Muscle cramps: what are their causes, not only due to magnesium deficiency?

The first is primary muscle cramps, which can be a common response to overloading of a muscle or muscle group, for example during excessive physical or sporting activity.

Secondary muscle cramps are a symptom of an underlying disease, such as kidney disease, electrolyte disturbances, diabetes or even liver disease.

Primary and secondary muscle cramps

A muscle cramp is also known as a cramp. It is a voluntary uncontrolled contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. These cramps may arise as a result of an unknown cause. Then they are called primary. Their occurrence is quite common.

It is estimated that up to 75% of the population experiences them during their lifetime.

However, if a muscle spasm is the result of a known disease, we call it secondary. They are most common in diabetes, liver disease (cirrhosis), renal insufficiency, dialysis patients, and electrolyte disorders.

They are also present in patients with thyroid diseases, as a consequence of neurological diseases and also as a consequence of drug use.

In children, so-called febrile convulsions are also found, which are related to fever and subside after its reduction.

Muscle cramps can be local, affecting only a particular muscle or group of muscles. There are also generalised, i.e. whole-body muscle cramps, which are often accompanied by unconsciousness.

Primary causes of muscle cramps

Primary cramps are not a manifestation of disease. Thus, no diagnosis is known after examination. Their occurrence is also in healthy people. Risk groups include:

• age over 50 years
• 7 times more common in pregnancy
• flat feet
• painful skin diseases, varicose veins in the lower limbs
• alcohol consumption

Muscle cramps at rest tend to be present in most people at night (about 70% of cases). During the day they occur to a lesser extent. The main muscles affected tend to be leg muscles, calf muscles, thigh muscles.

Nocturnal muscle cramps result in poor sleep quality.

They are also caused by muscle strain, sporting activity and also by excessive load on the muscles. They are also affected by fatigue or exhaustion. The most common experience of them is among football players.

They can also be present in dehydration, as a result of diarrhoea or when working in excessively hot conditions.

Their occurrence is also affected by a deficiency of certain minerals, the main ones being magnesium.

In addition, magnesium affects several physiological bodily functions:

• nervous activity
• neuromuscular transmission of impulses
• muscle tone and muscle activity
• which is related to the cardiovascular system and blood pressure regulation
• also important for the digestive system
• regulation of calcium and thus bone and tooth quality
• oxygen and sugar transport
• thyroid function
• prostate function

Magnesium deficiency can manifest itself as:

• headache
• weakness
• impaired concentration
• nervousness
• high blood pressure
• heart palpitations
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• muscle cramps
• tingling in the limbs

Secondary muscle cramps

Secondary muscle cramps are usually the result of a known disease. Sometimes they are the first symptom. Subsequent investigation into the cause reveals that the trigger is an as yet unidentified disease.

Neurological diseases and convulsions

Muscle spasms are typical of several neurological diseases, including epilepsy, which is a disease that manifests itself in epileptic seizures. Muscle spasms occur during these seizures and, in the generalised form, the aforementioned unconsciousness.

In some cases of myopathy, there is muscle pain and also muscle spasms. This is particularly the case with muscular dystrophy, one of the forms of myopathy. This disease is particularly common in pre-school children. Another example is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Muscle spasms, as well as reduced sensitivity in the hands and feet, for example, are also seen in neuritis. Tingling, stiffness or burning sensations in the affected limb are common, and muscle weakness is also present.

People with Parkinson's disease, which results from the loss of brain cells, also have problems with control and coordination of movements. It starts with mild muscle spasms, which then develop into stiffness and trembling.

Muscle cramps, blood vessels, metabolism

In some diseases of the blood vessels, problems can arise particularly in the limbs. For example, in ischaemic disease of the lower limbs, the blood supply is disturbed particularly at the end of the lower limbs and the person suffers muscle twitching and cramps.

They occur as secondary to, for example, phenylketonuria, which is a metabolic disorder of aromatic acids mainly influenced by hereditary predispositions. In celiac disease they occur as a consequence of problems with nutrient absorption and various bone and movement disorders.

Also in infectious diseases

Some infectious diseases can manifest themselves as muscle problems. In meningitis, the infection can spread throughout the body and the person may experience muscle pain and sometimes muscle cramps. Tetanus is also a good example.

Tapeworm infection causes a disease called teniasis and primarily affects the digestive system. The tapeworm lives in the host's intestine. If the infection spreads to the brain, visual disturbances, headaches, psychological disturbances and convulsions occur.

Immunosuppressed convulsions

Toxoplasmosis is also a serious parasitic infection and is more severe in immunocompromised people. Headaches and malaise are typical. Brain infections, disturbances of consciousness, partial paralysis and convulsions may occur.

They occur in people with AIDS, which is a disease of the immune system caused by the HIV virus. They can manifest themselves in the case of complications, when various neuropsychiatric disorders and disorders of consciousness affect the person.

Medication, alcohol, drugs in connection with muscle cramps

A special group are cramps that occur as a result of the use of drugs. In the past, they occurred, for example, when taking diuretics, which are drugs for drainage. Nowadays, they are mainly statins and fibrates, which are designed to treat elevated cholesterol levels.

It should also be mentioned that muscle cramps are often the result of long-term alcoholism. They also occur in other substance abuse and muscle cramps are also common in cases of drug overdose (intoxication). Another case is cramps in mushroom poisoning.