Upper abdominal cramps (severe spasms)

I mentioned before that I had severe upper chest pains, around my back and front.  I have learnt that it is Osteo Athritus, nothing can be done.  So I am now taking Rose Hip Vital, which is helping considerably.  It has reduced the pain and now I do not need to take panadol.  I do also take Magnesium to stop the cramping.  All round heaps improved.

All I can say is "ditto" to most of this: severe upper abdominal muscle spasms, sometimes brought on by stretching or even sneezing. The muscle forms a visible knot. Doctors have nothing to offer.

Like one of the other people posting, I suspect low potassium or other electrolytes and have found that if I make sure to boost electrolytes (potassium, calcium, phorphorus) the spasms seem to happen less frequently.

I wonder how many of the people posting have had digestive disorders that might make them less able to absorb water, nutrients, vitamins, minerals and/or electrolytes? If that's a common thread, then that would really boost the theory that it's caused by some sort of deficiency or imbalance.

I realize this is an old thread, but has anyone found any answers? Any cure? I've suffered from these for a few years (mainly more stabbing pain). Today I was sitting on the grass of the Capitol listening to the Dalai Lama (had been in the position for about 4 hours) when all of a sudden, I had a back spasm then abdominal spasms in various places. Such severe pain! For a moment I didn't have control of my body and rolled over onto the person next to me. Had to see the EMTs on site, but refused to go to the Emergency room since it subsided once I got up, walked around/changed positions.

Wow, so many of us.  I started getting these almost 20 yrs ago, I am 55 yr old female.  Started in upper left, now can be either side of abdomen, also in back, legs, etc.  The last one was so bad, and I could wrap my hand around the muscle? it felt like a rope across my UL abdomen, under ribs.  I have to bend backwards to help it but if I bend too far my back goes into spasm too.  Get them usually from bending/reaching for something while seated.  The first time I was driving on a highway, had to pull over, jump out of car ... took almost 30 minutes before I could get back in w/o cramping again and that was a tricky maneuver.  Recently while ill, including these cramps, I had a bunch of lab tests done, nothing was low like potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc.  Sure wish we had an answer!  Hmm, my calves are starting now, sigh.

Just found this site after a big episode of cramping. Long story short I had a hernia diagnosis and subsequent surgery but am still having the cramps more so than ever. Concentrated just right of midline or just left and under my ribs. Am having an MRI to see what it is. Has anyone out there had an MRI for this? Am worried it is intestinal.  Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Like so many has said before me, I am so glad I'm not the only one. I now know I'm not alone in this un-diagnosed problem. All these years (about 8) I have worried that it could be something serious, but it seems it is something a lot more common than I could have ever imagined. I just wonder why with so many of us with this problem, that their isn't at least one person that has gone to the doctor (me included) has received any conclusive diagnosis. My biggest worry is that it will happen when I am driving, which it has, I have to "try" to get to an off-ramp or weave through traffic to be able to pull over and hopefully find a place where I can bend over backwards as I try to massage the muscle into submission, this has the potential to be very embarrassing, Lol, but with the pain it causes I have no shame. I also had to give up watching "America's Funniest Home Videos". A really good spontaneous belly laugh will trigger a cramp. I don't like to use the word "hate", but I hate the fact I cannot watch one of my favorite shows because of this. I really hope someone finds an answer and posts it for the rest of us, I will if I do! I really, really miss laughing!! 

so very glad to see this site.  I thought I was in big trouble as I have had cancer twice and thought maybe it was back somewhere else.  I am deeply sorry there are so many of us in pain with no name for what is hurting us.  I have tried laying on back, stomach and side none of this helps, the only thing I can do is walk around.  Not sure it helps, but at least I am doing something instead of thinking of the pain.  I go to the dr. in a few days and I am going to ask about some tests to try to figure out what is wrong.  I had gall bladder removed dr said that was cause,not true.  I will post news as it comes.  thanks to each of you for sharing, it has given me hope.

I also have this cramping in the upper torso, and just cringe when I feel this cramping coming on.   I am 63 years old and have been going through this off and on for the last 10 years.  I have never bothered to ask my doctor about this because I thought it had something to do with by bronchitis and asthma. The only way I seem to get some relief from the cramping is to drink a glass of tonic water w/ quinine and stretch where the area is cramping.  My mother suffered from nocturnal leg cramps for years and drinking tonic water w/ quinine always helped, so I thought I would give it a try and, for me, the stretching and tonic water helps the torso cramps to subside. 

I am sitting here reading these posts after suffering for hours last night with the cramps. Warm washrags and eventually a heating pad finally gave me some relief. I  sure wish I new what causes these. It was the 3rd episode for me and not much in common other than I thought at first I just had stomach acid. It then starts feeling like someone punched me in the stomach and the muscles just won't relax. Would love to know how to prevent this.

I get these spasms in my upper right side. Horrible pain, and a huge bulge. This generally subsides in a few minutes, as it goes down, it pulsates, like there is an alien about to hatch. Sometimes an awkward bending position will bring it on, or a cough, etc. I have had a CT scan, and an ultrasound, but nothing shows up. At first Dr.s thought it was a hernia (had my gallbladder out before these symptoms). I also have seven herniated discs, and one Doc said it was from pinched nerves. I now have developed pretty good pain in my ribcage - both sides, and a mass growing on my left ribcage, which apparently is due to an arthritic condition. Go figure. I thought I was crazy until I found this site.

After suffering with this and reading all of your responses I think I have some ideas as to whats causing the problem. I am Male, 35 yrs old. I just woke up from a nap with the same muscle spasms everyone here is describing. I get mine on the right side in the abdominal region. It happens usually when I am sleeping but has also happened while reaching or stretching for something, also while bending at a strange body angle to pick up something I dropped from a seated position.

What happened this time was an hour or so before I laid down, I felt a tightness in the right side of my neck, where the neck meets the trapazoid muscle in my upper back, like I had a pinched nerve or pulled muscle. A minor pain but irritating. I took 3 Ibuprofen and laid down to let it pass but woke up with a bout of the stomach / abdominal cramps.

1. When i was a kid I was diagnosed with slight Scholiosis, but was never treated for it. A doctor mentioned i still had it at my last physical. 

2. I believe dehydration plays a huge part because usually i am very thirsty when the cramps hit while I was sleeping.

3. I am carrying alot of bodyfat around the waist and tummy areas.

The muscle stress of carrying the extra body fat pulls/puts stress on the stomach muscles, abdominals and ribcage. Add in the dehydration (and I really, really think the dehydration is a huge cause) on muscles that are stretched out while sleeping, or put into a strange posture. Bam!

If alot of you are fitting thoese reasons I listed, there you go. I don't think it's potassium related because I eat bananas and fruit reguarly including 2 last night.

Treatment: Lay down, and try to relax, press and massage the cramped area. When the cramps pass, water or gatorade or juice. Water is best to hydrate the system. As Ive typed this I drank 16oz., but I am having another bottle to be sure I am nice and hydrated. I also took a magnesium pill 250mg. Even if you have lower body-fat around the waist I am willing to bet it is dehydration, coupled with tired, dry, working muscles.

The best bet is to always stay hydrated and lose some of the excess weight. I have been back in the gym for 3 months today! Good luck everyone!

 

I just came across this site and read your post.  I had my gall bladder removed 3 years ago and I have suffered since.  Before the surgery I had an attack and had an ERCP done to remove the stones from my common duct, I had a GI bleed from the procedure and ended up for three days in the hospital and had to have a transfusion of two units of blood.  2 weeks later I was strong enough to go through the gall bladder surgery.  The 1st attack was about 1 wee after the surgery so I am not sure if there was a screw up from the procedure or the surgery to cause my problem.  I will have a feeling of being punched in the area of where I assume my esophagus meets with my stomach, immediately my stomach aches pretty bad and then a spasm takes over my chest, sides, shoulders, ribs and back area all at the mid section.  Sometimes my breathing is affected, the pain on a scale of 1-10 is a 10+

I have been having these cramps in my abdominal muscles for over 10 years, and even thought at first that it was a hurnia because of the way it buldged out of my stomach.  The doctor checked.  No hernia.  In the last few years, the cramps have started in my side muscles and even my back muscles.  Sometimes they wrap around my rib cage and make it hard to breath.  Trying to stretch them out can sometimes cause another spasm in a different place.  So far, trying to slow my breathing and focusing on relaxing is the only thing that has been helping me.  Someone mentioned dehydration in a prior post.  I drink a LOT of water.  Usually 16 to 18 cups a day, so I am well hydrated.  I don't think it is dehydration, or at least not for me.  But definately, stretching, twisting, caughing, laughing, or even sex has brought these on.  I hope they find a cure soon!

I thought I would tell you my story and see if it helps anyone in case someone looks at this thread. I experienced some of these exact same pains last night. My family came by for a visit and we went out for a large meal then returned and watched some TV for about an hour. We went online for a few minutes to read some funny reviews of products some of which caused us to laugh uncontrollably. Then, they left. About an hour later, (I have two pet birds) one of them is about to lay an egg, and she was having a lot of pain, so I started to panic and think maybe her egg is stuck. I rushed to the computer to research, and after sitting for about 10 minutes, I got up and had the most excruciating pain in my stomach that I have ever felt. Well, I am quite the germaphobe, but I tell you, I laid down on the floor and rolled around, tried to find a comfortable position. It felt like someone had taken their fists and was squeezing my solar plexus and below. I wondered if I was passing a gall stone or something. My upper chest and stomach, though, didn't hurt, but my stomach was distended below my solar plexus and hurt to touch it. I thought initially about trying to get to the phone and calling my family to come and help me, and then considered how far away they live and thought maybe I should call an ambulance instead. But I'm a big chicken when it comes to hospitals, so I tried to talk myself out of it by saying that the pain would soon pass. I made it to my bedroom and laid across my bed. (Like I said, I'm a germaphobe, and I don't go to bed unwashed), so I was in some serious pain. The tight knot in my lower stomach felt akin to those tummy aches I had as a child, but far more painful. That is just the closest comparison I can make. Anyway, I had time while suffering to think about that large meal I had and about the fits of laughter and then about the panic attack regarding my pet that I experienced. It dawned on me that I probably just sucked in too much air. My shoulders were painful too, which is not uncommon for me due to nerve damage, but felt more like trapped air in this case. My lower back, just above my hipbones also felt like it was burning. When I felt a little better, I got up and took some ginger with a little water. (I'm an herbalist, so I know that ginger helps with digestive problems.) Within 10 minutes of taking the ginger, my stomach started gurgling and the air began to pass. Seeing your descriptions of exercising, laughing, sneezing, etc. I can only think that trapped air may be the culprit. Eating can also cause you to swallow air, as can chewing gum. Also, with sleeping, I have some apnea (breathing) problems, so waking with this would be a possibility. I drink enormous amounts of water daily and I take additional magnesium and potassium along with a multi-vitamin, so it should not be a deficiency. Just thought I'd give my input. I hope it helps someone.

I have been having cramps in my abdominal muscles, side muscles and back muscles, just as you described for over two years. Sometimes they are so bad I end up in tears. I mentioned it to my doctor several times but he didn't take it seriously until I had the cramps in his office and he could see the pain I was in. He scheduled a sonogram of my upper abdomen, a stress test for my heart and they did not find anything. I have had IBS for years and I thought maybe the bouts of diarrhea caused a deficiency in minerals. I talked with the doctor and he thought that might be it also, and he prescribed drinking one bottle of Gatorade per day. It has not helped. I have insulin dependent diabetes so I cannot drink more than one bottle a day or my blood sugar goes too high. At this point, I am left with researching this on the Internet in the hopes that someone else has this problem and they have found a solution. If it is any help in making a diagnosis, my gallbladder was removed about 20 years ago.