Almost everyone will experience a painful leg spasm at some point. These spasms, sometimes called “Charley horses,” are a painful contraction that can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Residual pain can linger for days. Spasms most often occur during intense activity, such as while running, or when a person is just dozing off or waking up. The muscles of the hands, arms, abdomen, or along the rib cage are all prone to spasms, but most muscle spasms occur in the foot, calf, or thigh muscles. Sometimes, especially after an injury of some sort, these spasms can become chronic.
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No single cause has been identified for muscle spasms, but there are several potential causes, such as:
- Overexertion/muscle fatigue
- Insufficient stretching before activity
- Poor circulation
- Dehydration, which can cause magnesium, potassium, or sodium deficiency
- Calcium deficiency during pregnancy
- Nerve malfunction, possibly caused by a pinched nerve or injury
The occasional muscle spasm isn’t cause for great alarm. A multivitamin, increased fluid intake, and proper warm-ups before exercise can often prevent more spasms. Avoiding overexertion from too much exercise can also prevent spasms.
Although most muscle spasms aren’t serious, some might call for medical intervention.
Sometimes, muscle spasms can have deeper causes that make them more difficult to treat. Injuries to the head or spinal cord can sometimes lead to frequent muscle spasms. Additionally, some medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis, can be accompanied by regular spasms. When muscle spasms occur frequently despite efforts to prevent them, or begin to interfere with daily life, it might be time to speak to a physician.
Because a muscle spasm in the leg is a painfully strong contraction of the muscle, it makes sense that a muscle relaxant might help by relaxing the muscle. However, the name muscle relaxant is somewhat misleading, because this group of drugs doesn’t act directly on muscles. Instead, most muscle relaxants act on the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. As a result of the way they function, muscle relaxants can almost be thought of as entire-body relaxants. Indeed, the most common side effect of muscle relaxants is drowsiness or sedation.
According to some sources, stress might actually contribute to or worsen muscle spasms. If this is the case, the sedative-like qualities of muscle relaxants may also contribute to their effectiveness. As stated on the healthline website:
“The sedative effect that most muscle relaxants cause may also be important. Many experts think that much of the benefit of these drugs may come from the sedation they induce in people.”
However they work, muscle relaxants have been proven to provide relief from painful spasms in the legs.
There are 2 types of muscle relaxants that can relieve leg pain from spasms.
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The 1st type of muscle relaxant is classified as an antispastic. These medications decrease spasticity, which happens when there is increased muscular tone and exaggerated tendon reflexes. Chronic spasticity is often an effect of neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or a spinal cord injury. As a result, antispastic muscle relaxants are generally prescribed for individuals whose muscle spasms are neurologically caused. Baclofen and dantrolene are both antispastic medications. Some research suggests that antispastic muscle relaxants’ effectiveness may be limited as compared to antispasmodic muscle relaxants.
Antispasmodic muscle relaxants, on the other hand, work by reducing the number of spasms experienced, which in turn reduces the pain caused by spasms. Although it’s not clear exactly how antispasmodic muscle relaxants work, they have been proven successful at treating chronic pain from frequent muscle spasms. Spasms that are caused by musculoskeletal issues often respond well to antispasmodic muscle relaxants. Non-benzodiazepines and benzodiazepines are both classified as antispasmodic muscle relaxants.
The most common side effect of both antispastic and antispasmodic muscle relaxants is drowsiness.
Because of this, physicians might not prescribe muscle relaxants to people with jobs that require the use of potentially dangerous equipment, like pilots or construction workers. It’s also recommended that a person taking a muscle relaxant for the 1st time do so at home, so he or she can see if the muscle relaxant will cause a serious sedative effect.
In some cases, individuals with a leg pain condition that could benefit from traditional oral pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), might have another condition that makes the use of nsaids impossible or unwise. For example, nsaids can cause bleeding or damage to the liver in some cases. Someone with liver disease or a history of ulcers should avoid nsaids. For these individuals, muscle relaxants can provide a viable alternative.
Another surprising treatment option for muscle spasms is Botox injections.
Clostridium botulinum bacteria produce enzymes called botulinum neurotoxins. The word Botox is a shortened version of this enzyme’s name: Bo from botulinum and tox from neurotoxins. Botox enzymes attach to nerve endings, preventing the release of chemical transmitters that tell a muscle to move. This causes temporary paralysis of the injected muscle, which prevents muscle spasms. It is thought that this temporary paralysis also disrupts neurotransmitters that send pain messages. Therefore, not only can Botox prevent further painful muscle spasms, it can also potentially relieve pain from previous spasms.
After a Botox injection is delivered to the affected muscle, it usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to take full effect. Data regarding the use of Botox to treat painful muscle spasms is somewhat limited. However, findings have indicated that it can, indeed, relieve pain. Botox’s effects aren’t permanent, but injections can be repeated every 3 months. Because it treats the symptoms rather than the cause of pain, many physicians also recommend some form of therapy along with Botox injections.
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