Photo: Nick Anderson of Greenville, N.C., left, his father Rick Anderson and stepbrother Jeramie Mullis pose with the 143-pound blue catfish caught Saturday in Virginia in Buggs Island Lake, also known as the Kerr Reservoir. The previous world record was a 130-pounder caught in the Missouri River last year.
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.
Systemic illnesses like diabetes, anemia (low red blood cell count), kidney disease and thyroid and other hormone issues are also potential causes of muscle spasms. Diseases of the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, can be associated with muscle spasm. Smooth muscle can also develop spasm. When a hollow structure filled with air or fluid is squeezed by the muscle spasm, significant pain can occur since the fluid or air cannot be compressed. For example, smooth muscle in the intestinal wall can go into spasm, causing waves of pain called colic.