Dear Dr. Fritz,
Good day to you. Please call me Big Mario. I have concerns about my muscle cramps. I usually get them at dawn. I really don’t know what to do. I have been stretching my legs because they told me that could help. But, still, the problem just keeps on coming back and it’s almost every day. I am getting anxious. Are there exercises that I can do? Please help.
Thank you and God bless.
Big Mario
Dear Big Mario,
First of all, I wanted you to know the cause of your muscle cramps – so as for you to get the right treatment. You can go to your doctor and find out. I hope you visit your physician as soon as you can so you can sleep tight and not worry about your situation.
There are a lot of medical conditions that are associated with muscle cramps and to name a few – there are amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and tetany due to Calcium deficiency, among others. But, the good news is, most oftentimes, this muscle cramp can just be due to nutritional deficiency and dehydration. So, there is not much to worry about here. Well, let’s just hope for some good tidings rather than dwelling on some gloomy thoughts.
Now, if the cause of your leg cramps is known, then, the underlying cause must be treated first before doing anything else. So, if the muscle cramps are related to liver disease due to high levels of toxins in the blood which trigger these muscle spasms, then, muscle relaxants can help prevent your muscles from getting into another episode of spasm – aside from treating the main cause of your problem.
But, I think we are losing some space here for now, so, bear with me and let me continue this in my next issue. Until then!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.”. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building 1, Juan Luna St., Davao City, or you e-mail them to dokatlaw@gmail.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)
