How to Get Rid of Cramps in 1-2 Minutes (Easy Breathwork)

Athletic woman with leg cramps Millions of people suffer from various types of cramps (spasms) every day (Jansen et al, 1991). The most common and painful types are stomach cramps, spasms in muscles (e.g., legs or foot), and severe menstrual cramping (due to periods). This simple breathing technique, "How to Get Rid of Cramps", was developed by Russian MDs. They have successfully applied this method to thousands of their patients. Virtually all people reported that they could prevent or stop their suffering in about 1-2 minutes. This technique is used to relieve severe menstrual cramps, stomach and leg-foot spasms, and many other types of cramps. This technique can be also applied during night sleep.

Steps to Follow (How to Get Rid of Spasms)

Medical doctors smiling Relax all your muscles, the affected area included. Next, after your usual exhalation, pinch your nose and hold your breath until you experience initial discomfort, but bear in mind that you need to breathe only through the nose after the breath hold.

When you release the nose after this period of breath holding, instead of taking a large inhalation, take a smaller inhalation using the abdominal (stomach) muscles only and then immediately relax all muscles. Take another (smaller) inhalation using the abdomen and again completely relax.

Reduced breathing to get rid of cramps With each breath, inhale a small amount of air (about 20-30% less than your usual breathing). Make these inhalations only through the nose and using the abdominal muscles. Then completely relax all your muscles. Your goal is to maintain a shortage of air or air hunger for the next 1-2 minutes. This breathing technique helps you to stop or eliminate cramping about 2-10 faster than doing nothing or using conventional techniques (relaxing and stretching the affected muscles or area, and so forth). Severe spasms may require a period of breathing retraining so that you automatic breathing pattern is slower and lighter (for higher body oxygenation).

If you use this breathing exercise during night sleep for spasms in legs, feet, or stomach; or spasms due to severe menstrual periods, lie on your chest or the left side.

Why does it work?

As a result of this exercise, hypercapnia (elevated CO2 levels) suppresses increased (or abnormal) excitability of neurons, restores normal transmission of signals in the nervous network that controls work of muscle cells, and improves blood and oxygen delivery to the affected area. The same mechanism is applicable to muscle spasms due to severe menstrual periods and those during sleep at night.

While pain due to most leg spasms, and muscle or stomach cramps can be reduced or stopped in 1-2 minutes, more time and higher body oxygen levels (up to 30-35 seconds) are required for elimination of suffering due to severe menstrual periods.

How automatic breathing parameters relate to spasms and cramping

(muscle, stomach, leg cramps in bed, period or menstrual cramps, and many others)

with the permanent way to get rid of cramps and spasms

Respiratory Frequency*	Body Oxygen Test (morning result)	Chances of cramps
More than 20 breaths/min	Less than 20 s	Very possible
15-20 breaths/min	20-30 s	Possible
12-15 breaths/min	30-40 s	Very rare
12 or less breaths/min	> 40 s	Virtually impossible

* You cannot measure your respiratory frequency just by counting it (more info: Breathing Rates)

Reference Web Pages: Breathing norms, Medical Graphs and Tables about Breathing Rates (Minute Ventilation) and Body Oxygen in Healthy, Normal and Sick People
Breathing norms Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
6 breathing myths 6 myths about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
Hyperventilation Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
Hyperventilation Syndrome in the Sick. Table 1. Western scientific evidence about prevalence of CHV (chronic hyperventilation) in patients with various chronic conditions (34 medical studies)
Normal Minute Ventilation in Healthy Subjects: Easy and Light Breathing (14 Studies)
Hyperventilation Prevalence Present in Over 90% of Normal People (24 medical publications)
HV and hypoxia How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
Body oxygen test How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (a simple DIY test)
Body oxygen in healthy Table 4. CP (body oxygen level) in healthy people (27 medical studies)
Body oxygen in sick Table 5. CP (body oxygen level) in sick people (14 medical studies)
Buteyko Table of Health Zones with clinical description of most common zones
Morning HV Morning hyperventilation effect or how and why critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours

References: CO2 Effects Web Pages
Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
The Bohr effect How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
Cell Oxygen Levels and oxygen transport are controlled by alveolar CO2 and breathing
Oxygen Transport depends on breathing and these two effects (Vasoconstriction-Vasodilation and the Bohr effect) are parts of two diagrams that summarize influences of hypocapnia (low CO2 content in the blood and cells) on circulation and O2 delivery
Free Radical Generation takes place due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia. Hence, antioxidant defenses of the human body are also regulated by CO2 and breathing
Inflammatory Response is controlled by breathing since hypoxia leads to or intensifies chronic inflammation through over-expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces these processes
Nerve stabilization takes place due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
Muscle relaxation or relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
Brochodilation - dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) by carbon dioxide, and their constriction due to hypocapnia
Blood pH regulation and regulation of other bodily fluids
CO2: Lung Damage Healer: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
CO2: Skin and Tissue Healer
Synthesis of Glutamine in the Brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
CO2 myth "CO2 is a toxic waste gas" myth
Breathing control How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven and erratic

References
Jansen PH, Joosten EM, Van Dijck J, Verbeek AL, Durian FW, The incidence of muscle cramp, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1991 Dec; 54(12): 1124-5.

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