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My calves hurt at night

10 Jun 18

Why do my calves cramp at night?

Why do my calves cramp at night? This question worries a lot of people. Doctors are well aware of the phenomenon in which the calves of the legs begin to ache at night. This sensation appears suddenly and can last either long or short. If a person has cramps in his calves at night, restful sleep is out of the question. The pain may occur every night or once or twice a week. Naturally, this causes concern among patients. Especially considering that there were no previous sprains or bruises.

As a rule, it cramps the calves at night in most cases in older people. But it often happens that pain in the calves appears in fairly young people. And sometimes even among teenagers.

Cramping calves: reason

At night this phenomenon often becomes more active. In this case, the reasons can be of a very different nature. From constant overexertion and improper weight distribution to a lack of certain nutrients. Also, we must not forget that everything in the body is interconnected, and the real cause of pain in the lower parts of the legs may be hidden in the malfunction of some other organs. The type of life a person leads also influences the possibility of pain. Let's look at the most common causes of pain in the calves.

Why do my calves cramp at night? What to do?

A person occupying a position that requires a minimum of movement sooner or later becomes susceptible to the above-mentioned ailment. The body, without receiving proper warm-up, begins to atrophy, which leads to various types of pain in the legs. This is especially true for office workers, drivers and representatives of other professions who are required not to leave their workplace. In this case (for prevention purposes), it is recommended to periodically get up and do a warm-up.

Violation of safety precautions when playing sports

It's no secret that not everyone, while in training, strictly follows the correct techniques. And even more so, every athlete makes mistakes (both professional and beginner). For example, when running, a common mistake is to shift the weight to one part of the foot. Thus, a serious violation occurs. This is one of the answers to the question: “Why do my calves cramp at night?”

The same thing happens in strength sports. Incorrect positioning of the legs when squatting with a barbell, incorrect position of the feet when pumping the calves, as well as too much load - all this provokes serious disorders in the limbs, leading to aching pain at night.

In martial arts, many situations can also arise that provoke severe pain in the legs. Therefore, before asking the question “Why do my calves cramp at night,” analyze your exercises and think about whether you could have made mistakes when performing the exercises.

Diseases of internal organs

Few people can imagine it, but diseases in the lower extremities can arise for a reason that is hidden much higher. And this is not surprising. The whole body is a single mechanism, the work of which depends on how each of its components functions. So pain in the calves at night can be caused by ailments such as:

  • disorders in the thyroid gland;
  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • diabetes.
  • All this and much more covers most of the body, causing difficulties in its functioning. Which, naturally, contributes to the phenomenon of cramping your calves at night. And the calves are no exception in this case.

    Pregnant women in their final stages experience various problems in the body. The consequence of one of them may well be a disease that causes severe cramping of the calves at night. This is due to the fact that the child inside her requires constant feeding. And if the mother forgets about this, the fetus begins to feed on the mother’s nutrients.

    Complaints from pregnant women about severe night pain in the calves are a phenomenon familiar to doctors. And in addition to the lack of useful microelements for the child, the cause may also be heavy stress on the legs. A child adds several kilograms to a woman’s main weight, and this already requires additional effort when moving. In addition, varicose veins are also likely, which is also a common occurrence in pregnant women.

    Varicose veins can develop not only in pregnant women. Men who lead a sedentary lifestyle are highly susceptible to varicose veins. Due to the fact that a person was in a calm state for a long time, and then suddenly began to put excessive stress on the body, the veins begin to expand and twist, thereby interfering with the normal flow of blood (up and down and vice versa). Thus, bloating occurs, which is a common cause of painful, aching sensations in the calves.

    Varicose veins are treated either by taking medications in the early stages, or by surgical intervention in advanced forms.

    People are not susceptible to this disease from early childhood, as many claim. Not at all. The disease can develop over the years. And it may well be the cause of night pain in the calves. After all, flat feet consist of deformation of the feet, which means the patient cannot move normally. Because of this, there is a serious load on the legs, which leads to severe pain.

    The sooner you start treating flat feet, the greater the chance of stopping this disease.

    Use of diuretics

    Taking this type of cleansing agent is fraught with the periodic occurrence of edema. This may well cause pain in the legs.

    Lack of nutrients

    During sleep, blood circulation slows down significantly. If the body is in dire need of one or another type of beneficial microelements, this is especially felt at night. Thus, the body lets you know about the deficiency of nutrients through pain in the body.

    Researchers have found that most people who experience night pain have low levels of magnesium in their blood. The deficiency of this particular substance affects its poor distribution throughout the body, which ultimately leads to severe pain. It follows: if you want to prevent pain in the calves, you need to replenish your body with magnesium in a timely manner.

    Unfortunately, this microelement is difficult to obtain through a regular diet. On the contrary, it is constantly released into the human blood and then leaves the body. To control the presence of this substance in your body, you need to take proper medications or enrich your food with special dietary supplements.

    If cramps not only just occur, but also happen frequently, this indicates that there is an acute lack of calcium in the body. Calcium is an element as essential to the human body as magnesium. Therefore, if you notice that cramps are occurring more and more often, then it’s time to saturate your body with calcium.

    In order for the simultaneous use of magnesium and calcium to occur without causing any problems, it is worth remembering one proportion: the calcium/magnesium ratio should be 2:1. In other words, the amount of calcium should be twice as much as magnesium. If you maintain this proportion, microelements will be successfully absorbed by the body without causing incompatibility.

    Many people make the mistake of believing that dairy products are the source of calcium. This is far from true. In general, everything is correct, but they also contain phosphorus. And if magnesium and calcium enter the body along with phosphorus, none of the above microelements will be absorbed in the proper quantities. And this will again lead to failures. In other words, a person who hopes that he will solve the problem by consuming dairy products will not notice any positive result, except for increasing pain in the calves. Thus, when wondering why your calves cramp at night, first of all try to analyze your own lifestyle. It is quite possible that the cause of the disease lies literally on the surface. But awareness is the first step towards correction.

    Causes of cramps and how to treat if your legs cramp at night

    Main causes of seizures

    Why does involuntary muscle contraction occur that cramps the legs?

  • excessive stress on the legs;
  • metabolic disease;
  • abnormalities in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
  • deformations in the structure of the feet;
  • However, if you believe doctors who have been working with patients for decades who complain of periodic leg cramps, in 70% of cases none of the listed reasons is the dominant source of pain in the legs. Most often, there is a set of problems that are easier to prevent than to get rid of its consequences in the future.

    Therefore, in order to find out why your legs cramp during the night and how to deal with this disease, you must first of all independently analyze your way of life and your habits and only after that turn to specialists on the following issues:

  • determining the characteristics of metabolism;
  • However, it is not. Walking in heels in itself cannot cause spasms in the legs and, accordingly, cause cramping of the calves.

    In this case, prolonged sitting with an incorrect position of the legs is considered as an excessive harmful load on the legs, in which the muscles are pinched and their normal functioning is blocked.

    If you really notice that you often sit in uncomfortable positions with crooked legs and cramp your leg muscles at night, then the first thing you need to do is change the habit and try to keep your legs in a comfortable position. No other treatment is necessary.

    In case of acute cramps, pain can be relieved with massage and a set of leg exercises, which provide additional blood flow to the calf muscles. These methods quickly restore normal functioning of muscle tissue.

    If, even after the measures taken, your calves continue to cramp at night, then you need to start working to identify other causes of painful cramps.

    Metabolic disease

    Metabolic disorders in the body most often manifest themselves in a lack of important elements, without which some organs and their systems cannot function normally.

    The reason why your calves cramp at night may be a lack of:

    The circumstances under which a deficiency of these microelements occurs vary. This includes an unhealthy lifestyle, chronic diseases, and temporary disruption in the functioning of certain organs.

    The causes can only be determined through medical examinations.

    Doctors associate the lack of potassium and magnesium with taking diuretics. If a woman takes them and has cramps in her calves at night, then the necessary treatment for cramps may come down to taking medications containing potassium and magnesium.

    Also, instead of treatment with medications, it is proposed to add buckwheat porridge, chocolate, bananas, beans and other foods containing large amounts of potassium and magnesium to the diet.

    Lack of calcium is the first thing that is assumed when patients seek treatment when their calves cramp at night.

    Treatment for such a deficiency also comes down to eating foods containing large amounts of calcium.

    Sometimes the cause of calcium deficiency is due to a lack of vitamin D in the body. The deficiency is also compensated by additional intake of the missing vitamin.

    Also, one of the common problems that can lead to leg cramps at night is disruption of the cardiovascular system.

    The great danger of this problem in cases where cramping of the legs during pregnancy lies in possible complications during pregnancy.

    Therefore, if your legs cramp during pregnancy at night, you should not reassure yourself that it is just a lack of calcium or vitamin D. It is necessary first of all to exclude the possibility of thrombophilia.

    Treatment of thrombophilia is a complex and multi-level process. It uses both medication and physiotherapeutic methods. Treatment of this disease during pregnancy should be carried out exclusively by specialists.

    A more rare cause of cramped legs at night is flat feet. Only an insignificant number of patients who suffer from flat feet experience such a symptom as cramps in the calf muscles.

    But if you still have flat feet and cramps are also a concern, you need to check whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between these two deviations. If, according to the doctor’s opinion, flat feet can cause cramps in a particular patient, then the main thing that needs to be done is to reduce the effect of the deformed foot on the functioning of the calf muscles.

    To do this, experts advise performing certain sets of exercises and switching to orthopedic shoes.

    Cramps in the calves at night during pregnancy

    A woman's body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, some of which cause discomfort. One such unpleasant phenomenon is calf muscle cramps. Most often, cramps occur at night or in the morning shortly before waking up and are accompanied by unbearable pain. If during pregnancy your calves cramp at night, you need to figure out why this is happening and direct your efforts to eliminating the causes of this phenomenon.

    Signs of leg muscle cramps

    Women's leg muscles experience greater strain, which leads to cramping of the calves during pregnancy. The characteristic features accompanying this process are:

  • pain in the calf muscle;
  • its reduction;
  • numbness, hardening of the muscle, it becomes “stone”;
  • spontaneous extension of the foot.
  • A leg muscle cramp lasts from several seconds to several minutes, and after it pain in the muscle is felt for some time, up to several days.

    As a rule, ankle cramps in a pregnant woman begin at night during sleep. This is explained by the fact that in a supine position there is pressure from the uterus on the vessels of the small pelvis, which disrupts the blood circulation in the legs.

    Causes of leg cramps in pregnant women

    The reasons why the calves cramp are as follows:

  • Greater load on the legs due to increased body weight during pregnancy. Leads to a lot of muscle tension.
  • Deficiency of potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are involved in conducting nerve impulses to the muscles. Often observed in pregnant women, since a large amount of nutrients are spent on the growth and development of the fetus.
  • Decreased hemoglobin levels. The consequence is an insufficient supply of useful substances to the body, and muscle spasms in the legs are also possible.
  • Falling blood glucose levels.
  • Leg muscle spasms can occur with varicose veins as a concomitant symptom.

  • Wearing uncomfortable, constricting shoes and clothes - tight jeans, trousers with tight elastic bands, high-heeled shoes and boots.
  • Incorrect sleeping position. The vena cava is compressed by the growing uterus, resulting in a disruption of the outflow of blood from the legs.
  • Important! From the second trimester of pregnancy, you should try to sleep on your left side. This position is most comfortable for mother and baby and does not interfere with blood circulation and the functioning of internal organs.

  • Taking diuretics. In this case, beneficial substances are washed out of the body and mineral metabolism is disrupted, which contributes to the occurrence of leg cramps.
  • Poor nutrition. Pregnant women should limit themselves to caffeinated drinks and soda, which contribute to dehydration and, as a result, cramps in the calves.
  • Toxicosis. In the early stages, with severe toxicosis with vomiting, a large amount of fluid and nutrients are lost, which are very difficult to replenish due to decreased appetite.
  • What to do for pregnant women with muscle cramps

    If you are concerned about seizures, you need to tell your gynecologist. You may need to undergo several unscheduled tests to more accurately determine the cause of muscle cramps.

    But a woman should know what to do if an unpleasant manifestation befell her suddenly at night.

  • If your leg cramps while lying down, you should stretch the muscle. To do this, lean towards your foot and smoothly pull the toe towards you.
  • Massage your calf muscles or ask your loved ones to do so. When massaging and rubbing, blood circulation improves, and cramps and pain go away.
  • Prick the muscle with a needle, pinch it, and then walk around the room.
  • You can relieve the spasm with a warm compress, which will increase blood flow to the cramped muscle. You can also create an influx of heat using a warm shower, a heating pad, or mustard plaster.
  • Effective folk methods:

    • Applying a cold cabbage leaf. It will help draw out excess fluid and restore metabolic processes.
    • Rubbing calves with soap containing glycerin.
    • If calf muscle cramps do not go away for a long time, are accompanied by numbness and the development of swelling, you need to call an ambulance. These signs indicate the development of complications.

      Medicines to relieve seizures

      During pregnancy, the use of many medications is prohibited. In case of convulsive muscle contractions, the doctor prescribes topical ointments and gels that are not contraindicated for pregnant women - Troxevzin, Venitan, Fastum-gel. The drugs are aimed at relieving pain, swelling, and have a warming effect.

      Preventive measures to prevent muscle cramps

      In order to prevent leg muscle cramps, you need to understand why they occur. To prevent seizures, the following recommendations should be followed:

    • Take a prenatal vitamin containing potassium, calcium and magnesium.
    • Provide a balanced, healthy diet and eliminate junk food from your diet.
    • Take air and sun baths, so the body will be saturated with vitamin D.
    • Pay more attention to rest, do not overload your body, and do not put too much strain on your legs.
    • Take a couple of free minutes to care for your feet: create warm baths for them, rub your ankles, massage your feet.
    • Choose clothes and shoes that do not pinch or put pressure on your limbs.
    • In the evening, while relaxing, raise your legs above body level, you can throw them on the wall, and the blood flow will improve.
    • Choose a comfortable sleeping position that does not squeeze the cavity and put pressure on the internal organs.
    • Prevent hypothermia of your extremities by warming your legs.
    • Do gymnastic exercises.
    • Gymnastics against leg muscle cramps for pregnant women

      Simple gymnastic exercises that help against leg cramps during pregnancy:

    • Stand on your toes 10 times, repeat the exercise several times throughout the day.
    • Lunge forward with each leg alternately. This exercise will help stretch your muscles.
    • Stand facing the wall, rest your hands on it, step back in small steps so that your torso remains motionless.
    • To prevent cramps and pain in the leg muscles, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat right, take vitamins that restore metabolism, and listen to your doctor. Your attitude towards your health should be as responsible as possible, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

      There are times when my calves cramp at night. This process occurs spontaneously and with varying intensity. Classification of cramps is carried out according to their localization, degree of muscle contraction and duration.

      The reasons for the appearance of such muscle contractions can be different, and if they occur rarely, then there is no reason to worry. But when a cramp occurs frequently, this may indicate the development of serious disorders in the functioning of the body, and in order to determine the reasons that lead to this, it is necessary to undergo appropriate examinations.

      It is especially unpleasant when leg or arm cramps occur during sleep. Such a sharp pain causes a person to wake up, after which the cramped muscle hurts for some time and prevents normal rest. Night cramps can cramp the legs in both children and adults. In this matter, age is of great importance.

      The main reasons that lead to the occurrence of this pathology:

    • muscle fatigue;
    • presence of problems in the functioning of the nervous system;
    • Pregnant women often encounter this problem;
    • diseases in which blood flow in the extremities is disrupted;
    • taking certain medications;
    • lack of vitamins and microelements;
    • if a person has flat feet.
    • In addition to the reasons described, an uncomfortable position that a person takes while sleeping can cause cramps. This usually happens when a person sleeps with their knees bent and feet down. This causes the muscles to shorten and cause painful spasms.

      It can cramp both your toes and calves. The occurrence of cramps in the lower extremities may be due to a disruption in the circulatory process, which is caused by hypothermia and wearing tight shoes. The reason for the development of this pathology may be a lack of microelements and vitamins.

      The most painful spasm will be when the calf muscle is contracted. Before the onset of such a cramp, a person feels a slight tugging in the indicated place.

      Symptoms of calf muscle cramps are usually the following:

    • the appearance of sharp pain;
    • strong muscle tension occurs at the site of spasm;
    • it is impossible to stand on the affected leg;
    • the muscles of the sore leg become dense and elastic.
    • In addition to the fact that this condition can occur due to fatigue and lack of vitamins, venous insufficiency, the development of edema of the lower extremities, and atherosclerosis can lead to this. This condition can be caused by taking diuretics and diseases developing in the lumbar spine.

      When idiopathic or primary cramps appear, there are usually no visible reasons; most often they arise due to severe overwork of the said muscle, which develops as a result of playing sports, or when a person spent a very active day and was on his feet all the time.

      This can be caused by a sudden disruption of the blood supply, an uncomfortable posture, or natural shortening of the tendons, which is a normal process in older people.

      If a person has certain diseases, then the reasons for the development of such seizures will be secondary. Due to poor nutrition, magnesium deficiency may occur, which leads to impaired muscle contractions, which may result in cramps.

      Some diseases can also interfere with the absorption of this microelement, and symptoms of a lack of magnesium in the body will be in the form of fatigue, depression, fatigue, headaches and back pain. Blood pressure may increase, arthritis, heart disease, nervous eye tics and seizures may develop.

      Cramps may also occur as a result of calcium deficiency; its deficiency will be indicated by brittle bones, brittle nails and split ends, sore teeth, the development of seizures and general fatigue of the body.

      This can also be caused by a lack of iron, which is involved in saturating cells with oxygen, and in its absence muscle spasm develops. Diet and taking glucose-lowering medications can lead to the development of seizures.

      Brief, painful contractions of the leg muscles can occur when there is a sudden change in body temperature, such as during sunstroke. If the area of ​​the brain that is responsible for motor activity is exposed to nerve impulses, and this happens with influenza, ARVI, stroke and alcohol poisoning.

      If blood flow is disrupted, the tissues do not receive the necessary nutrition, which leads to the development of local hypoxia and muscle contraction. Muscle sensitivity is also impaired in the presence of diseases of the spine, when nerve endings are pinched.

      At high air temperatures, the body loses a lot of fluid, and along with sweat, beneficial microelements and salts leave, which leads to the development of cramps. Taking contraceptives may also contribute to this.

      Why do my calves cramp at night?

      Often people in their sleep experience a condition where their calves cramp. When sleeping, the body is relaxed, muscle tissue reduces activity, and lactic acid accumulates in the calves of the muscles, which contributes to the appearance of cramps.

      An unpleasant phenomenon that occurs more often than other convulsions is called cramps. They are usually accompanied by pain and numbness in the calf muscle, which interferes with restful sleep. For proper treatment of night cramps, it is necessary to analyze the provoking factors and establish their cause. If attacks recur frequently, you should consult a doctor.

      Causes of night cramps

      The reasons are very different.

    • Lack of mobility. Due to lack of physical activity, the muscles gradually atrophy, resulting in pain in the legs. Office workers and drivers are especially susceptible to this problem.
    • Failure to comply with training techniques. A serious mistake is placing all the weight on one part of the foot. People involved in athletics and strength sports should analyze their activities.
    • Lack of nutrients.
    • diseases , diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, anemia, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, heart failure, flat feet.
    • to contents ^

      Cramps during pregnancy

      During pregnancy, various types of disruptions in the body's functioning are possible. Some of them provoke the occurrence of cramping in the calf muscles. They come suddenly and often at night. Let's look at the reasons for the violations.

    • Deficiency of vitamin B6 , magnesium, potassium, calcium. In the early stages of pregnancy, toxicosis occurs, which removes microelements from the body.
    • Reduced percentage of glucose in the blood. To maintain glucose levels, pregnant women are advised to split their meals into small portions.
    • Phlebeurysm. In the last period of pregnancy, the increased load does not allow the veins to cope with their work. Blood stagnates, circulatory problems occur, which makes it difficult for the required amount of essential substances to enter the muscles. Metabolic products are not excreted, creating a favorable background for the appearance of seizures.
    • Inferior vena cava syndrome. In a horizontal position, the pregnant woman’s uterus presses on the lower vein, which reduces the outflow of blood and leads to calf cramps.
    • Using diuretics in excess can cause mineral loss.

    New-fangled diets advise limiting the consumption of certain foods, which threatens a deficiency of important substances. A lack of magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium promotes the formation of ionic compounds in the intercellular spaces, which have a stimulating effect on nerve endings, thereby causing painful muscle contractions at night. Mono-diets are considered especially dangerous in this regard.

    The use of diuretic and choleretic foods and drinks contributes to disruption of the water balance in the metabolic process of muscle tissue. Important microelements are excreted along with the liquid.

    If your calves cramp at night, your shoes may be to blame. Women often wear high-heeled shoes, so during the day their legs become tired from long-term incorrect positioning of the foot, and at night fatigue and relaxed muscles manifest themselves in the form of reflex contractions.

    A woman’s body experiences serious stress during the menstrual period due to impaired peripheral circulation.

    Women are prone to cramps due to stress. Minor disturbances often result in nighttime calf cramps.

    The peculiarity of spasms in men is that they are more painful, since the muscles are denser than women’s. The causes of seizures are considered to be:

  • Forced inactivity, increased loads. Men engaged in professional activities suffer from this: truck drivers, tractor drivers, bulldozer drivers, athletes.
  • Muscle hypothermia. Many men allow themselves to be in the cold water of reservoirs and neglect warm underwear, which leads to hypothermia of the muscles.
  • Overweight. Body parameters and a huge belly lead to the fact that the inferior vena cava is compressed, as in pregnant women.
  • Smoking and alcohol. They negatively affect peripheral blood supply: they spasm blood vessels, stimulate nerve endings, which provokes convulsions.
  • Dehydration. Heavy sweating removes a significant portion of microelements from the body.
  • Treatment is acceptable both with folk remedies at home and with medications.

    Treatment of seizures with folk remedies

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    In rare cases, you can avoid medical attention by using home remedies. Traditional medicine offers many recipes to help with cramps in the calves.

  • Fast method. Hold a pinch of salt in your mouth for up to 2 minutes and the cramp will go away.
  • Lemon juice. Take a spoonful of salted lemon juice under your tongue. The disease can be eliminated by lubricating the area of ​​spasm with juice.
  • Kvass mixture. Add a teaspoon of yeast to a glass of bread kvass, leave for 6 hours, divide into equal parts according to the number of meals. Take before meals for a month. Improves the taste of the honey mixture.
  • Wormwood tincture. Pour vodka into a container filled with wormwood herb and leave for 2-3 weeks. Rub your feet every evening until the cramps disappear completely.
  • Chamomile mixture. Brew two tablespoons of chamomile like tea with a liter of boiling water. Drink after meals, last time before bed.
  • Celandine ointment. Mix freshly squeezed celandine juice with medical Vaseline 1:2. Rub problem areas for 2 weeks.
  • To ease pain and spasms, it is recommended to pull your toes towards you. Then restore blood circulation by doing a massage. You can pinch or prick the muscle. After relief, you need to lie down with your legs elevated. This method will speed up blood circulation and relax spasms.

    If effectiveness cannot be achieved with folk remedies, you should definitely consult a doctor who will prescribe additional tests.

    Store-bought anti-seizure medications

    In accordance with the identified cause and correct diagnosis, drugs of different effects are prescribed. In this case, therapy is aimed at eliminating the cause itself. The treatment complex includes vitamins and microelements.

    Vitamin and mineral complexes have proven themselves well: “Complivit”, “Calcium D 3 ”, “Alphabet”, “Nycomed”, “Magne-B 6 ”.

    For local treatment, heparin ointment, troxevasin gel, ointments based on horse chestnut, and finalgon are used. With anti-inflammatory and warming properties, they relieve seizures and symptoms of pathologies. Ointments are used before bedtime, applied to the problem area.

    There are no pills that will completely eliminate cramps without identifying the underlying cause. But these anticonvulsants are recommended more often than others:

    Cramping calves at night: causes and treatment

    Convulsive contraction of muscles, when the calves of the legs are literally pulled together, is familiar to many firsthand. Moreover, the pain occurs suddenly, literally knocking you down as you go. This disease transcends age; it affects adults, children, and adolescents. Gender doesn't matter either. Seizures affect men and women equally. Most often, an attack occurs at night, when the body is relaxed or during physical activity, when the muscles are as tense as possible.

    Causes of leg cramps

    There are several versions that explain the sudden convulsive contraction of the calf muscles. The conclusions are made on the basis of research by scientists and the practice of athletes of various categories.

  • Neurologists associate the symptom of cramped legs with the body’s protective reaction to excessive physical activity. During extreme training, the self-preservation instinct is automatically triggered in the cerebral cortex.
  • If there is an insufficient amount of microelements in the body, in particular sodium salts, potassium, magnesium, spasms of the lower extremities make this clear.
  • If there is poor circulation in the legs, the blood does not circulate actively through the veins. This may be a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle, stagnation, or lack of physical activity. The result is periodic spasms of the calf muscles.
  • The muscles in the calves experience spasticity when there is a sudden change in temperature, for example during the cold season. In hot weather, cramps occur in people who drink little fluid, which causes dehydration.
  • With varicose veins, serious illnesses, and brain tumors, seizures are periodic.
  • Treatment of leg cramps

    To get rid of the problem, you need to approach it comprehensively. Here you need to combine several areas: a visit to the doctor, individual control over your own body, disease prevention. The treatment process includes several areas:

    1. Medication.
    2. Through exercise.
    3. The method of balancing the diet.

    How to help your leg muscles

    • If a spasm occurs suddenly, you need to change the position of your legs, trying to relax the muscles. After this, the caviar needs to be thoroughly massaged, which will cause blood flow, then apply a cold compress.
    • My calves are cramped, what should I do?

      When a problem arises while swimming in the water, it is important to lie on your back, in this position you can quickly move to the shore. There is no need to panic, the main thing is to get to land and have a relaxing massage at the location.

    • If a cramp occurs, it is better for women to avoid wearing heels for a while. Straining the foot puts stress on the calf muscles, which are signaled by cramping.
    • Moderate physical activity in combination with stretching exercises for muscles and tendons is useful. An excellent option would be to practice yoga, which will collectively balance all the organs and systems of the body.
    • With the onset of cold weather, it is important to keep your feet warm. Hypothermia will not only result in calf spasms, it will cause more serious ailments.
    • If you have flat feet, it is important to identify the disease in time and carry out treatment. If this is not done, then cramps will become your friend for the rest of your life.
    • When convulsive muscle contractions become regular, it is worth undergoing a full examination of the body. It will help identify diseases such as neuroses, polyneuritis, blood diseases, heart diseases, and brain tumors. Timely treatment can save the situation.
    • Elastic stockings are a great help for varicose veins and accompanying cramps. They maintain blood vessels in a static state, which will help avoid spasms and destruction of venous valves. At the same time, you should give up tight shoes, clothes, tight belts, belts, and the bad habit of sitting cross-legged.
    • A balanced diet will help cope with cramps. You need to give up fats and eat more natural, live foods. These can be fresh fruits, vegetable salads, wholemeal products. For muscle spasms, the diet includes fish, brewer's yeast, fermented milk products, cottage cheese, nuts, and seeds.
    • An excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of seizures will be multivitamin complexes, which are sold in the form of tablets and capsules. They must contain thiamine, vitamin B6, E, C, A, and microelements.

      With careful attention to the body, seizures can be minimized or eliminated completely. Only a thorough study of the nuances of your own body and the help of a qualified doctor will help solve the problem.

      The most interesting news:

      A large number of people suffer from calf muscle cramps. Periodic nagging pain that cramps your legs at night interferes with normal sleep. The causes and methods of treating this disease cannot be fully established. And today there are a number of difficulties in diagnosing problems that cause spasms in the calves, and there is also no general therapeutic program aimed at normalizing the functioning of the lower leg muscles. However, the relative lack of knowledge of the issue is not a reason to stop fighting the disease and let a problem that threatens the health of the entire body take its course.

      Most people are familiar with convulsive contractions of the leg muscles.

      Main causes of seizures

      A cramp (spasm) is an involuntary contraction of muscle tissue cells. This squeezing/contraction is accompanied by a nagging pain in the legs. You can get rid of this pain only by normalizing the functioning of muscle tissue.

      Why does involuntary muscle contraction occur that cramps the legs?

      Doctors name several main reasons:

    • disorders associated with infectious diseases.
    • determining the characteristics of metabolism;
    • structures of the lower extremities;
    • state of the cardiovascular system;
    • be checked for the presence of infections in the body that can provoke a condition in which the calves cramp.
    • If you experience frequent leg cramps, you should consult a doctor.

      During the examination, it will be necessary to take tests and undergo hardware tests, which can give an idea of ​​​​the general condition of the body and its individual organs.

      Uncomfortable positioning of the lower extremities during the day is one of the main reasons why leg muscles cramp. Moreover, this reason is relevant for both women and men. Many women blame heels as the main problem causing cramps in their calves.

      Of course, shoes with heels do not add health to the female body and can provoke a whole bunch of diseases, but they are mainly associated with disorders in the spine, in the departments responsible for the uniform distribution of body weight.

      Cramped calves: what are the causes and what is the treatment?

      Many people are familiar with this situation: you are sleeping peacefully and suddenly you begin to feel a sharp nagging pain in your leg. Or in the morning, having stretched unsuccessfully, you are faced with the same unpleasant sensations. If cramps recur repeatedly, this is a reason to think about why the calves are cramping, what is the reason and what treatment will be required.

      Pulling your legs? We need to get examined!

      It is difficult to find an adult who does not know what a calf muscle cramp is. Both men and women are familiar with it - and it is very painful! Despite the fact that muscle spasms usually do not last too long and go away on their own, the problem still deserves attention.

      It’s one thing if you get a cramp while swimming in cold water. Everything is clear here: this is simply a muscle reaction to hypothermia. But if spasms recur regularly and you cannot find an explanation for this phenomenon, consult a doctor. Remember that this is far from a harmless symptom: it occurs in some serious diseases.

      Most often, cramps in the calves occur at night. The cause of involuntary contractions of the muscles of the limb may be as follows:

    • uncomfortable position during sleep, which leads to numb legs;
    • unbalanced diet. If the body does not receive enough magnesium, calcium and glucose as a result of the fact that a person is on a diet or simply eats irrationally, then a deficiency of sugar and electrolytes in the blood occurs. This results in nighttime cramps;
    • hormonal disbalance;
    • kidney problems;
    • heart failure;
    • hypovitaminosis (lack of B-complex vitamins);
    • excessive passion for strong alcoholic drinks;
    • constant physical activity on the legs;
    • chronic fatigue and lack of sleep;
    • diseases of the spine (osteochondrosis);
    • overweight.
    • But not only at night - a similar misfortune can also occur during the day. If your calves cramp at any time of the day, the cause may be associated with the following diseases and lifestyle features:

    • varicose veins, thrombophlebitis and atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities;
    • metabolic disorder;
    • incipient Parkinson's disease (this is important for older people);
    • prolonged stress;
    • heavy consumption of caffeinated drinks;
    • flat feet;
    • wearing uncomfortable shoes;
    • less often - brain tumors, spasmophilia, epilepsy, diabetes, diseases of the nervous system, infectious diseases that are asymptomatic.
    • Women's dilemma: to be healthy or to remain stylish?

      Women of all ages often complain that their calves cramp at night. The first culprit of seizures is varicose veins. The second reason, which is typical specifically for the fairer sex, is that during the day they burden their legs with too much load: they wear high heels, narrow shoes, and carry heavy bags. Sedentary work and physical inactivity help the appearance of seizures.

      Most women have to endure pain due to leg cramps during pregnancy. Why is this happening? There are several reasons, the main ones:

    • weight gain;
    • lack of vitamins, which the body intensively spends on the formation of the fetus;
    • lack of magnesium;
    • low hemoglobin, iron deficiency anemia;
    • taking medications for edema (they have a diuretic effect and wash away valuable microelements);
    • inferior vena cava syndrome. It consists of the fact that the growing uterus begins to compress the vein when the woman lies on her back. This leads to poor blood circulation in the legs;
    • chronic venous insufficiency. It is caused by the fact that during pregnancy the intensity of blood circulation in the pelvic organs increases;
    • increased pressure on the vessels of the lower extremities;
    • in some cases, seizures are a side effect of toxicosis.
    • Why do the calf muscles cramp in men?

      Men also suffer from leg cramps. This can happen to them due to high loads. Hard physical labor, intense sports activities - all this can result in the appearance of muscle spasms in the limbs.

      Dehydration caused by heavy sweating can trigger a cramp. The body loses water, and along with it is deprived of electrolytes and other important microelements. Therefore, the risk of cramping increases in hot weather.

      Representatives of the stronger half of humanity may also exhibit a lack of substances that muscles need. Only it can be explained by harmful addictions - abuse of coffee, nicotine, sugar. If a man eats a lot of protein foods to get an athletic figure, then he is at risk of calcium deficiency. The body will report this with leg cramps.

      If a cramp wakes you up at night or often bothers you during the day, then you should find out the reason for this phenomenon. Therefore, pay a visit to the clinic. But this is in the long term, but what to do at the moment when your leg is seized? To relieve pain and relieve muscle spasms, you can take the following emergency measures:

    • relax the limb as quickly as possible;
    • tighten the toe and pull it towards you (you can help with your hands);
    • place your foot on a cold surface;
    • easily prick the calf muscle with a pin;
    • take a contrast shower.
    • The main thing on which the strategy of medical care depends if you have cramped calves is the cause of the problem. In severe cases, treatment may include antiepileptic drugs. If everything is not so scary, then to cure seizures, you can buy the following medications at the pharmacy: Asparkam, Panangin, Calcium D3, Magne-B6, Magnelis B6. Crushed eggshells help as a folk remedy. It is drunk daily, mixed with 1 tsp. fish oil.

      To keep your legs in order

      Leg cramps will never ruin your life if you eat well and regularly, do light leg exercises every day, give up high heels and uncomfortable shoes, stop exposing your feet to too much stress and get your nerves in order.

      Our health depends on behavior, lifestyle, and nutrition. If something in the body is unbalanced, organs and systems will fail. Therefore, the occurrence of seizures is a problem for the whole body, and not just the lower extremities. The sooner you understand its causes, the easier it will be to get rid of such trouble.

      Read other interesting sections

      Orders are not discussed

      For cramps and swelling in the calf muscles. And the blood vessels and joints in the legs will be in good condition. My mother’s legs hurt a lot, they were twisting. Most often, the appearance of pain in the calf muscles of the legs is associated with vascular diseases. You feel skin irritation and problems from inside your legs are relieved. Irina. For convulsions. Every evening, lubricate your calves and soles with a slice of lemon.

      The sensations are specific - unpleasant, you want to jerk your leg to relieve the tension. It's not itching, it's not pain, it's not even numbness. Some internal nerve nodes that relax for a while as you move your leg, and then accumulate again and prevent you from falling asleep. Let's talk about this today.

      This diagnosis is made very rarely. If a person with such problems visits a doctor, most often he will leave with nothing. That is, the doctor will not identify any problems and outwardly the legs will be completely healthy. Most often, the legs begin to twist when a person has already laid down on the bed and is getting ready for sleep. Some kind of internal tension begins to build up and you need to release it - move your legs.

      A person just feels a burning desire to move his legs while lying in bed. But it is impossible to call these particular diseases the cause of the syndrome, since it also occurs in those who do not suffer from the above diseases. Suck a regular Valerian pill under your tongue and your sleep will be smooth and without any urge to nervously move your legs. Of the stronger pharmaceutical drugs, Nakom, Madopar and Mirapex soothe feet very well.

      These are Gabapentin and Clonazepam. Some people tell me that ointments help them with restless legs. In particular, the Zvezdochka type. Such seemingly simple techniques will relax a tense psyche and eliminate torsion in the legs. The main thing is to fall asleep, and then the psyche will not interfere.

      Twists and pulls legs at night - why and what to do Restless legs syndrome - treatment

      Good advice is given here when your legs hurt at night and it’s very difficult to sleep, I took a few tips for myself. My three-year-old son has already woken up at night four times a month and cried, saying his leg hurts and his knee is twisting.

      And in general, communicate with nature more often, and don’t sit in concrete. I agree about cold water on my feet, that’s the only thing that helps me. I agree, it’s not very pleasant to go to bed in the middle of the night on a sleeping body and cold water, and with wet feet and hands, but it helps well and is absolutely free.

      Essential oils in an evening foot bath help me, especially menthol or mint, my feet just soar), and while all my thoughts are not occupied with my feet, I can find and work on the root cause. The torment began three years ago, when I became pregnant, almost from the first days. I didn’t sleep almost at all, I pounded my calves with my hands and on hard objects, my legs were higher than my head, I had a contrast shower, etc.

      I have been suffering with my legs for several years now. And now I’ve already jumped around the room on this leg. Find it, read it, test it on yourself. Think about what you will lose if you don’t like it. Another cause of pain in the calf muscles is atherosclerosis of the arteries. The pain in this disease is acute and prolonged.

      Restless legs syndrome

      In order to get rid of muscle cramps in the legs or arms, you need to take asparkam. But there are also psychological reasons, and first of all it is stress. For spasms in the calves. Baths will help: place a handful of nettles and pine paws on the bottom of the basin. Fill them with as hot water as you can tolerate. For leg cramps (spasm of leg muscles). Can be eliminated by taking 2 tsp. honey with every meal for a week.

      And even an ultrasound will not show any internal changes. Neurologists will also not make a diagnosis, since in their field everything will look normal. Please note that similar problems are also present in fidgety children. They say about such children that they have a problem in one place. But children fall asleep easier, get tired and literally sleep on the go. But we, adults, cannot sleep from these symptoms.

      What is the cause of restless legs?

      It has also been noted that restless legs manifest themselves in people suffering from anemia, renal failure, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.

      The simplest and most effective remedy for such problems is to dissolve a Glycine tablet before going to bed. Otherwise, you can just dissolve it in your mouth, it will also work. It will help some, but for others it won’t even make them want to sleep. It may help one, but not another. But this is probably very effective, since you disperse the blood and lymph, causing the muscles to relax very well.

      They will be relaxed and nervous impulses in them will not cause the desire to change position. You should not take baths that are too hot. Overheating is also undesirable. I already wrote about it above, the drug perfectly eliminates twisting, the legs stop twitching on their own. Do not eat heavily at night, or better yet, do not eat at all after 18 hours. Also, avoid drinking tea and coffee in the afternoon. Take a walk before bed.

      Before going to bed, stretch your legs, toes toward you, heels away from you, to stimulate lymph flow after a day of wakefulness. To go to the main one, you need to either click on the top picture with the house, or click on the link under the picture on the left, which is called Home. You can buy sedatives in pharmacies and drink them three hours before bedtime. They help me, plus you can also take a glycine or valerian tablet before bed.

      Pain in the calf muscles of the legs can be caused by an infectious bone disease such as osteomyelitis. Women are more likely to suffer from leg discomfort than men. This method helps everyone. Feet that are well warmed before bed will not bother you. I usually had such tight pain in my legs at night while sleeping, but it was difficult to fall asleep.

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