High muscle tone - care; Increased muscle tension - care; Upper motor neuron syndrome - care; Muscle stiffness - care
DefinitionMuscle spasticity, or spasms, causes your muscles to become stiff or rigid. It can also cause exaggerated deep tendon reflexes, like a knee-jerk reaction when your reflexes are checked.
Self-careThese things may make your spasticity worse:
Your physical therapist can teach you and your caregiver stretching exercises you can do. These stretches will help keep your muscles from getting shorter or tighter.
Being active will also help keep your muscles loose. Aerobic exercise, especially swimming, and strength-building exercises are both helpful. Playing games and sports and doing daily tasks may also help. Talk with your doctor or physical therapist first before starting any exercise program.
Your doctor or nurse may place splints or casts on some of your joints to keep them from becoming so tight that you cannot move them easily. Make sure to wear these as your doctor or nurse tells you to.
Be careful about getting pressure sores from exercise or being in the same position in a bed or wheelchair for too long.
See also: Preventing pressure sores
Muscle spasticity can increase your chances of falling and hurting yourself. Be sure to take precautions so that you do not fall.
Drugs that Help with SpasticityYour doctor may prescribe drugs for you to take to help with muscle spasticity. Some common ones are:
These medicines have side effects. Call your doctor if you have these side effects and they make it hard for you to keep taking your medicine:
Do NOT just stop taking these drugs, especially zanaflex. It can be dangerous if you stop taking your medicine all at once.
When to Call the DoctorPay attention to changes in your muscle spasticity. Changes may mean that your other medical problems are getting worse.
Always call your doctor or nurse if you:
Lee Y-T, Brennan P. Cerebral palsy. In: Frontera, WR, Silver JK, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 114.
how long does muscle spasms last
Random/confused brain signals that force involuntary muscle movements. It is also known as 'Spasticity'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasticity
Spinal cord injury prevents the brain from telling the muscle to relax. The result is prolonged muscle contraction or spasticity.
what is the difference between muscle spasm and muscle cramps
Muscle spasms or cramps.
Botulinum toxin injections can help with spasticity by blocking the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, reducing muscle activity and spasm. This can help improve range of motion and muscle function in individuals with spasticity.
Random/confused brain signals that force involuntary muscle movements. It is also known as 'Spasticity'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasticity
muscle spasms. its a muscle relaxant.
Cidaflex is generally used to treat conditions such as muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain. It is a muscle relaxant that works by blocking nerve impulses and reducing muscle contractions. Cidaflex may be prescribed for conditions such as muscle strains, sprains, or certain neurological disorders that involve muscle spasticity.
Bracing may be used to support a weak muscle, or to prevent excess contraction of a spastic muscle.
One might find information about treating muscle spasms at the online site WebMD. They have great details on the causes and potential treatments for these spasms.
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