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What is the difference between a muscle cramp and muscle strain?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Muscle pain can stop you in your tracks. But is it a cramp or a pulled muscle that's bothering you? Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Understanding the difference between a cramp and a pulled muscle can help you to treat the injury more effectively and get you back to peak performance.
What is a Cramp?
A cramp in a muscle is caused by an involuntary spasm or contraction. It is usually sudden, can cause significant pain and can limit the use of the muscle for a short period of time.
A cramp will present as a knot or hard spot in the muscle.
Cramp Causes
Cramps are usually caused by problems such as overworking a muscle, poor hydration, electrolyte imbalances, insufficient blood flow to the muscle or nerve compression.
Cramp Treatment
While cramps are painful, they are usually temporary and are easy to treat at home. Stretching the muscle, staying hydrated and resting the muscle will generally resolve the problem quickly.
What is a Pulled Muscle/Muscle strain?
A pulled muscle is actually a tear in the muscle tissue. This occurs when the muscle is strained to the point where the muscle is damaged. The more significant the strain, the more the muscle can be torn.
Pulled Muscle Causes
Pulled muscles are usually the result of not preparing the muscle for work through proper stretching, placing too much tension on the muscle or over-using the muscle. Soreness in the affected muscle is usually the first symptom. Using the muscle will be painful and difficult. In severe pulls, bruising may be present. The affected muscle will become very tender to the touch and some swelling may occur.
Pulled Muscle Treatment
Because the muscle tissue is actually damaged, it takes considerably longer for a pulled muscle to heal, often taking from four to six weeks for full recovery. Treat a pulled muscle with rest, a cold pack to reduce swelling within the first half hour of the injury occurring, and heat after that time to stimulate circulation. Anti-inflammatory medications can also help. As the healing process progresses, careful stretching and strengthening of the muscle can be helpful. In some severe cases, surgical repair may be necessary
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoA muscle strain is usually caused by some sort of trauma, where tendinitis is usually caused by overuse in general.
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A painful contraction of a muscle?
A spasm or cramp
What is the technical name for a muscle cramp?
the other name for muscle cramps is "pulikat"
What happens to the muscle when experiencing a cramp?
When a muscle cramp occurs, the muscle contracts forcibly and involuntarily and doesn't relax for the time the cramp lasts. The cramp can last from few seconds up to few minutes.
A muscle cramp is likely due to a lack of?
A muscle cramp is likely due to a lack of
What is the lump on your leg or muscle during cramp?
When you experience a leg or muscle cramp, it is because the muscle has constricted or tightened up. The lump you are referring to is the muscle itself that has tightened up. When your muscle relaxes, the cramp goes away.
Another word for a painful contraction of a muscle?
A painful contraction of a muscle is a cramp or charley horse.
What should you do when you get A muscle cramp?
Stop doing whatever activity triggered the cramp, Gently stretch and massage the cramping muscle, holding it in stretched position until the cramp stops, and Apply heat to tense/tight muscles, or cold to sore/tender muscles.
What is a painful contraction of a muscle called?
Often it is called a cramp.
Can you get tongue cramp?
No you can't crack your tongue. Your tongue is a muscle and does not have any bones inside it. Since it's a muscle, it's possible that you could strain or injure it. You could also pull or tear the structures that attatch your tongue to the floor of your mouth.
When a muscle contracts and will not relax?
Such a painful muscle contraction is commonly known as cramp.
What happens to muscle if you tighten it?
after a long period of exercise a muscle can cramp
What has to relax to a resting state after muscle contraction?
a cramp
