National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Muscle Cramps is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in one or more of your muscles. They often occur after exercise or at night, lasting a few seconds to several minutes. It is a very common muscle problem.
Muscle cramps can be caused by nerves that malfunction. Sometimes this malfunction is due to a health problem, such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in the neck or back. Other causes are
Cramps can be very painful. Stretching or gently massaging the muscle can relieve this pain.
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)