Why Am I Experiencing Muscle Twitching After Quitting Smoking?

Why Am I Experiencing Muscle Twitching After Quitting Smoking?

When a person quits smoking, their body goes through many difficult changes because it is trying to rid itself of the poisons from smoking. These are called nicotine withdrawals. Withdrawals present themselves in a variety of ways and can vary in terms of severity.

Smoking cigarettes is very damaging to the health of the smoker for many reasons. Some of the dangerous side effects of smoking range from cancer and diabetes, to yellowing of the fingers and other physical symptoms. Quitting smoking will greatly improve the quality of your life as well as increase longevity.

When you quit smoking there are always side effects, but they are much less severe than what lays in store health-wise should you continue to smoke. One of the less severe withdrawal symptoms sometimes experienced is twitching or spasms of the muscles. While this is an irritating condition, it is temporary. This article will discuss muscle spasms, withdrawal symptoms, the ways to make the spasms subside and how Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help alleviate these symptoms.

What Are Muscle Spasms?

Muscle spasms can occur in many parts of the body. These spasms are caused by dehydration, overuse, and decreased electrolytes. They are usually abrupt and painful, but generally short-lived. Muscles spasms generally occur when they are over-used or tired, over-stretched, or have been inactive for a long period of time. The muscles run out of fluids that keep them loose and become hyperexcitable, which then forces a contraction of the muscle. Muscle spasms can also occur with the narrowing of the arteries, making it hard for the heart to get blood to all the areas of the body. This is common in smokers because nicotine slows blood flow by restricting the blood vessels in the body. This also means that the vessels are not receiving enough oxygen.

Muscle twitching is different than a muscle spasm in that it is the uncontrolled movement of a small segment of a larger muscle and can be seen under the skin. Many people who have just quit smoking will experience muscle twitching or spasms because their body is trying to rid itself of all the toxins that come from smoking. As the heart grows stronger and can process blood to all the areas of the body more efficiently, the spasms and twitching should go away. If the twitching persists after a month or so, you should check with your doctor to see if there is more permanent damage.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Along with muscle twitching and spasms there are some other withdrawal symptoms that you could experience. These can vary in intensity and should only last a few weeks. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Coughing
  • Nausea
  • Sweating
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue

These are all symptoms that come with quitting smoking and vary with intensity. They are usually mostly mild but some can be quite severe. Fortunately, muscle twitches are one of the less severe withdrawal symptoms, and should go away quite quickly. Unfortunately, they can also be one of the more annoying symptoms!

Learn How to Alleviate Muscle Twitches When You Quit Smoking

Ways To Make Muscle Twitching Subside

Besides being a symptom of smoking withdrawals, another cause of muscle twitching and spasms is stress. Stress tightens muscles and weakens the blood supply to them, causing them to contract. Often times the act of quitting smoking can be stressful, particularly to those who have been smoking for a long time. There are many ways to alleviate stress. Some options include:

  • Exercise
  • Going out with a friend
  • Reading a good book
  • Taking a hot bath
  • Massage
  • Eating comfort foods

The main idea is to find something that you enjoy doing. Not only will that take your mind off your withdrawal symptoms, it will relax the muscles and allow the twitching to subside. Since the arteries in your heart are constricting the flow of blood to the other muscles in the body, the best way to get the blood back them is to exercise. Start off slowly and stretch a lot because your heart and muscles may not be used to the strain. As your body gets more and more exercise, the blood flow will return to normal and muscle spasms and twitching will subside. Remember, one cause of muscle spasms is inactivity in the muscles, so get out there and activate them!

Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

There are always a few people who have withdrawal symptoms worse, or longer lasting than others. This is due to how long they smoked, how much they smoked, and body chemistry. Muscle twitching after quitting smoking is quite common and most people may not even notice it. If you are someone who is experiencing muscle twitching or spasms in an uncomfortable way, there are ways to subside them. Combined with the techniques above, Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help you tolerate the muscle twitching more easily.

Joseph R. Giove is a licensed Clinical Hypnotist with over 30 years of experience in Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. By using the power of the mind, he helps people quit smoking and deal with the after effects of withdrawal symptoms. He uses no chemicals or carcinogens, just gently altering brain patterns to relax you and help you quit smoking.

Quitting smoking will give you a longer and healthier life. Twitching of the muscles is a small price to pay for adding years to your life. By having a relaxed mind and body, your muscle twitching problems will be much easier to handle and subside more quickly!

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