An involuntary, painful contraction of a muscle is known as a cramp. Once the muscle is allowed to rest or the internal trigger is no longer present, cramps will usually subside.
Muscles often remain sore and tender even after the cramping has ceased.
Alternative medicine is an appropriate first step for relief of muscle cramps. However, if your symptoms do not respond to natural therapies, the intervention of a conventional doctor may be necessary. Providers can alleviate pain by applying gentle pressure along meridians corresponding to areas of muscle cramping. Acupuncture is a core therapy of Chinese medicine and one of the oldest known techniques of healing. The acupuncturist stimulates particular acupoints corresponding to the patient 's complaint by inserting fine needles under the skin.