15 Yoga Poses to Treat Muscle Spasms and Cramps Cure

What is muscle spasms?

From a yogic point of view, we defined muscle spasms as the excessive pulling of body muscles while performing stretching and twisting yogic poses and asanas. Muscle spasms are also the outcome of strenuous physical exercises that lead to tearing, straining, or pulling body muscles.  Muscle spasms can be caused by tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves that make the spine. Muscle spasms cause pain in the neck, shoulder, leg, abdominal sides, etc. Sometimes, the pain may be chronic and beyond one’s limitations. The stretched muscles may be relaxed when they are given proper relaxation time.

Causes of muscle spasms

• Muscles sore
• Dehydration
• Excessive exercise
• Unfavorable climate (hot weather)
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Use of certain medicine

Best Yoga for muscle spasms

1. Tadasana (Palm tree pose): The palm tree pose gives stretch to muscles, especially the tiny ones from toes to finger. It also shows relaxation effects upon the nerves.
2. Parsavkonasana (Lateral angle posture): It facilitates stretching to the heart, waist, and hip muscles.
3. Bandha Konasana (The Cobbler Pose)
4. Makrasana (Crocodile posture):  It gives calming stretching to the legs and back muscles. It also helps to remove mental and physical fatigue from the body.
5. Yastikaana (Stick pose): It’s a simple yoga asana but quite effective in giving soothing stretch to the tiny muscles of the entire body.
6. Matsyasana: Good in treating back and neck muscle spasm
7. Adho Mukha Savasana (The downward-facing dog pose): It gives relief to the lower back muscles and provides support to the spine. It is good for healing muscle cramps.
8. Balasana (Child pose): It is one of the effective yoga poses to give relaxation to the body.  Since it provides calmness to the back and other body parts therefore good in treating muscle spasms.
9. Bhujangasana (The Cobra Pose): The cobra pose is good in giving gentle stretching to the back and legs. It also put tender stretch to the abdomen, shoulder, and the entire spinal column.
10. Wall Plank: It provides soothing stretching to the spine, especially the lower spines, leg, and hands.
11. Shavasana (Corpse pose): good in treating stress, strain, cramps, muscle spasm, depression, and other negative domains of the health area.
12. Setubandha Sarvangasana (The supported bridge pose)
13. Saithalyasana (Animal relaxation pose): good for stiff spines.
14. Anulom Vilom Pranayama: The pranayama is extremely beneficial in giving chilling muscle relaxation.
15. Deep  Breathing: It eases muscles toned.

Yoga for back muscle spasms

There are many Yoga poses, asanas, and exercises, which are good in the treatment of both upper back muscle spasms and lower back muscle spasms. Here, the list of Yoga poses, which are good in curing backache are:

1. Tadasana (palm tree pose)
2. Hastottanasana (Up-stretched arm posture)
3. Katichakrasana (Lumber-wheel posture)
4. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge formation pose)
5. Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)
6. Makrasana

Yoga for leg muscle spasms

1. Tadasana (palm tree pose)
2. Katichakrasana (Lumber-wheel posture)
3. Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)
4. Makrasana
5. Parsavkonasana (Lateral angle posture)
6. Warrior pose

Yoga for neck muscle spasms

1. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (1)

• Make yourself stand erect.
• Keep your neck relax and calm. Now, turn the head towards the right shoulder and again the left shoulder slowly.
• Continue the practice 10-15 times.
• Your breathing should be normal.

2. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (2)

• Keep your feet close in a standing position by keeping your back straight.
• Rotate the head from left to right and right to left
• Practice it 10 times.
• Your breathing is normal.

3. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (3):

• Stand erect
• Move your neck to and fro
• Initially, it for 10 times.

All these exercises are helpful in loosening the neck and helps in reducing neck spasms and neck cramps.

Home remedies for muscle spasms

• Drink 3-4 liters of water every day
• Taking a balanced and nutritious diet
• Doing simple yoga every day for 30-40 minutes
• Perform simple exercises, especially the stretching one
• Massage the area of the spasm
• Using a warm water bottle to the affected area.

Tips to treat muscle spasms

• Take a maximum rest
• If you want to perform the exercise, do the same as per your limit.
•  Applying tolerable heat to the affected area.
• An ice pack is also effective in subsidizing the pain
• While exercising, take a sports drink so that the mineral gets replenished.
• Try to avoid beverages such as alcohol, caffeine, and thein.
• One has to prefer those diets, which are rich in potassium i.e. banana.

Muscle spasms medicine

There are many medicines that ease the symptoms of cramps and show a calming effect on muscle spasms.

Sedative: This is an effective medication in treating muscle cramps and easing the muscles of the body.  It directly affects the central nervous system and shows the calming effects to the concerned area.

Carisoprodol: It gives relief from muscle cramps that happened due to involuntary contraction of muscles. The medicine is recommended when the person is experiencing acute muscle pain where the drug blocks the impulses of nerves to the brain.

Cyclobenzaprine: The medicine is good in giving soothing effects to the stretched muscles. It works upon the nerves but not hampering the functions of the muscle.