Cramp

A cramp is a Contracture violent, involuntary, momentary and painful of a Muscle or a muscular group. Cramp involves a total Impotence on the level of the muscular group reached. Cramps known as essential are benign and more frequent in the sportsman, the expectant mother and in the elderly. They are without gravity.

Causes

What it is not

A Ache, a Diminishes, a Dystonie, a Claudication in connection with a Ischémie.

Etiologies of nonessential cramps

  • Myopathy S, myotonie atrophic;
  • radiculonévrite, polynévrite, amyotrophic side Sclerosis;
  • pathologies surrénaliennes, thyroid or parathyroidal
  • hydroelectrolytic Hypoglycemia, hoop nets, in particular Hypokaliémie, Impaired renal function, alcohol;
  • excessive heat, with to the maximum the heat stroke;
  • it can be the precursory sign of a Rhabdomyolyse;
  • drugs: Fibrate S, Statine S, some Beat-blocking S, betamimetic, bromocriptine, Corticoid S, Diurétique S, Laxative S, Nifédipine, pénicillamine, Strontium, tolcapone, food nouveau riches in Phytosterol S and phytostanols.

Remedies

  • for cramps specific to a cause, the treatment merges with that of the cause.

  • for essential cramps, i.e. without detectable cause:

    • to cure a cramp, it is of habit to extend the muscle in question, on a cold ground preferably; it is the passive stretching.
    • It is advised to practice exercises of stretching during the day (for example: to be held upright vis-a-vis a wall located at one meter and to lean ahead to make put back the hands with the wall without taking off heels of the ground).
    • Hydration and heating before the efforts (for example: for the sportsmen).
    • For cramps due to heat, the principle is the salt water ingestion (1/2 spoon with coffee/liter), techniques of cooling.

  • the drugs having obtained a AMM for the treatment of cramps are containing Quinine. The balance benefit-risk is unfavourable to justify its systematic use in the indication of the essential cramp which is a benign symptom. For memory, some (very) rare undesirable effects reaching of the isolated cases: Thrombopénie S, anemias haemolytic S, pancytopénies, CIVD, Acouphène S, reactions anaphylactic S, hypoglycemias, attacks hepatic.

Popular beliefs

  • the concentration in ions lactates (see Fermentation) is often considered wrongly as the cause of cramps. No bond exists between the two mechanisms.

  • the average following does not have shown and proven effectiveness: a bread of Household soap in the bed, the permanent magnets, the hot-water bottle or bladder of ice, the elastic application, vitamin contributions, calcic inhibiting .

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