Dr. Nawalkar Rajesh

In Ayuveda, muscle cramp is known as “khalli vaata”. Vyaana vaata it is a biological force that is responsible for regulating the functioning of your voluntary muscles. In case of a muscle cramp, the vyaana vaata gets impaired. Metabolic wastes are harmful toxins that tend to get accumulated in your system if not flushed out of your body and deposited between your muscle tissues and nerve-endings. This toxic waste is known as “aama” in Ayurveda, and it is known be a prominent cause of cramps. Besides aama, vata dosha is also responsible for muscles cramps.

Ayurveda provides a number of remedies to treat the problem of muscle cramps. The following are some of the most effective remedies to relief the discomfort of muscle cramps:
1. Drink warm milk to get instant relief from abdominal cramps. The alkaline properties of milk help to pacify the acidic condition in stomach that results in cramps. It is also a rich source of calcium which is known to aid in the relaxation of troubled muscles.
2. Physical activity including stretching exercise is effective in reducing the acute pain of leg cramps.
3. Garlic compound which is also called as 'Lagsunadivati' is helpful in relaxing muscles and it is also known to calm the “vata dosha” that aids in relieving muscle cramps.
4. Do warm up exercises and stretching exercises to lessen the risk of developing a muscle cramp during your workout session
5. Increase the intake of foods that are rich in minerals, calcium, potassium and magnesium as it is known to reduce the chances of muscle cramps.
6. Massage the painful region with 'prasarini taila' or 'mahanarayana taila' to relax the strained muscle.
7. Apply ice pack on the strained muscle to reduce the swelling and pain of the muscle.
8. Sinhanaada guggulu is well known to provide instant relief from muscle cramp. It has medicinal properties which have a mild laxative effect. It eases the problem of abdominal cramps and lessens the discomfort associated with it.
9. In case of extreme pain, 'Lakshmivilaas rasa', “Prataapa lankeswara rasa”, are among the most effective Ayurvedic medications which are known to provide relief in case of chronic muscle cramps.

If you wish to discuss about any specifi problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Health Tip Knee Pain and Exercise Therapy

Knee pain is second most pain next to back pain in middle age. It could be due to physical injury or by pathological reasons. And correct alignment should be maintained in sitting walking or standing involving body pressure to the limbs expecially to knees. In case of pathological causes should be watched and followed to control infections or to improve immunological components in the body to support the efficiency in managing the resistance against all agents

Exercise science or therapy plays a very vital role in controlling the pain and to reduce symptoms. The foremost exercises are to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, which could be done by keeping a pillow or small bedsheets preferably cotton beneath knee and pressing hard for 5 to 7 seconds and repeating the same for 15 times resting for 3 second in every repitations (see the pic attached). And hamstring muscle strengthening by lifting straight into 90% without bending the knees and holding the same for 3 to 5 seconds as possible and repeating it for 10 to 15 times for one duration, better to do for twice daily in stipulated time regularly, along with calcium rich and vitamin d3 in sufficlient level.

For pain even hot and cold water fomentation for thrice a day for 5 days regularly can be given to receive locally, for worst pain management physiotherapy interferential therapy (ift) and vacuumtherapy can be given for 7 to 10 days followed by strengthening exercise under guidance from physiotherapist

www.pmnspeciaality.com