The more than 600 muscles in your body, whether responsible for gross movements like walking or fine, coordinated movements like smiling, are all subject to pain and spasm. Spasm occurs when a muscle contracts but fails to extend back to its original resting position. Spasms are common in adults and often occur at night. Large muscles are more susceptible to spasms, thus they occur more in the legs, abdomen, and sometimes in the back. Muscle cramps and pains occur in early childhood, as well-when they're commonly referred to as growing pains-and they can be very painful. Athletes get muscle cramps when their muscles are required to perform sudden, heavy workloads without proper warm-up. Inactivity, anemia, tobacco use, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, dehydration, and hypothyroidism are some of the causes of muscle pain and spasms.

Spasms are caused by an imbalance of the electrolytes calcium, magnesium, and potassium in the muscle tissue. Chronic alcoholics can suffer debilitating muscle spasms as a result of a severe depletion of the body's key electrolytes. Pain and muscle spasms can also be caused by lactic acid or toxin buildup as a result of muscle metabolism, viral infection, or muscle tears from injuries.

In Chinese medicine, the liver-gallbladder network is responsible for nourishing the tendons and ligaments of the body. Most muscular disorders are attributed to liver energy stagnation and its inability to clear the body of toxins. Treatment of muscle pain and spasms involves restoring liver energy flow and removing any blockages. It is well documented that muscle pain responds to acupuncture. With several treatments most acute muscle spasms can be relieved quickly. In chronic pain conditions in which there are underlying deficiencies, we incorporate herbal formulations to invigorate the blood, restore electrolyte balance, relax the muscles, and relieve stagnation. We may also use cupping to increase blood flow throughout the muscle, bodywork to stretch and soothe the muscle knots formed by chronic spasms, and moxibustion, which involves heating the acupoint with the herb mugwort.