Question
Xiao Ming had a fall on December 27, 2009, and experienced sudden whole-body muscle spasms. How should he be treated?
Answer
Muscle spasms refer to the involuntary and strong contraction of a specific part of the body’s muscles, which cannot be relaxed quickly. The most common areas for muscle spasms to occur are the back of the calf, the back of the thigh, and the front of the thigh. Other possible areas for muscle spasms include feet, fingers, arms, abdomen, and even the small muscles between the ribs. During a muscle spasm, the entire muscle becomes rigid, and sometimes it is possible to see the phenomenon of muscle twitching under the skin. The duration of muscle spasms can range from a few seconds to over 15 minutes. If not treated promptly or if the original activity is not interrupted, they may occur repeatedly in a short period of time.