Charley Horse

Charley Horse Causes And Treatment
 

A charley horse is basically a muscle spasm that usually occurs in your leg, especially in the calf. It is an involuntary, sudden, and sometimes powerful muscle cramp or contraction that causes muscular pain ranging from mind to severe. The pain is often described as feeling like someone has tied the muscle into a a "knot."

It is sometimes spelled "charlie" horse, but that version is generally considered to be incorrect.

It's believed that the phrase "charley horse" originated in the American sport of baseball. Although it is widely used and recognized in the United States, it is virtually unknown in other English-speaking countries. It has been found in American newspaper archives as far back as the late 19th century.

Charley horse causes

A charley horse usually occurs without warning and there's no way to tell one is coming until it arrives. There are certain conditions, however, that make a charley horse cramp more likely to happen.

Dehydration is believed to be a primary cause. When you're dehydrated, you have low levels of certain minerals that you need for muscle performance, including potassium and calcium.

You can become dehydrated for a number of reasons, of course. Exercise and strenuous physical activity, especially in hot, humid weather, tops the list. Muscle spasms often happen to swimmers who use their calf muscles a lot to help propel them through the water. Spasms in the upper legs tend to happen when the activity calls for a lot of running or jumping.

You can also cause a charley horse by injuring or overusing a muscle.

Your nerves may also play a role. When a nerve that's connected to a muscle is irritated, a spasm can result. For instance, a herniated disc in your back can irritate nerves and cause muscles to cramp.

A charley horse can also result from stress and anxiety. Neck pain from a muscle spasm is often the result of tension and emotional strain.

Many times a charley horse will strike while you're asleep.

Treatment

When a charley horse strikes, there's not much you can do except try to relax, massage the muscle that has gone into spasm, and possibly stretch it gently. Of course, none of these are easy sometimes because the pain can be severe until the "knot" has loosened.

Heat may help if the muscle is still tight after a few minutes. This may be followed with ice packs if there's some residual soreness.

When a charley horse has caused severe pain, you may want to ask your doctor about medications. He or she may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antispasm prescriptions.

If you get muscle spasms often, your doctor will want to figure out why and then treat the cause. There are no imaging studies or blood tests that can reliably diagnose the causes of a charley horse. But if damaged or irritated nerves are involved, an MRI may be useful. Physical therapy or even surgery may then be appropriate.

Athletes often rely on salt tablets and sports drinks that are supplemented with minerals to keep themselves hydrated. Orange juice and bananas are great sources of potassium - you can eat or drink them prior to activity, or possibly even during activity. Proper training and pre-competition stretching exercises are likely to lessen the risk of muscle spasms.

Most of the time, a charley horse is a rare and unpredictable occurrence that is over quickly and does no long term harm. However, if you get charley horses often, and they causes severe pain, it's a good idea to check with your doctor.

Click on muscle pain relief for additional information on muscle pain relief.