Why Are My Hands Cramping? -- Causes
and Top 10 Natural Remedies
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July 27, 2012
By Nick Mahshie, Contributing Columnist
If you find yourself held back by incessant hand and finger
cramps as you go about your daily activities, you may be a
victim of dystonia, or muscle cramps. Hand cramps can be
caused by several conditions or by vitamin deficiencies. Can
foods help to ease hand cramps? What are the best natural
remedies for hand cramps? Are there any exercises that
help?
Avid writers, musicians and craftsmen aren’t the only ones
that experience hand cramps. Anyone that finds
themselves engaged in prolonged fine motor movements is
prone to experiencing this unpleasant condition. What is
even more aggravating about this condition is that it tends
to take effect gradually, with no one immediate cause
making itself clear. What may begin with occasional acute
pain and aching can sometimes lead to more serious
tingling and burning in the fingers and palms.
While there may still be a considerable amount of mystery
surrounding hand dystonia or hand cramping and its
causes, there are some consistently recommended remedies
that can help you to relieve the symptoms and allow for
uninterrupted work with your hands. Writer’s cramps, as
they are often referred, often call for some of the most
common natural remedies, which yield significant
improvement in nearly two thirds of those persons treated.
Here are some of the most commonly followed natural
remedies for this condition:
1. Avoid Triggering Dystonia Inducers
One of the most effective methods for reducing hand
cramps is to simply avoid the activities that tend to trigger
them. While this may involve occupational therapy or using
adapted devices, it can make a huge difference.
One of the most common causes of hand cramps is using
the computer too much. You should stop every half and
hour, stretch and rest your hands. Keeping your hands at
the proper angle for computer use is also important. Make
sure that your computer's keyboard is below your hands to
avoid straining your wrist.
Combined with regular stretching routines, ergonomic tools
designed for extended computer use can help reduce hand
cramps by a great degree.
2. Use Vitamin D Supplements
Dietary deficiencies are often the largest contributor to
hand cramps and even those symptoms commonly
associated with hand dystonia. According to Robert W.
Neel, M.D., a vitamin D deficiency can lead to arm or hand
cramps.
Vitamin D is essential for using and building calcium
minerals, those directly responsible for nourishing healthy
teeth and bones. Dietary sources like fish and dairy are
great sources of Vitamin D and Calcium, but taking daily
supplements can also ensure an ample supply within your
body. The University to Maryland Medical Center published
a report in June of 2008 that defended these findings
about the importance of Vitamin D. (Read more about
remedies for Vitamin D deficiency.)
3. Try Vitamin B6 Supplements for Hand Cramps
This vitamin, also known as pyridoxine, has been known to
suppress muscle cramping significantly. Real deficiencies of
Vitamin B6 can indirectly lead to excessive muscle
cramping. In fact, according to a 1998 study published in
"Neuromuscular Disorder" showed that patients suffering
from McArdle disease who stopped taking B6 supplements
for 10 weeks experienced an increase in muscle cramping.
4. Increase Potassium and Sodium in Your Diet
According to Health Services at Columbia University, a diet
very low in potassium, sodium, magnesium and possibly
calcium may make your hands cramp. While these minerals
are quite different from vitamins in a nutritional sense, it is
certainly an important point to make that a body that lacks
sufficient amounts of them will often lead to more muscle
cramping, particularly in the arms, legs and hands. Without
properly replenishing your body with the minerals or
electrolytes lost during periods of heavy exercise, you are
much more prone to muscle contractions and cramping.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help Hand Cramps
Made from the fermented juice taken from crushed apples,
this substance contains vitamins B1, B2, and B5, as well as
Vitamin C and small amounts of essential minerals such as
sodium, phosphorous, potassium, and calcium. Because it
contains exactly the kind of ingredients that have been
recommended as ways of fighting muscle cramps, regular
daily doses can be helpful in reducing the occurrence of
these problematic symptoms.
6. Try Pickle Juice Supplements for Hand Cramps
While various accounts of anecdotal evidence have
routinely expressed the benefits of this unusual supplement
as a natural remedy for hand cramps, David Schlundt, PhD,
also maintains that this supplement can help with
dehydration, which is often attributed as one of the main
causes of muscle cramps and twitching.
Prolonged use of the hands while conducting one particular
fine motor activity will inevitably lead to hand cramps, and
staying properly hydrated by ingesting pickle juice
regularly can help fight the condition. The downside of
pickle juice? It often is high is salt, which can lead to high
blood pressure in some people. (Read more about natural
remedies for high blood pressure.)
7. Saddle Joint Exercises
The joint found at the base of the thumb is known as the
saddle joint, clinically known as the basal joint, according
to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Performing routine stretches and exercises that allow full
mobilization of this joint is a recommended activity for both
those who suffer from arthritis as well as hand cramps.
8. A Warm Soak or Hot Compress
As far as natural remedies are concerned, this one scores
high in everyone’s book. The warmth of a heating pad or
hot towel tends to relax the muscles, which are the root
cause of this problem. When muscles are relaxed in the
hands, it’s easier to stretch them out or massage them for
further relief.
9. Magnesium Salt Baths
While it is commonly advocated that those who lack
potassium are at a greater risk of experiencing these
muscle cramps of the hands, it is a lesser-known fact that
magnesium sulfate can largely assist in relaxing the
muscles. A simple bath of Epsom salts allows the body to
quickly absorb magnesium and aids in the immediate
relaxation of the twitching and aching associated with hand
cramps.
10. Drink Water to Relieve Hand Cramps
It may seem a bit obvious, but many health ailments,
including the constant cramping of the hands might just be
a result of dehydration. According to the extensive
research and studies of Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, simply staying
hydrated can reduce one’s risk of numerous life-
threatening diseases and countless hours of pain. By doing
so, you do yourself the favor of quickly and easily
replenishing you bodies lost nutrients and minerals, fending
off cramps in the most natural form available.
While there is no one clear-cut remedy for eliminating
muscle cramps in the hands altogether, these natural
remedies can assist in the process of reducing the pain
associated with this condition. In his report published in
March 2010, entitled “ Hand or Foot Spasms”, Daniel C.
Hoch, Phd advocates vitamin supplements as a key factor in
keeping these painful conditions at bay.
The common causes of hand cramps are typically linked to
consistent use of the hands for fine motor activities like
gripping utensils or tools, typing, or playing a musical
instrument. Fortunately, giving these actions up is not the
solution, and incorporating dietary supplements, stretching,
and massaging practices into your daily routine can rid you
of hand cramps without the use of expensive chemical
treatments or drugs.
Related: Swollen Ankles-Causes and Cures /Tight Bras and
Briefs-Health Dangers /Night Cramps/ Night Sweats
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