the best topical application i.e. wintergreen oil. While spreading this oil on your skin and allowing it to soak in the skin, you will find that active ingredients influence pain and muscle inflammation in a positive way to help in unwinding of your cramp.
Apple Cider Vinegar– Apple cider vinegar gives you many benefits and it is useful for everything, whether to improve your skin health or optimize the digestion process.
Particularly, apple cider vinegar contains potassium in high amounts, which is very much essential to release muscle cramps. In addition, potassium is essential to balance the fluid and transfer in the body. Because of this, when you consume apple cider vinegar in small quantities, you will expect to boost the ability of your body to ease tension in the cramped muscles.
Clove Oil– Many times, doctors recommend applying clove oil i.e. anti-inflammatory substance directly on the site of your muscle cramp. Ingredients present in clove oil are not only active to deal with swelling in affected tissues, but also help in reducing the pain based on their analgesic nature.
Water- Dehydration is a prime reason behind muscle cramp.2 Whenever your muscles do not receive water in adequate amount, they fail to function in a right way and lock up resulting in muscle cramps. Hence, water intake or hydration on a regular basis is a reliable way to deal with muscle cramp, especially when you combine it with other available remedies.
Vitamin E– Vitamin E is recommendable to deal with muscle cramps, as it helps in boosting the flow of blood from arteries to prevent the problem of muscle cramps.
Heating Pad- Application of heating pads on affected area of your muscle cramp induces the flow of blood to the respective area to hydrate and re-oxygenate the tissues to ease your muscle cramp tension. However, if you experience pain for extended period, you should alternate the heating pad with ice during the initial few hours following your muscle cramp.
Stretching- Most of the times, people experience muscle cramps whenever they strain the body muscle. Here comes the role of stretching, which helps in overcoming muscle strain at the fastest possible pace. However, stretching may even act as an effective treatment to cure muscle cramp, as it induces the flow of blood towards the cramp site and relieves tension as well as pressure. 1
Also Read:
- Muscle Cramps: Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Types of Muscle Cramps
- Does A Hot Bath Help Muscle Cramps?
- Is Hot Water Good For Muscle Cramps?
- Do Bananas Help With Muscle Cramps & What Else Will Help?
- What Is The Best Supplement For Muscle Cramps?
- Underlying Medical Problems and Risk factors That Can Cause Muscle Cramps
- How Can I Prevent Muscle Cramps & What Are Its Types?