This type of cramps, in fact, can arise from causes having different origins and nature. In any case, it is a rather annoying symptom which, if particularly accentuated and / or frequent, can even become disabling for the person who experiences it.
To treat hand cramps, therefore, it is of fundamental importance to first identify the triggering factor and, subsequently, the possible treatment / therapy, where available.
present in the extremities of the upper limbs - therefore in the hands - which manifest themselves in an abrupt and unexpected way.Hand cramps can occur sporadically, or occur in a chronic form with more or less frequent and intense "attacks".
or to the whole arm.
The aforementioned stresses can occur during work activities and sports activities - competitive and non-competitive - which require intensive use of the hands, therefore of their muscles.
The appearance of hand cramps while performing a particular activity could be an indication of poor training of the muscles involved. In other cases, however, hand cramps could also occur when the muscles are trained, but there are predisposing conditions, such as dehydration or a lack of mineral salts.
Dehydration and lack of mineral salts
As mentioned, the possible causes of onset of hand cramps include dehydration and a lack of mineral salts, in particular, of magnesium and potassium.
Hand cramps that can appear in case of dehydration and lack of mineral salts are frequently, but not exclusively, associated with the execution of activities that require intense muscular work (for example, competitive sports, some manual work, etc.).
To learn more about the topic, we recommend reading the dedicated articles:
- Potassium deficiency
- Magnesium deficiency
- Magnesium and Potassium
- Hydration in Sports: How Much and What to Drink?
Graphospasm
Graphospasm - also known as scribe's cramp - is characterized by a painful spastic contraction of the hand and arm muscles. As you can easily guess from its name, it is a condition that manifests itself especially during writing.
The hand cramps that characterize graphospasm can result from muscle fatigue in the presence of alterations (such as, for example, inflammatory states, lack of strength, etc.), as well as from alterations at the nervous level.
Graphospasm is often thought of as a form of action-specific focal upper limb dystonia (ie, dystonia triggered by the performance of a certain activity).
Note: Dystonia is defined as any alteration in muscle or nerve tone.
Another condition that can lead to the appearance of cramps in the hands and similar to graphospasm as it belongs to the group of action-specific focal dystonia, is the dystonia of musicians.
For more information: Focal DystoniasCarpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is defined as the set of all those symptoms that arise following compression of the median nerve (one of the nerves that run through the arm and hand) at the wrist.
This compression is generated by the structures that make up the carpal tunnel and gives rise to various symptoms, including cramp-like pains that generally involve the wrist, thumb and index finger (but sometimes also the middle and part of the ring finger) and which are often identified as hand cramps. In some cases, the painful sensation can also spread throughout the arm.
For further information: Carpal Tunnel SyndromeMuscular dystrophies
Hand cramps can be a symptom of some types of muscular dystrophies, such as distal muscular dystrophies involving the muscles of the hands.
Muscular dystrophies are genetic pathologies caused by mutations in genes of fundamental importance for the correct development and / or for the correct muscular functioning.
For more information and to deepen the topic, please refer to the reading of the dedicated articles:
- Muscular dystrophy
- Main Types of Muscular Dystrophy
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Hand cramps as well as muscle cramps in general are some of the symptoms that can occur in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The symptoms of this disease tend to manifest themselves first in the hands, feet, arms and legs and then gradually spread to the rest of the body.
ALS is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system; the triggering cause of this degeneration has not yet been elucidated, but the researchers believe there is a combination of several factors that combine with each other to give rise to the disease.
For further information: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - ALSDiabetes
Diabetes is a disease characterized by excessively high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) which can give rise to various complications affecting various organs and tissues, including the nervous system and the muscular system. In some cases and generally in the more advanced stages of the disease , these complications may be responsible for the onset of hand cramps and muscle cramps in general.
For more information: Diabetes
Somatization of stress and anxiety
Finally, remember that sometimes, hand cramps could represent the somatization of conditions of strong stress or anxiety. In these cases, therefore, the triggering cause is not to be found in dysfunctions or anomalies on a physical level, but in a psychic suffering that afflicts the individual.
particularly intense, are recurrent throughout the day and / or are associated with other symptoms that hinder mobility, can even become disabling, leading the individual to a state of frustration. In such situations the mood can be affected, gradually worsening and evolving, in the most serious cases, towards real pathological pictures (depressive symptoms and depression). The risk of evolution towards depressive pathological pictures can increase if the hand cramps are due to serious diseases for which there is no definitive cure.What Symptoms Can Occur Along With Hand Cramps?
Hand cramps are often associated with other symptoms whose type and intensity may vary according to the type and severity of the disorder / disease that affected the patient.
However, among the symptoms that most commonly can occur together with hand cramps, we remember:
- Muscle weakness
- Tingling;
- Feeling of numbness;
- Stiffness in the hands and fingers.
- Complete and / or specific blood tests;
- Diagnostic tests such as:
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance;
- X-ray;
- Electromyography;
- Etc.
In addition to this, the doctor can also invite the patient to make specialist visits, such as, for example, neurological examination, diabetic examination and so on.
and / or surgery. For some of the pathologies that can give rise to hand cramps, unfortunately, there is no definitive therapy. In these cases, therefore, the treatment is generally symptomatic and supportive and aims to keep under control, for as far as possible, the symptoms (this is the case, for example, of ALS).
