In this article, we will discuss how to get rid of cramps naturally. At some point, every person experiences muscle cramps. These muscle cramps are frequent with the sports persons, athletes, cyclist, and other people during performing some hard physical activities. This muscle cramp causes unexpected and involuntary contractions which may take place in a different group of muscles. The most common areas it affects are front and backside of thighs or backside of lower legs. It may also take place in the arms, feet, hands, and abdominal walls. The most ordinary symptom of a muscle cramp is an extreme pain in muscles which can also bring inflammation, soreness, and swelling.
In few cases, a tough bump of tissues in muscles builds up under the skin of affected area. These muscle cramps can take some seconds to fifteen minutes or maybe a little longer to end. However, the accurate cause is hard to know but it is believed that it happens usually by overusing the muscles while performing an exercise or physical activities.
There are other factors also which may cause muscle cramps like injuries in muscles, dehydrated body, poor circulation and lack of minerals like magnesium, potassium or calcium. It also could be related to medical situations like spinal nerve compression, pregnancy, and diabetes, failure of kidney, hypothyroidism and alcohol consumption.
To treat a normal muscle cramp, medicines are not usually needed. However, to boost up the time of recovery and to reduce the pain and discomfort you can opt for some home remedies which are effective and helpful in reducing pain and give you relief from muscle cramp symptoms. You can start with massaging and stretching the muscles of the affected area. You can also give some heat to comfort the affected muscles.
Easy Home Remedies to Get Rid of Cramps:
1.) Cold Compress to Get Rid of Cramps
After giving initial treatment by stretching, massaging and giving heat to the muscle or after getting some comfort from the pain you can go for a cold compress on the aching muscles to get instant relief from the muscle cramps completely.
The cold compress will freeze the pain and will help in reducing pain and comforting the muscles. And once the cramp ends, cold compress will help in decreasing discomfort by contracting blood vessels
Directions:
- Cover some cubes of ice inside a thin cloth or towel and place the same on affected muscles for near about fifteen minutes once. Repeat the same process after every two hours regularly for one or two days.
- Alternatively, you can go for a cold bath or shower to relax the aching muscles.
2.) Epsom Salt to Get Rid of Cramps
Epsom salt is also an effective home remedy for the treatment of muscle cramps. It contains magnesium which helps in comforting and healing the aching muscles.
Directions:
- Fill up warm water in your bathtub.
- Add double cups of Epsom salt to warm water and mix it properly.
- Bathe in this solution for twenty minutes at least.
- Generally bathing once from this solution will be quite enough to get comfort but as per your need, you can repeat the treatment next day also.
- Note: We will not recommend use of Epsom salt if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart-related problems
3.) Apple Cider Vinegar for Cramps Treatment
As deficiency of potassium is one of the ordinary cause of many muscle cramps apple cider vinegar is very effective in treating these muscle cramps. Unfiltered and raw ACV contains high potassium values with several other nutrients to control the balance of fluids in your body by reducing dehydration.
Directions:
- Take a glass of warm water and mix a tablespoon full of apple cider vinegar into it. Drink this solution once in a day to cure and control muscle cramps problem.
- To avoid nocturnal leg cramps you can go for a solution by mixing one tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of ACV and a tablespoon of calcium lactate with one-half glass warm water. Drinking this solution every night about thirty minutes before you go to bed will help you to get rid of these cramps.
4.) Yellow Mustard to Get Rid of Cramps
To relieve pain and discomfort caused by muscle cramps using yellow mustard is also very effective. A possible reason could be its contents like acetic acid which helps information of Acetylcholine in your body. This neurotransmitter Acetylcholine recovers the soreness and pain and makes muscle ready to work instantly.
Directions:
- You can go for a teaspoon of yellow mustard.
- Follow it by drinking some warm milk.
5.) Clove Oil to Treat Cramps
As clove oil is anti-inflammatory and anesthetic in nature it helps to decrease the swelling, pain and inflammation caused by muscle cramps effectively.
Directions:
- Take some clove oil and warm it slightly
- Massage it on the affected muscles
- Use hard strokes to massage the affected part for 5 minutes.
- Repeat the same process as per your requirement.
6.) Black Strap Molasses to Get Rid of Cramps
Blackstrap molasses are a rich source of high-quality calcium and potassium, which helps to uphold strong muscles and to prevent muscle cramps. In case if your muscle cramps are related to lack of potassium and calcium in your body then it’s a very effective home remedy for you.
Directions:
- Take a glass of warm milk or water and add a tablespoon of black strap molasses into it.
- Drink the same to get instant relief from pain in a few minutes.
- You can repeat the remedy as per your requirement
- You also can go for regular use of this remedy daily to prevent the lack of calcium and potassium in your body
7.) Rosemary to Get Rid of Cramps
Rosemary has warming effects on the skin which provides relief in pain because of its anti-inflammatory qualities. It helps to reduce soreness and pain in muscle cramps, as it is easily absorbed by skin it also boosts up the recovery process instantly
Directions:
- Take a 1-pint jar, fill it up with boiling water after adding 1-ounce rosemary leaves into it. Cover the jar with a lid and leave it to soak for about half an hour. Then immerse a washcloth or thin towel in warm solution and place it on the affected muscles for about ten to fifteen minutes, when you get some relief from pain, follow the same with a cold compress.
- Take a cup of boiling water add one to two teaspoons of dry rosemary into it. Let the water soak dry rosemary for around ten minutes and strain it to get a solution. Drink this solution twice or thrice daily.
8.) Stretching Exercises to Get Rid of Cramps
Doing some easy stretching exercises helps in ease muscle cramps. You should do a smooth stretching for the affected muscle for fifteen to thirty seconds in once and then massage the affected muscles gently to get relief from muscle cramps.
You can also opt for swimming. We use most of the muscles during swimming. It helps in reducing soreness. The muscles movement in water helps in stretching of muscles. This helps in reducing pain and inflammation.
Note: If stretching muscles increase pain, avoid doing it.
9.) Massage to Get Rid of Cramps
You can also massage the cramped muscle to get relief from stiffness and soreness. Use gentle and long strokes until it provides you relief from pain. After massaging the affected area cover it up with a warm cloth or towel.
To make it more effective you can go for a massage oil made by adding 4 parts of vegetable oil with one part of wintergreen oil. Wintergreen oil has methyl salicylate which provides relief from pain and improves the flow of blood.
10.) Drink Fluids to Treat Cramps
If your body is not hydrated it could be a main cause leg cramping, rehydrate your body to get quick relief from the problem. Drink at least 8-12 glasses of water and other liquids as well in a day.
Directions:
- Have one to two glasses of water without any delay upon cramping, make sure to hydrate your body by drinking enough water all the day to avoid cramps.
- If you often get the muscle cramps during workouts, you should drink some water about two hours before each exercise and in between the usual breaks during workouts.
- You also can go for water-rich fruits and vegetables to decrease the risk of dehydration.
These easy home remedies are effective in treating muscle cramps but if you are getting muscle cramps frequently then you must visit a doctor.
