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Muscle cramps

• Overview
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Cramps - muscle

Home Care:

Slow stretching often brings relief. If muscle cramps continue, see your doctor.

Call your health care provider if:

Call your doctor if your muscle cramps are severe, last a long time, or keep coming back and do not go away with simple stretching.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your medical history, such as:

• When did the spasms first begin?
• How long do they last?
• How often do you experience muscle spasms?
• What muscles are affected?
• Is it always the same location?
• Are you pregnant?
• Have you been vomiting, had diarrhea , excessive sweating , excessive urine volume , or other possible cause of dehydration?
• What medications do you take?
• Have you been exercising heavily?
• Have you been drinking alcohol heavily?

Tests that may be done include:

• Blood tests for disorders of the following:
  • Calcium, potassium, or magnesium metabolism
  • Thyroid function
  • Kidney function
• Pregnancy test
• Electromyography
• Myelography

Pain relievers (analgesics) may be prescribed.

• Review Date: 7/21/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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