Muscle cramps- symptoms, causes,prevention

What is Cramps
A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. When they use the muscles that can be controlled voluntarily, such as those of our legs and arms, they alternately contract and relax as they move our limbs. A muscle that involuntarily contracts is in a "spasm." If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. It lasts for few seconds.
Causes
Some medicines like diurities may cause cramps.
Several vitamin deficiency may directly or indirectly lead to muscle cramps.
These include deficiencies of thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6).
Poor circulation to the legs, which ends in inadequate oxygen to the muscle tissue, may cause extreme pain in the muscle that occurs with jogging or exercise.

Symptoms of cramps
A cramp is painful, often severely so. Usually, the sufferer must cease whatever activity is under way and seek relief from the cramp; the person is unable to make use of the affected muscle while it is cramping. Extreme cramps may be associated with soreness and swelling, which can occasionally persist up to several days after the cramp has subsided. At the time of cramping, the knotted muscle will bulge, feel firm, and may be tender.
How can muscle cramps be prevented?
Most cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched.
For lots of cramps of the feet and legs, this stretching can often be accomplished by standing up and jogging around.
 For a calf muscle cramp, the person can stand about four to four.5 feet from a wall  and lean in to the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor.
Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak.
Cramps are inevitable, but if feasible, it would be best to prevent them.

Activity: Authorities recommend stretching before and after exercise or sports, along with an adequate warm-up and cooldown, to prevent cramps that are caused by vigorous physical activity. Nice hydration before, in the coursework of, and after the activity is important, if the period exceeds hour.

Rest cramps: Night cramps and other rest cramps can often be prevented by regular stretching exercises, if completed before going to bed. Even the simple calf-stretching maneuver (described in the first paragraph of the section on treatment), if held for ten to 15 seconds and repeated or times before going to bed, can be a great help in stopping nocturnal cramps.

Constipation Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis

What is constipation

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time

between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three

 times a day;others, only one or two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is

too long. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and more difficult to pass.

What Causes Constipation?

Constipation is usually caused by a disorder of bowel function rather than a structural problem. Common causes of constipation include:

• Inadequate water intake.
• Inadequate fiber in the diet.
• A disruption of regular diet or routine; traveling.
• Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility.
• Eating large amounts of dairy products.
• Stress.

Constipation & Exercise: 

Running Your Way to Healthy Digestion

 Of the best choices of exercise for constipation relief is a brisk 10- to 20-minute walk. Make running a habit by taking a stroll after dinner & before bedtime. If you"ve eaten a sizable meal, you may need to wait an hour or so before running. After you eat, blood flows to the intestines to help you digest your food. In case you exercise immediately following a meal, blood will be diverted toward your heart & muscles & away from your digestive tract.

Constipation is a common digestive issue. Fortunately, there's several natural cures, like eating a diet rich in fiber & drinking plenty of fluids. Most notably, exercise may be what you need to help relieve your constipation if your bowel movements are not jogging on schedule. Exercise that accelerates your breathing & gets your heart pumping can help get everything else going.

If running doesn"t appeal to you, try yoga. Yoga masters think that positive yoga positions & breathing exercises aid digestion & strengthen stomach muscles, thus helping to relieve constipation.

Aerobic activities
Aerobic activities are probably the best exercises for relieving constipation. Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to our organs, & bringing more blood to the gastrointestinal tract ends in stronger intestinal contractions & more digestive enzymes. The stronger the contractions & the more those juices flow, the more quickly & basically food waste will move through the colon & out of the body. Aerobic exercise can include running, jogging, swimming, biking, & plenty of other similar activities.


Do"s and Dont"s¦

You can get constipation relief or work to prevent constipation now with the right constipation diet. Follow these diet dos & don"ts.
Dont"s
Depend on processed foods. Processed foods don"t have much fiber. Eating lots of of them can lead to constipation  better to go with natural foods like fruits & vegetables than to get your meals & snacks from a box or bag.
Drink coffee or caffeinated drinks all day. Caffeine is a stimulant so it may cause you to have a bowel movement. But it can also cause dehydration, which can have the opposite effect & lead to constipation,
Go overboard on dairy. Dairy by itself may not lead to constipation, but the lactose in dairy can produce gas & make you uncomfortable if you"re backed up already. Also, foods that are loaded with cheese aren"t usually part of a balanced diet, so be positive to get the recommended every day servings of dairy from healthy, low-fat sources, such as nonfat milk & yogurt.
Drink too much alcohol. Like caffeine, alcohol can dehydrate you & cause constipation. Limiting your alcohol intake can help relieve constipation.
Do"s
Drink lots of fluids. Getting the recommended six glasses of water a day helps to soften your chair, making elimination simpler. Drinking the right amount of fluids may also help chair leave the colon.
Eat fresh & dried fruit. Fruit, dried fruit, is loaded with fiber & is of the foods that help relieve constipation. Along with water, fiber helps give chair the right consistency to pass basically. Nice fruit choices for a constipation diet are raisins, prunes, figs, bananas, apples, & applesauce.
Load your plate with vegetables. Vegetables are also high in fiber & can help prevent constipation. Pinto beans, legumes, salads, & raw vegetables are all high in fiber, making them great choices for constipation relief & prevention.
Fill up on whole grains for fiber. Look for whole-grain bread, oatmeal, ground flax seed, barley, & wheat bran cereal. Your objective ought to be to get up to 35 grams of fiber a day, & ounce of wheat bran cereal gives you ten grams.