Charley Horse Causes, Relief
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Charley Horse Causes, Relief
A charley horse is basically a muscle spasm that occurs in your leg. It is an involuntary, sudden, and sometimes powerful muscle cramp or contraction that causes muscular pain ranging from mild to severe. The pain is often described as feeling like someone has tied the muscle into a a "knot."
It's believed that the phrase "charley horse" originated in the American sport of baseball. Although it is widely used and recognized in the United States, it is virtually non-existent in other English-speaking countries. It has been found in American newspaper archives as far back as the late 19th century.
Charley horse symptoms
A charley horse usually occurs without warning and there's no way to tell one is coming until it arrives. There are certain conditions, however, that make a charley horse more likely to happen.
Dehydration is believed to be a primary cause. When you're dehydrated, you have low levels of certain minerals that you need for muscle performance, including potassium and calcium.
You can become dehydrated for a number of reasons, of course. Exercise and strenuous physical activity, especially in hot, humid weather, tops the list. Charley horses often happen to swimmers who use their calf muscles a lot to help propel them through the water.
Spasms in the upper legs tend to happen when the activity calls for a lot of running or jumping.
You can also cause a charley horse by injuring or overusing a muscle.
Your nerves may also play a role. When a nerve that's connected to a muscle is irritated, a spasm can result. For instance, a herniated disc in your back can irritate nerves and cause muscles to cramp.
A charley horse can also result from stress and anxiety. Neck pain from a spasm is often the result of tension and emotional strain.
Many times a charley horse will strike while you're asleep.
Treatment
When a charley horse strikes, there's not much you can do except try to relax, massage the muscle that has gone into spasm, and possibly stretch gently. Of course, none of these are easy sometimes because the pain can be severe until the "knot" has loosened.
Heat may help if the muscle is still tight after a few minutes. This may be followed with ice packs if there's some residual soreness.
When a charley horse has caused severe pain, you may want to ask your doctor about medications. He or she may suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antispasm prescriptions.
If you get charley horses often, your doctor will want to figure out why and then treat the cause. But there are no imaging studies or blood tests that can reliably diagnose the causes of a charley horse.
In certain cases where damaged or irritated nerves are involved, an MRI may be useful. Physical therapy or even surgery may then be appropriate.
Athletes often rely on salt tablets and sports drinks that are supplemented with minerals to keep themselves hydrated. Orange juice and bananas are great sources of potassium - you can consume them prior to activity, or possibly even during activity.
Proper training and pre-competition stretching exercises are likely to lessen the risk of muscle spasms.
Most of the time, a charley horse is a rare and unpredictable occurrence that is over quickly and does no long term harm. However, if you get a charley horse often, and it causes severe pain, it's a good idea to check with your doctor.