Localization of cramps

Many people suffer from cramps in the legs at least once during their life, it is estimated that 40% of the population is affected. The cramps can occur at different times of the day and in different situations. For example, some people are awakened by calf cramps at night.

For others, the cramps occur during the day when they are under stress or sitting for long periods of time and in bed in the evening. The causes of these cramps can be of very different nature. In most cases, harmless triggers are hidden behind the cramps.

Two of the most common causes are understraining and overstraining of the muscles. Sitting for long periods of time without compensatory movement as well as prolonged unnatural postures can cause a shortening of the muscles, which then manifests itself as cramps when under strain, when the shortened muscles are stretched during unaccustomed strain.Furthermore, a lack of liquid and minerals can lead to cramps. This often occurs with strong vomiting and diarrhoea as well as during sports activities where too little is drunk.

The nerves need the electrolytes to transfer the excitation to the muscles and thus trigger a contraction. Calcium in particular is necessary for the muscles to function properly. If the required minerals are not available in sufficient quantities, the muscles become more reactive, which then leads to cramps.

Another cause of cramps can be nerve damage caused by previous illnesses such as diabetes or external influences such as alcohol consumption. During pregnancy, cramps can also occur in the legs due to an electrolyte shift. In rare cases, however, the cramps can also be the expression of a more serious underlying disease, for example amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, or muscle diseases such as dystonia or myotonia.

A calf cramp in the calf causes typical, strong, stabbing pain in the calf. Usually only one side is affected. A cramp usually lasts for one to several minutes and stops on its own.

During a cramp in the calf, one can try to lift the tip of the foot, this movement stretches the calf muscle, which can shorten the cramp and at the same time reduce the pain. It also helps to lift the affected leg and keep it still. In acute cramps, you can also try to relieve the symptoms by relaxing the tense muscle area or by applying dry heat (for example with a cherry stone cushion).

If other causes are the triggers for these cramps, they must be eliminated, such as checking for a magnesium deficiency, switching from cramp-promoting drugs to others that are better tolerated. Magnesium or quinine sulfate can help with cramps caused by overstrain. Quinine is a preparation that can be used for cramps and, if taken regularly, can also prevent cramps.

Its use should be discussed with your doctor and the recommended daily dose of 200-400 mg should not be exceeded. Typically, cramps also occur in older people. To avoid frequent cramps, a balanced diet rich in magnesium, endurance sports and moderate exercise can help.

Gymnastics with a focus on stretching the muscles can also prevent recurrent cramps. If the cramps occur frequently, do not resolve despite stretching, or are accompanied by other symptoms such as paralysis, tingling or numbness, a doctor must be consulted for further clarification. In the area of the upper abdomen there are many different structures that can lead to complaints in the sense of upper abdominal pain.

Cramps in the upper abdomen are often caused by a cramp-like contraction of the muscles in the digestive organs. The causes are manifold. The cramps are sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fever, malaise, increased sweating or diarrhoea.

Inflammations in the area of the organs, such as the gall bladder, stomach or pancreas, can cause symptoms in the sense of a cramp. These inflammations can be caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. Mechanical irritations such as those caused by gallstones also cause such cramps.

The stomach reacts with upper abdominal cramps in case of food allergies or intolerances (e.g. milk, wheat flour etc. ), increased coffee or alcohol consumption. Sometimes these complaints can be caused by inflammation of the stomach or oesophagus, as well as stomach or intestinal ulcers.

The pancreas also manifests itself in cramps in the event of an inflammation or stones. An inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) leads to belt-shaped cramps in the upper abdomen, which can extend into the back. Such an inflammation can be caused by various triggers.

Frequently it is caused by diseases of the bile duct or excessive alcohol consumption. Due to numerous side effects, quick and thorough treatment is necessary. For example, cramps can be caused by processes in the gall bladder and bile ducts.

These include inflammation of the gall bladder, known in specialist circles as cholecystitis, and bile duct stones, choledocholithiasis.When gallstones clog the bile ducts, the body reacts by trying to remove the stones by violent contractions of the bile ducts. Patients report colicky cramps and improvement through exercise. Fever and jaundice can also occur.

If a gallstone does not come loose on its own, it must be removed surgically. Nowadays, gallstones are removed minimally invasively using an endoscope. Diseases affecting the kidneys can also lead to cramps in the upper abdomen.

Examples are kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) and inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis). Similar to gallstones, the body also tries to remove kidney stones by contractions. The violent contractions are perceived by the patients as cramps in the upper abdomen.

If a conservative therapy fails, the stones are removed surgically. In addition to pain and cramps, inflammation of the renal pelvis can cause a variety of other symptoms, including fever, chills, fatigue and weight loss. In rare cases, a splenic infarction and rupture of the spleen can also cause cramps in the upper abdomen.

Depending on the severity of a splenic infarction or rupture, the therapy includes conservative measures up to the complete removal of the spleen. Another rare trigger of cramps in the upper abdomen can be an atypical heart attack. Women in particular do not necessarily show the typical symptoms of a heart attack.

Clarification is therefore urgently recommended. Much less serious causes of upper abdomen complaints are cramps triggered by the muscles in this area. With untrained beginners, it can happen that these muscles become painfully cramped after training.

In terms of sensation, these complaints are comparable to the cramps that can occur in the calf. To be able to treat upper abdominal cramps, the cause must be found out. In the case of organic causes, the underlying condition must be identified and treated.

In the case of muscle cramps, an initial pause in training and a moderate return to training helps. To improve the symptoms, rest, warmth in the area of the pain and possible intake of pain medication in consultation with the treating physician will help. In order to prevent these complaints, one should also know the cause of the suffering.

For example, avoiding the incompatible medication, adjusting physical performance to the training condition or the treatment of the basic ailment by the doctor. Cramps in the lower abdomen are painful unintentional contractions of muscles in the lower abdomen area. This can be caused by diseases of the organs located there or the muscles of the lower abdomen.

Lower abdominal cramps can be accompanied by symptoms such as fever, sweating, nausea, vomiting, pain in this area or even diarrhoea. It is advisable to consult a doctor in case of lower abdominal cramps. Since the causes are manifold, it is not so easy to find out where the complaints come from, and for this reason too, a visit to a doctor is always recommended.

As with cramps in the upper abdomen, cramps in the lower abdomen can also be diagnosed by numerous differential diagnoses. Similar to upper abdominal cramps, food intolerances or excessive consumption of harmful substances (coffee, nicotine, medication, etc.) can be the cause.

The intestine may be inflamed and react with cramps, an inflammation of the intestine is usually accompanied by fever, pain and diarrhea. If cramps and pain are primarily on the right side of the lower abdomen, this may be a sign of appendicitis. This is an inflammation of the appendix (appendicitis).

Typical signs of appendicitis are a painful pressure in the right lower abdomen, pain when moving the right leg and a pain of release on the opposite side. In addition to these signs, the doctor uses laboratory values and ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. The therapy consists of surgical removal of the appendix.

Since the large and small intestines spread throughout the entire abdominal area, intestinal inflammation can be the cause of the cramps at any point. Complaints emphasized on the left side rather indicate an inflammation in the sigmoidum (= s-shaped curved part of the intestine). Many people have bulges of the intestinal wall in the large intestine, the so-called diverticula, which occur particularly frequently in the sigmoidum.

If these diverticula become inflamed, one speaks of diverticulitis. This can cause cramps in the lower abdomen.Symptoms such as fever, nausea and vomiting also occur. Diverticulitis is treated either conservatively with fluids and antibiotics or, in more severe cases, surgically.

Also affecting the colon, a tumor, i.e. a colon carcinoma, can be responsible for cramps in the lower abdomen. Bloody stools, excessive nocturnal sweating and unwanted weight loss are often concomitant symptoms of colon carcinoma. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and may include chemotherapy, radiation or removal of the tumor.

A bladder infection can also manifest itself by cramping symptoms. Since the bladder wall consists of muscles, this organ also often reacts with cramps when irritated. Other specific causes are possible in women.

In the case of lower abdominal complaints in women, one must also always consider causes in the area of the uterus and ovaries; sometimes the complaints are also associated with menstruation. The treatment of the complaints depends on the underlying disease. In principle, physical protection, warmth (cherry stone pillow, hot water bottle, warm bathtub) and mild painkillers can already lead to an improvement of the symptoms.

In rare cases, the symptoms may conceal a serious illness that requires rapid treatment. This could manifest itself through unprecedented pain or blood admixtures in the stool, for example. A doctor should therefore be contacted quickly.

An ectopic pregnancy (extrauterine pregnancy) can lead to cramps in the lower abdomen. An extrauterine pregnancy can be life-threatening for the woman, as the child grows up outside the uterus. For this reason it is important to plan the further procedure carefully.

In many cases a surgical or drug abortion is performed in order not to endanger the life of the pregnant woman. Another cause of cramps in the lower abdomen can be an inflammation of the fallopian tubes, ovaries and surrounding tissue (pelvic inflammatory disease). This occurs particularly in younger women and can be caused by various germs.

One complication is infertility. Such inflammation is treated with antibiotics. Spasms in the back are often complaints in the muscular area.

In the whole area of the back, complaints and painful changes can occur. These muscle tensions or cramps can be caused by poor posture, but also worries and psychological problems can cause pain and cramps in the back. The cramps occur more frequently in untrained muscles.

In most cases, a careless movement is sufficient, the deep muscles tense up reflexively and the pain can shoot up. This complaint is also known as lumbago in the vernacular. The physician calls this phenomenon lumbago.

In the case of lumbago, many people are afraid that the pain comes from a herniated disc, however, pain that radiates from the shoulders, buttocks or legs would be more likely. In the case of muscle cramps, the pain tends to remain in one area of the back. The cramp in the back causes pain and this in turn leads to further tension – often the beginning of a vicious circle.

Heat in the form of hot baths, cherry stone cushions or muscle ointments are helpful in the case of cramps. These increase the blood circulation in the area of the cramp and thus also generate local heat. Usually, a cramp in the back is over after a few hours to days. If this is not the case, a doctor must be consulted, as serious causes can also be hidden behind such a cramp.