Spasms are something very common and occur when muscles are strained or injured due to various causes. Many people confuse spasms with cramping but they are significantly different from each other. Spasm is essentially caused due to a sudden and involuntary muscle contraction which may last for few seconds or minutes. It is generally accompanied by pain but subsides on its own within a few minutes and is also not very dangerous to health. Whereas, cramps can occur due to spasms and occur only in lower legs, such as, calf muscles and below and behind the knees. So basically, cramps could be a symptom of spasms.
Causes
One of the primary reasons for spasms in hands and feet is the weakening of muscles. When the muscles are over stressed due to constant pressure they experience chronic fatigue which can result in muscle spasms. Spasm could also be the result of injury or trauma to the muscles, which is generally the case with sportsmen involved in intense outdoor games. Apart from these obvious causes, there are other factors that may directly or indirectly affect the muscles, adversely leading to muscles spasms. They are as following:
- Dehydration
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Magnesium deficiency
- Calcium deficiency
- Improper and inadequate absorption of magnesium and calcium by the body
- Huntington's disease
- Side effects of certain drugs and medications
- Various nerve disorders
- Thyroid disorders
- Parkinson's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Dystonia
- Heavy and improper exercising
- Frequent rapid or deep breathing
- Increased levels of Phosphate in the body
Apart from these causes of muscle spasms, weight gain during pregnancy can also result in hand and foot spasms.
Symptoms
Apart from cramps, foot and hand spasms could be manifested through several other symptoms. In many cases, spasms are teamed with cramping. It is characterized by sudden sharp pain in the leg muscles which may last for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Frequent sensation of numbness and tingling can also be a sign of spasms in the particular area. Some people also report of weakness in an affected area. For example, an individual suffering from hand spasms may experience weakness in hand, which may result in loss of grip or inability to move the hand or pulling heavy objects, etc. In other cases, a person suffering from spasms may also experience uncontrolled, purposeless, and rapid motions of a spasm affected limb. Many people also complain of twitching in the hand and feet area which is one of prominent warning signs of muscle spasms. Apart from that night cramps in legs are also one of the common symptoms of spasms in the elderly.
Treatment
As mentioned above, hand and foot spasms are not very hazardous to health and can be healed completely with the right treatment. Mild cases of can be treated with certain home remedies. A cold compress or ice pack generally works for usual spasms. All you have to do is take some ice cubes in a cotton cloth and dab it on the infected area for few minutes. The cold compress helps soothe the muscles and provide you relief from the pain and discomfort. One of the other ways to get rid of hand and foot spasms is to undergo a massage therapy by a professional massage therapist. Apart from this, warm water bath and light hand and feet stretching exercises are also known to cure the spasms.
In serious and chronic cases, it is advisable to visit the doctor immediately. The doctor may carry out different tests to diagnose the causes behind the spasms and prescribe you the treatment accordingly. A test to measure magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D levels in the body may be conducted. You may also have to go for a CT scan for more accurate diagnosis. The doctors generally prescribe a combination of muscle relaxing drugs along with anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers which helps one ease the pain associated with spasms.
To be on the safer side and avoid muscle spasm, remember to provide your body with adequate rest and healthy food. I hope this information was resourceful for you. So the next time you suffer from hand and foot spasms, you know what to do and how to prevent them.
