Muscle Cramps in My Shoulder and Neck

[jauble]

What about the really random (non-dehydration) and painful muscle spasms. I get them in my back/neck/shoulder areas and in my calf/achilles areas.

[Dr Steve]

What about the really random (non-dehydration) and painful muscle spasms. I get them in my back/neck/shoulder areas and in my calf/achilles areas.


That's another issue altogether. Some people get them in their legs at night, where they're called "nocturnal leg cramps" (finally a medical term that almost looks like english).

Any voluntary muscle that contracts involuntarily is called a "spasm". If it doesn't go away immediately, it's called a "cramp". 95% of adults have had a muscle cramp at some point of their life.

If this is a worsening problem, it's worth getting checked out. The health care provider will probably check for magnesium, calcium and potassium issues. They'll review your medicines to see if one of them could be causing the problem. Also they can check for other muscle diseases at the same time.

If it's just an intermittent thing that's been going on for years, then there are a few simple things you can do. Stretching the cramping muscle will usually stop the cramp immediately. Quinine has been used for years for nocturnal leg cramps, but it was discouraged by the FDA due to a small risk of cataracts with chronic use. Interestingly, Quinine Water contains quinine...4oz at bedtime will often put a stop to nocturnal muscle cramps. Some people have advocated vitamin E supplementation as well, though the data on this isn't great. Check out anything you read here with your regular medical doctor, as always.


your pal,


steve