If your legs cramp at night, this may be a sign of a lack of calcium and potassium.
If you observe regular leg cramps at night (cramps in calves, feet, toes) and this is accompanied by such unpleasant symptoms as constant heaviness, fatigue, swelling of the legs, then this phenomenon may be a symptom of incipient varicose veins. In this case, it is necessary to consult an experienced phlebologist before starting treatment.
Also, leg cramps can be a sign of a lack of nutrients such as calcium and potassium, and can also be caused by flat feet. In order to get rid of cramps with flat feet, special shoes and insoles are needed, as well as regular massage of the entire surface of the legs and, in particular, the foot.
If there is a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body, it is necessary to reconsider your diet and include in it foods such as cottage cheese, hard cheeses, bananas, legumes, apples, dried apricots and others. Taking vitamin courses in addition to a proper diet may also help.
If your legs cramp at night due to incorrect posture, and your muscles become numb, then you need to immediately take a comfortable position and perform a kneading massage on the site of the spasm.
If your legs cramp at night quite often, this may be due to an excess of caffeine and nicotine in the body. Therefore, it is worth thinking about reducing your consumption of coffee and cigarettes. An excess of sugar in the body can also have a negative effect.
The most serious causes of leg cramps are diseases such as epilepsy, brain tumors, eclampsia, spasmophilia, as well as hidden injuries, inflammatory and infectious diseases, as well as hidden neurological diseases. In any case, if you often have cramps in your legs at night, you should seek advice from doctors such as an endocrinologist, phlebologist and neurologist.
You can also do a number of exercises right in bed:
If your legs cramp at night quite often, then it is best to consult a doctor, since the cause of this development of events can be really serious diseases, and even if it is a fairly common varicose veins, then you need to start fighting it as early as possible, at the first stage of the disease. Sleep well!
Nervous disorders: anxiety and depression
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Causes of spasms
When do you need to see a doctor?
How to eliminate nighttime leg cramps?
Muscle spasms are caused by involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles and are a common symptom of dehydration, fatigue, insufficient blood flow, or nerve compression. Muscle fatigue due to poor fitness or heavy exercise is a common cause of cramps at night, especially in women.
Other reasons may be lack of mobility and physical activity, vascular disorders. Both cases result in decreased blood flow to the muscles.
Important! Decreased levels of electrolytes in the blood may also be a common cause of leg cramps. In very rare cases, muscle spasms can be caused by kidney problems. Diabetes mellitus can be accompanied by cramps in the arms, calves and even feet.
Spasms can occur in one muscle or in a group of muscles, and are accompanied by pain and the formation of palpable hardness in the muscle tissue. What else could be the cause of seizures? They can also occur with severe dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes in the blood, which can even lead to shock or coma and are life-threatening.
Other symptoms may also be noted, which, in combination with cramps at night and the causes of their occurrence, may indicate serious health problems:
If we talk about diseases and dysfunctions that can be accompanied by seizures and why they occur in men and women:
If your muscles hurt severely and are accompanied by the following symptoms, the answer to the question of what to do is to go to the doctor:
For those who suffer from cramps at night and don't know what to do, some simple procedures will be helpful. They will help alleviate pain and eliminate spasms.
See your doctor to determine the cause of your seizures. In most cases, stretching, physical activity and a healthy diet will help relieve muscle cramps.
Live healthy E. Malysheva - Why do my legs cramp?
Traditional Chinese medicine is fundamentally different from the European approach to treating diseases. In the West, man has always been viewed from a material point of view, examining the body literally cell by cell in order to identify the factors that led to the occurrence of disease. Of course, Western doctors pay close attention to the external signs of the disease, but they trust sensations much less than the results of diagnosis.
Chinese medicine has a completely different approach to treatment. Eastern healers are confident that human sensations deserve the closest attention. This is a kind of language that supports the connection between the mind and internal organs. And if this is really the case, then emerging diseases constantly signal this through external manifestations. It is enough just to know through which organs internal diseases manifest themselves in order to pay attention to them in a timely manner and not delay treatment.
Let's take a closer look at the wonderful world of oriental medicine and learn to recognize existing diseases by their external manifestations. And at the same time, let’s compare this experience with the experience of European doctors, who also accumulated enormous knowledge about the external signs of diseases.
Ancient people said:
Moreover, Chinese healers know about the connection between the legs and the eyes, and we have already learned about a similar connection between the liver and the eyes. In this sense, if your vision begins to deteriorate or your legs cramp, check the condition of your liver.
But that's not all. Some people notice a strange feature in themselves. Every night they wake up between 1:00 and 3:00 and simply cannot fall asleep without the help of sleeping pills. And the point here is not at all about insomnia. It’s just that during this period the highest activity of the liver channel is observed. Thus, if something is preventing you from sleeping during a given period of the night, you should check the condition of your liver. It is quite possible that this is the problem.
Changes associated with language, as we already know, indicate pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. For example, heart problems, in particular the appearance of tachycardia and the development of coronary artery disease, are hinted at by redness of the tip of the tongue. If the tongue begins to bend to the side, this is a clear sign of an impending stroke. In addition, the condition of your hair also signals the appearance of heart problems. Early gray hair hints at this and is clearly indicated by the onset of hair loss.
Here it is worth mentioning about vessels. Some people complain of pain in the chest and abdominal area, which they experience almost daily, and at the same time, between 19:00 and 21:00. There is nothing strange in this, because this is the period of highest activity of the pericardial channel. Such pain indicates problems with blood vessels and the possible development of atherosclerosis.
Pay attention to your lips too. If they become swollen for no apparent reason, there are problems with the spleen. Diseases of this organ are hinted at by conspicuous thinness and poorly developed muscles.
Based on the proposed concept, it turns out that if you have frequent bone fractures, you should think not about how to increase your calcium levels, but about whether your kidneys are healthy. Ringing in the ears also indicates kidney problems. But in Chinese medicine there is another well-known saying: “The lower back is the palace of the kidneys.” In this sense, if your lower back is aching, there is every reason to think about your kidney health.
Have your nails become brittle and brittle? But according to Chinese traditional medicine: “Nails are an extension of tendons.” At the same time, we remember the connection between the tendons and the liver, which means a very interesting relationship emerges - problems with the nail plates, take care of your liver health!
If you constantly have a stuffy nose, this is not a reason to treat your cold or take allergy pills. There is a high probability that a disease of the pulmonary system is to blame.
Do not think that in the West doctors completely ignore the external manifestations of diseases. Over the centuries of the existence of medicine, doctors have accumulated enormous experience in identifying diseases by external signs, which every person who cares about their own health should know about.
When the soles of the feet are constantly wet, most likely the body has an endocrine disease or heart problems.
As you can see, both in the West and in the East, people from time immemorial have paid attention to the connection between internal diseases and external manifestations. And this is incredibly valuable knowledge that each of us needs. If we learn to listen to our own body signals and know what they mean, each of us can avoid many health problems.
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Muscle cramps are a process of involuntary muscle contraction, which is accompanied by a sharp, acute pain syndrome and a feeling of numbness. This phenomenon in the leg area is a problem for many people, which requires correct diagnosis and timely treatment.
Why is this happening? In modern medicine, there is information about the various causes of this symptom, which can be easily corrected and quickly treated.
This can be a consequence of either an ordinary fracture or a more dangerous pathology. In other words, when the first seizures appear, you should not neglect going to the doctor, since failure to treat the cause of the symptom will be more dangerous.
It is not yet possible to name the exact reasons why legs cramp at night in the thigh, hip joint and above. But there are certain factors that influence the occurrence of symptoms in the legs. Such factors are as follows:
In some cases, when the legs cramp at night in the thigh and hip joint, this may be a consequence of the presence of varicose veins. Also, the cause of this phenomenon in the legs (in the hip joint area) may be cirrhosis of the liver, muscle fatigue, or a pathological process in the thyroid gland.
Improper functioning of the immune system can cause cramps in the hip joint.
When a symptom appears in the hip joint area, it is important to replenish missing or deficient vitamins and elements in the body, eat right, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. And these are not all methods of eliminating and preventing cramps in the hip joint. Your doctor will tell you more about them.
Also, if a person has received a fracture of the femoral neck, or rather, has already undergone surgery after the fracture, such a symptom may occur.
Symptoms of a hip fracture are as follows: sharp and aggravated pain in the groin area, visual shortening of the leg, inability to raise the leg in a supine position. Treatment of a femoral neck fracture can be either surgical or conservative. Surgical treatment of a femoral neck fracture is a more effective method of correcting the femur.
If you do not resort to surgery after a hip fracture, it is possible that some of the bones will not return to their place. Otherwise, long rehabilitation is necessary after a femoral neck fracture, or more precisely, after hip replacement.
The reason why your legs cramp at night may lie in the endoprosthetics performed. If a person has undergone knee replacement surgery (his joint), some complications may arise after the operation. In addition to cramps and numbness, an allergic reaction, infection, wound suppuration, and paralysis due to a pinched nerve during surgery may be observed in the knee area. The symptom may also appear in the area slightly above the knee.
To get rid of this symptom of cramping your legs at night, as well as other manifestations after knee replacement, it is important to develop the right rehabilitation program. The syndrome of pain and numbness will bother you for some time after endoprosthetics.
The rehabilitation period after endoprosthetics can reach three months, during which it is necessary to keep the wound area clean and dry. It is equally important to refrain from any physical exercise for up to 2 months after endoprosthetics. Jumping and any other pressure on the knee will only aggravate the wound healing process.
Every day after endoprosthetics, you need to examine the wound for signs of infection. In addition to cramps in the knee, it is possible that the wound may become red, blue, or swollen. With such signs, it is important to consult a doctor promptly.
Why do seizures occur in this area? This symptom, when the legs cramp at night in the area of the toes, may occur due to a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body. Also, when one or more fingers go numb, the reason may lie in certain medications that the person is taking.
This manifestation in the area of the toes can also occur during pregnancy, since all important microelements and vitamins are taken by the fetus. In this case, the woman has a deficiency of microelements such as iron, magnesium and calcium.
Cramps in the toe area can occur if a woman is on a diet. During this period, a woman lacks microelements and vitamins, as they are not absorbed into the body due to an inadequate diet. The result is a malfunction in the body and the occurrence of cramps in the legs (in the area of the toes). Symptoms may occur at night due to poor circulation.
Factors that give impetus to the development of cramps in the toes and feet are the following: wearing incorrectly selected shoes, the presence of diabetes, venous disorders, inflammatory foci, flat feet. Treatment for such a symptom is determined taking into account the cause that caused it.
When your leg cramps at night (and this symptom occurs systematically), this may be the result of a pinched nerve. In addition to muscle cramps in the legs and weakness in the area of the pinched nerve, there are symptoms such as pain in the affected area, burning, tingling, muscle tension, and sensory disturbances. Convulsions due to a pinched nerve intensify at night, in case of severe coughing, laughing, or sneezing.
The causes of pinched nerves in the legs lie in the exacerbation of a disease such as osteochondrosis. An aggravation of the pathological process is observed with muscle hypertonicity, which causes more discomfort to the person. At the moment when the process of pinching a nerve is caused by muscle spasm, damage to the blood vessels occurs. The result is pain syndrome, deterioration of blood circulation, and disruption of the functioning of internal organs.
When the process of pinching a nerve is observed for a long time, tissue death and loss of sensitivity in certain areas of the body can occur. In some cases, inflammation of the pinched nerve may occur, for example, with radiculitis.
When muscle cramps occur in the legs and there is a suspicion of a pinched nerve, you should immediately go to the hospital. Why is this necessary? It is impossible to treat such a process without permission, as it can lead to aggravation of the pathology. Only a doctor will be able to correctly name the reasons that contributed to the occurrence of a pinched nerve, as well as prescribe the appropriate treatment.
To get rid of muscle cramps during a pinched nerve, it is important to eliminate the root cause of its occurrence. Treatment for a pinched nerve involves acupuncture and manual therapy. To relieve pain, take painkillers.
Treatment of such muscle manifestations at home can be carried out in the following ways:
If your leg cramps at night, treatment with drugs such as Asparkam, Calciomax, Magnesol is no less effective.
Traditional treatment for this type of manifestation, when the leg cramps at night, is as follows:
You can make an ointment with your own hands: mix mustard and olive oil in a 2:1 ratio and apply to those muscles that are cramped.
The affected area can be lubricated with lemon juice.
Celandine juice should be mixed with Vaseline and applied to the affected muscles.
Infuse onion skins and consume before bed.
Treatment of cramps, which are the result of insufficient potassium in the body, can be carried out with the help of yeast. The medicine is prepared as follows: pour boiling water over rye crackers and leave for three hours. After this time, the infusion is filtered, yeast is added and left to ferment for seven hours. Drink the infusion before meals.
If your leg cramps at night or during the day, this may be a manifestation of a serious illness, including brain cancer. That is why it is important to consult a doctor in time, who can correctly determine why the symptom occurs and how to treat it.
The reasons for this phenomenon may be various; Only a specialist can give an exact answer as to why the legs are cramped after collecting a detailed history and a series of examinations.
Depending on the duration of muscle contractions, the following types of cramps are distinguished:
Some people may experience mixed seizures. According to prevalence, generalized and localized seizures are distinguished.
As already mentioned, there can be many reasons for the occurrence of leg cramps, and in each case individual factors play a decisive role. Among the main reasons for this phenomenon are:
Your toes may cramp when wearing uncomfortable shoes, but if this phenomenon occurs to you periodically, we recommend that you consult a therapist. Often the cause of toe cramps is chronic venous insufficiency or a deficiency in the body of a substance such as electrolytes. The first thing that is recommended for people suffering from toe cramps is a phlebological examination.
Leg cramps at night most often occur due to a deficiency of mineral salts, excessive stress on the leg muscles, as well as diseases of the central nervous system. These factors provoke disturbances in blood flow, which is already slow during sleep. Muscle spasms at night occur due to a basic lack of nutrients and increased stress. Sometimes cramps are just a consequence of your prolonged stay in one uncomfortable position.
Since the sensitivity of nerve fibers increases with age, night cramps more often bother older people with osteochondrosis or metabolic disorders. In addition, if you often experience leg cramps during sleep and at rest, we recommend consulting with your doctor, as this may indicate vein thrombosis.
Cramps during pregnancy are a very common phenomenon, and not only the muscles of your legs, but also your arms and even your face may contract. The main reason for this condition is a change in the balance of microelements in the body of a pregnant woman. So during this period, expectant mothers need much more mineral salts than before, and their lack manifests itself in the form of cramps.
If you have toxicosis with severe vomiting, this further aggravates the situation, since with vomit the body loses a huge proportion of the microelements necessary for good health.
Leg cramps during pregnancy can also be a consequence of anemia. In multiple pregnancies, this phenomenon sometimes indicates inferior vena cava syndrome, when when lying on your back or right side, the vein is pinched and blood circulation in the legs is disrupted. In such cases, it is recommended to choose a sleeping position on the left side to prevent pressure from the uterus on the inferior vena cava.
If leg cramps have been bothering you for a long time, you can contact our clinic for a comprehensive examination. Experienced specialists will assess the condition of your body, identify the exact cause of involuntary muscle spasms and find the best ways to solve the problem.
General recommendations include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regular physical activity, and proper and balanced nutrition. To relax muscles, you can use warm baths, massage, and gymnastics. However, it is very important not to ignore cramps, as they can signal a serious illness that requires proper treatment.
Cramps are involuntary, often very painful muscle spasms that occur for various reasons in a person. Most often, the calf muscles are affected by cramps, but cramps in the arms and other muscles of the body can also occur.
Calf muscle cramps occur for various reasons. They are often the result of overexertion, long walking or standing still. During work, a large amount of lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which causes painful contractions. In this case, a warm bath will help quickly relieve pain.
Often night leg cramps are a symptom of the initial stage of varicose veins. You need to carefully examine your legs: if the veins stand out sharply under the skin or you notice the appearance of “stars” from small bluish vessels, immediately visit a phlebologist. In this case, an additional sign will be frequent bruises on the skin of the legs, resulting from the most trivial bruises.
The appearance of cramps in the calf muscles may indicate a lack of important microelements in the body - calcium, potassium and magnesium. In this case, taking appropriate vitamin drinks and a balanced diet will help quickly and effectively relieve unpleasant symptoms.
Arm muscle cramps most often occur due to prolonged hard work in a fixed position. People who often have to type large texts on the keyboard or play the piano are often prone to hand cramps. This phenomenon is called in medicine – “pianist syndrome”.
The second common cause is hypothermia of the hands. Poor circulation that occurs due to this can trigger seizures.
A lack of calcium or magnesium in the body can trigger cramps, as can poor blood supply to the arm muscles. By eliminating this cause, you can get rid of unpleasant sensations forever.
In addition to the limbs, the muscles most susceptible to cramps are the thigh muscles, as well as those located in the abdomen and chest. The appearance of unpleasant muscle contractions is a purely individual symptom: some experience them with any physical activity, while others never experience them.
Most often, cramps are observed in athletes involved in sports that require long training and great endurance: long-distance runners, triathletes, skiers. Elderly people over 60 years of age who engage in heavy physical work are also susceptible to it.
Scientists say the most likely cause of seizures is a change in the water-electrolyte balance in the body. To prevent their occurrence, you need to drink water more often, take care of a balanced diet rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium, and take vitamins.
The first action when a cramp appears is a vigorous massage of the cramped muscles. You need to perform it with warm hands; you can apply a drop of warming balm to the skin. If the cramp does not go away within a few minutes, you need to take a warm bath: it will help neutralize the excess lactic acid in the muscles.
The original method exists in folk medicine: if you have a cramp, you should put a little salt on your tongue and sit for a minute with your mouth open. The cramp disappears very quickly!
To prevent calf muscle cramps, rub lemon juice on your feet every day for two weeks in a row. Wait until the juice dries naturally before putting on your shoes. Regularly taking one or two spoons of honey in the morning on an empty stomach also helps.