Cramp

A cramp is a sudden, and involuntary muscle contraction or over-shortening; while generally temporary and non-damaging, they can cause mild-to-excruciating pain, and a paralysis-like immobility of the affected muscle(s). Onset is usually sudden, and it resolves on its own over a period of several seconds, minutes, or hours. Cramps may occur in a skeletal muscle or smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle cramps may be caused by any combination of muscle fatigue, a lack of electrolytes (e.g., low sodium, low potassium, or low magnesium). Cramps of smooth muscle may be due to menstruation or gastroenteritis.

Differential diagnosis

Causes of cramping includehyperflexion, hypoxia, exposure to large changes in temperature, dehydration, or low blood salt. Muscle cramps may also be a symptom or complication of pregnancy, kidney disease, thyroid disease, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia or hypocalcaemia (as conditions), restless-leg syndrome, varicose veins, and multiple sclerosis.

Electrolyte disturbance may cause cramping and muscle tetany, particularly hypokalemia and hypocalcaemia. This disturbance arises as the body loses large amounts of interstitial fluid through sweat. This interstitial fluid comprises mostly water and salt (sodium chloride). The loss of osmotically active particles outside of muscle cells leads to a disturbance of the osmotic balance and therefore shrinking of muscle cells, as these contain more osmotically active particles. This causes the calcium pump between the muscle sarcoplasm and sarcoplasmic reticulum to short circuit; the calcium ions remain bound to the troponin, continuing muscle contraction.

Wolfsangel

The Wolfsangel (German pronunciation: [ˈvɔlfsˌʔaŋəl]) is a German heraldic charge inspired by an actual historic wolf trap consisting of two metal parts and a connecting chain. The top part of the trap, which resembled a crescent moon with a ring inside, used to be fastened between branches of a tree in the forest while the bottom part, on which meat scraps used to be hung, was a hook meant to be swallowed by a wolf. The simplified design based on the iron "wolf-hook" was often heavily stylized to no longer resemble a baited hook hung from a tree or an entire wolf trap. Other names included Wolfsanker ("wolf-anchor") or Wolfsjagd as well as hameçon or hameçon de loup, a half-moon shape with a ring, or as cramp or crampon in English with a ring at the center, sometimes also called Doppelhaken "double-hook", or acrampon with a transversal stroke. All of these symbols are still found in a number of municipal coats of arms in Germany. The crampon is also found as a mason's mark in medieval stonework.

Cramp (disambiguation)

A cramp is a sudden, involuntary muscle contraction, often temporarily painful and paralysing.

Cramp or cramps may also refer to:

  • Cramp (heraldry), a hooked device in German heraldry
  • The Cramps, a garage punk band
  • Cramp & Co., built many schools etc. in Philadelphia in the 20th century
  • William Cramp & Sons, built many ships in Philadelphia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
  • Charlie Cramp (1876–1933), British trade unionist
  • Stanley Cramp (1913–1987), British ornithologist
  • Rosemary Cramp (1926– ), British archaeologist
  • Sid Cramp, Australian politician
  • Podcasts:

    Cramp

    ALBUMS

    Cramp

    Cramp

    ALBUMS

    PLAYLIST TIME:

    More to This

    by: Cramp

    Cramp Feat. Natalie Peris
    Every day´s another story to write
    Endless chapters full of tears and lies
    So many pages yet no answers to why
    I´m still hanging on when there´s
    No love in sight.
    Show me the meaning
    (Show me the meaning)
    Show me that there´s more to this
    Show me the meaning
    (Show me the meaning)
    Show me that this love still lives
    Show me the meaning
    (Show me the meaning)
    Show me that there´s more to this
    Open your heart and let me in




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