A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a charley horse. Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. The muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot.
When the adrenal glands begin to act âdysfunctionalâ due to prolonged stress, they first go into a hyper (overactive, stressed) state. As they are pushed further and not given the opportunity to recover they go into an âextremeâ stressed/overactive state and eventually reach the hypo (under active, exhausted) mode.
When the adrenal glands produce too many hormones, they are classified as overactive, a condition that is also called Cushing's syndrome. Overactivity can be the result of tumors that grow on the adrenal or pituitary glands or from other medical conditions. The signs and symptoms of overactive adrenal glands vary by the individual, and by the extent to which the glands are malfunctioning. A change in your body's shape can be a sign that you have Cushing's syndrome. This progression can be slow and involve many different body parts.