If one or more muscles contract involuntarily and pain is felt, then this is a cramp. Most often, cramps appear in the lower extremities, and more specifically, when walking, the calves of the legs cramp. There are some reasons why the muscles in the calf contract, which subsequently leads to the extension of the foot, as if a person is rising on his toes. Cramps in the calf muscles when walking naturally intersect with sharp and acute pain.
The reasons why calf cramps can be different - from poor nutrition to serious illnesses:
There are quite a number of reasons why calf muscle cramps can occur when walking, but the main one remains a deficiency of magnesium in the body, so this issue should be considered in more detail. Most people do not monitor their diet and therefore a failure occurs, and this leads to a decrease in magnesium levels . The substance is poorly absorbed into the blood due to bad habits, such as coffee drinks, alcohol, smoking, abuse of sweets and flour products.
With a reduced amount of magnesium , the body tries to replace it, and therefore the necessary substances are sucked out of the musculoskeletal structure. Because of this process, when taking tests in a hospital, one can mistakenly assume that there is enough magnesium in the body or even a lot of it, but this is not the case.
Also, a lack of magnesium leads to consequences in other areas: pain during menstruation, weakening of hair follicles and loss, fragility of nails and tooth enamel, and subsequently caries appears, periodic discomfort in the heart muscle, rapid breathing.
If your calves are cramping, but you notice some of the symptoms that were listed above, then rest assured that this relates specifically to a lack of magnesium in the body, but additional tests and consultation with a doctor will not hurt.
If your calves cramp when walking, you need to pull your toes towards you, while trying to relax the pull, and then pull hard . It happens that after this procedure the cramp does not go away, so you need to do the following - just get on your feet and walk carefully, because of which the blood will begin to circulate faster and the pain will ease. It will be useful to do a simple massage , light massaging movements, using a warming cream, will improve blood circulation. If you don’t want to do a massage, you can simply pinch the area of your leg where the pain appears or lightly prick it with a needle .
It is the complaint of periodic leg cramps that is considered one of the most common when seen by doctors. It is noteworthy that absolutely all categories of people can experience leg cramps - young and old, pregnant women and children, with the appearance of absolute health and with already diagnosed pathologies. Most often, patients complain of leg cramps at night, during sleep - this syndrome causes a person to wake up, he experiences pain and discomfort.
Cramps are involuntary contractions of one or a group of muscles, which are necessarily accompanied by intense pain. Most often, such sudden muscle contractions occur in the legs, or more precisely, on the back of the lower leg, in the calf muscle.
For some reason, the muscle begins to spasm, and this entails voluntary extension of the foot, and to the possible maximum. Naturally, this condition provokes pain.
In general, there are many reasons that can trigger the occurrence of leg cramps - from violation of the regime and diet to insufficient intake of important microelements in the body. But the main reason for the periodic appearance of convulsive contractions of the leg muscles is considered to be a lack of magnesium in the body.
Magnesium deficiency in the body can only happen due to poor nutrition - it has already been proven that the absorption of this microelement into the body tissue is impaired due to excessive consumption of coffee, alcoholic beverages, sweet foods and flour products. The body, sensing magnesium deficiency, begins to actively “extract” it from the musculoskeletal system - by the way, this is why, when conducting a laboratory blood test, specialists determine the presence of magnesium either within normal limits or with elevated levels.
To understand that the cause of leg cramps is precisely the lack of magnesium in the body, it is enough to know other symptoms of such deficiency. These include:
In addition to the fact that the cause of leg cramps can be a deficiency of magnesium in the body, there are other factors that provoke the condition in question. Experts highlight the following:
The most interesting thing is that all of these problems can arise in almost every person - they are a consequence of the “wrong” lifestyle. For example, the above diseases can lead to:
Leg cramps in pregnant women are common, but they are usually not associated with renal failure or chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. The reasons for the appearance of the syndrome in question during pregnancy in women can be:
Please note: pregnant women may develop eclampsia - increased blood pressure, severe swelling, and protein is found in the urine. The most dangerous thing with eclampsia is the occurrence of generalized convulsive seizures, which is an unambiguous indicator for urgent delivery.
The appearance of the syndrome in question in childhood is often associated with the active growth of the child. It is noteworthy that young children cannot describe the painful convulsive syndrome in words, so they report their problem by crying - it is always sharp and shrill. The causes of night cramps in children can be:
It is interesting that flat feet and a lack of potassium/magnesium will manifest themselves not as single convulsive attacks, but as regularly occurring ones.
There are clear recommendations from doctors that will help you quickly cope with leg cramps - pain and discomfort simply force a person to take some measures. What to do if you have a leg cramp:
Usually, after using one of the listed methods for relieving leg cramps, relief occurs. A person should take a lying position with his legs slightly elevated - this will speed up the outflow of blood from the lower extremities, which will prevent the occurrence of repeated cramps.
If leg cramps bother you with enviable regularity, the above recommendations do not help to quickly relieve a spastic attack, then this is a reason to seek professional medical help. First, you need to visit a therapist (or a pediatrician in case of cramps in the child’s legs) - he will conduct an initial examination of the patient and refer him for additional consultation to more specialized specialists (neurologist, endocrinologist). Only after this will treatment of the underlying disease be prescribed - with positive dynamics, leg cramps will occur less and less often, and then completely disappear.
If no pathological changes are detected in the body, the doctor will give recommendations on how to eliminate possible causes of convulsive syndrome in the lower extremities. As a rule, they are as follows:
Please note: compression garments come in different sizes and apply different levels of pressure to the lower extremities. Therefore, such underwear should be selected by the doctor with whom the patient is being treated.
Leg cramps are an extremely unpleasant phenomenon that complicates a person’s life. The fact is that cramps provoke insomnia, which in turn leads to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. But doctors know perfectly well how and with what they can help patients with complaints about the condition in question - you just need to strictly follow their recommendations.
Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category.
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Pathological conditions, which, in fact, are not an independent disease, but at the same time disrupt the patient’s usual lifestyle, occur quite often. An example of such a condition is, for example, myoclonus, when the legs often cramp.
This condition is characterized by involuntary contraction or overstrain of one (several) muscle groups. It is especially unpleasant when cramps suddenly appear at night, which requires mandatory medical consultation and diagnosis, since sometimes leg cramps can be an indicator of some serious diseases.
The causes of seizures are quite diverse, but the etiology of the disease is not well understood.
Most often, the provocateurs of the pathological condition are:
The calf muscles become overstrained during long walks, long-distance running and physical activity, which leads to the development of cramps. Tonic - characterized by fairly prolonged muscle tension, atonic - by short-term contraction and relaxation. However, in some diseases (intoxication, cardiac dysfunction, vitamin deficiency, traumatic brain injury, etc.), both types of seizures may occur.
Tonic cramps often occur after a stressful day at work.
The second most common cause of leg cramps is sudden dehydration, especially during the hot season, during intense sports training or visiting a sauna. In this case, the work of the sweat glands increases, and along with moisture, the body loses a sufficient amount of minerals (magnesium, calcium, sodium) necessary for the body, which provokes muscle spasms.
In addition, a similar condition can occur in patients when the treatment of the disease involves taking diuretics, for example, for hypertension or cardiovascular insufficiency. The effects of these drugs are sometimes accompanied by seizures, especially at night.
Another predisposing factor for leg cramps is considered to be an imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory signals that enter the calf muscle, as well as an increased contractile muscle reflex. This condition is observed when the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphoric acid) decreases, which leads to a deterioration in metabolic processes in the muscles of the lower extremities and a decrease in their relaxation. In addition, the legs may cramp due to pathological changes in the blood vessels, for example, with an increase in blood viscosity, etc.
At temperatures above 38 degrees, cramps may occur in any part of the body, including in the legs. This condition is especially common in childhood. In addition, during various stressful situations and nervous breakdowns, there is a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood, which, in turn, helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide with subsequent cramps in the legs.
Febrile seizures in childhood require immediate medical attention
The parathyroid glands are located close to the thyroid gland. Their function is to regulate phosphoric acid metabolism in the patient’s body. A characteristic symptom of the disease is muscle spasm of the respiratory muscles, convulsive contractions of the leg muscles, fingers and toes. Along with spastic contractions, the patient may experience pain in the abdomen, insomnia and increased irritability.
With a lack of calcium in the body caused by hypoparathyroidism, repeated cramps in the calf muscles are observed. Cramps can be short-term or prolonged, involving one or more muscles. In addition, the patient experiences a decrease in immune strength, increased brittleness of nails, deterioration of hair structure, etc.
Hypoparathyroidism is extremely rare (about 1.5% of the population), but it can develop in patients of any gender and age
Calcium is especially important for pregnant women, adolescents and patients on certain diets. The daily requirement of calcium is from 1000 to 1500 mcg per day. A sufficient amount of this trace element is found in dairy products, nuts, soy products, cabbage and parsley. In addition, when the cause of convulsive contraction of the calf muscles is due to hypoparathyroidism, it is necessary to take vitamin D, since it promotes maximum absorption of phosphorus and calcium.
With this disease, multiple damage to nerve endings is observed. The main causes of polyneuritis are viral infections, hypovitaminosis, intoxication, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic disorders.
Polyneuritis often develops due to alcohol intake and is accompanied by convulsive symptoms.
The disease is accompanied by cramps in the legs, especially at night, paresthesia (a feeling of “crawling crawling”) and numbness of the limbs. The patient is worried about headaches and dizziness, hearing loss, pain in the heart and increased irritability.
Quite often, convulsions occur against the background of varicose veins, in which the veins dilate and the venous valves weaken, which leads to stretching of the venous walls and stagnation of blood. In addition to cramps, the patient is bothered by heaviness in the legs, pain, swelling and difficulty walking.
A stagnant process in the veins can lead to the development of thrombophlebitis and complete blockage of the vein. Subsequently, such a process can lead to thromboembolism and death of the patient.
To improve blood circulation in case of varicose veins and prevent the development of seizures, it is necessary to use a special elastic bandage and avoid tight belts. In addition, it is recommended to give up the habit of crossing your legs while sitting, since this body position significantly worsens venous blood flow. In case of severe or chronic development of the process, surgical intervention is recommended.
Often the causes of cramps are due to a joint defect such as clubfoot, when the heel area constantly tilts inward, causing a curvature of the ankle. This defect is especially evident in women who wear high-heeled shoes.
Forms of curvature of the ankle joint
When walking, the legs quickly get tired, pain appears in the calf muscles and knee area, and the veins of the legs and feet dilate, which leads to the development of convulsive syndrome, and in the absence of corrective treatment, to a serious violation of posture.
As a result of hormonal changes in a woman’s body during pregnancy, blood flow is disrupted due to compression of the venous plexuses by the uterus. The effect of hormones helps to soften the venous walls, which are often damaged due to sudden changes in pressure, especially during labor.
The most common cause of leg cramps during pregnancy is venous insufficiency.
As a rule, seizures occur at night. In women, in the late afternoon, the upper part of the leg, foot, and lower leg swell, and numbness and heaviness are felt in the calf muscles. Such symptoms require careful monitoring by the attending physician, with constant monitoring and comparative characteristics of the changes occurring. If necessary, a decision is made on possible therapeutic treatment, taking into account the severity of the woman’s condition and the danger to the child.
It should be borne in mind that there are no special drugs for the treatment of seizures. All of them are prescribed in accordance with the established diagnosis, the frequency of seizures and the presence of any chronic diseases in the patient.
The only common cure for seizures is medications that contain a balanced complex of vitamins and minerals. In addition, as an additional remedy, the doctor may recommend taking magnesium and muscle relaxants, which have a relaxing effect on muscle tissue.
The most effective mineral and vitamin complexes against leg cramps include:
The group of muscle relaxants includes:
As a local remedy, you can use Troxevasin ointment or gel, Heparin ointment, as well as medications that contain horse chestnut
Such drugs relieve convulsive attacks and pathological symptoms due to the warming and anti-inflammatory effect exerted on the vessels of the lower extremities.
In addition to drug therapy, the pathological condition can be treated using traditional medicine. Thanks to such recipes, you can significantly reduce the frequency of seizures, and in some cases, get rid of them completely.
The following recipes are considered the most effective:
Despite the sufficient effectiveness and safety of folk recipes, you should consult your doctor before using them, since there may be cases of individual intolerance to some herbal components.
If cramps in the leg area occur frequently, you need to know what to do in an emergency to get rid of such symptoms:
Massaging the calf muscles allows you to quickly get rid of cramps
Some patients find a hot foot bath to relieve very severe muscle spasms.
To date, there is no single product that would provoke the development of convulsive symptoms with a high degree of probability. However, the influence of nutrition should not be completely excluded, since leg cramps can occur quite often in obesity and atherosclerosis. Accordingly, a special diet should be formulated to prevent the development of such a condition as much as possible.
The diet must fulfill the following conditions:
It must be remembered that treatment tactics directly depend on the diagnosis of the disease. For frequent seizures that do not respond to drug therapy, surgery is sometimes indicated. In addition, the choice of the right shoes, normalization of physical activity on the feet and timely treatment of chronic diseases are of no small importance. With an integrated approach to the treatment of leg cramps, the prognosis for recovery is favorable.
Leg cramps are a very painful phenomenon that briefly deprives a person of the ability to move. Sometimes you get the feeling that the leg muscles will simply burst due to cramps and the most unpredictable consequences will occur. Often people, not knowing how to get rid of leg cramps, panic. In the meantime, these unpleasant sensations can be easily eliminated. You just need to know why your legs cramp and what to do when you have leg cramps, and systematically follow the recommendations for preventing these manifestations.
Every person has experienced leg cramps at least once in their life, and not necessarily during a long swim (this often happens in water). Painful manifestations most often occur in the calf muscles. This is usually caused by sudden tension or overwork of these muscles, emotional stress, a long break in food, lack of calcium in the body, as well as flat feet and varicose veins.
The reason why leg cramps may be caused by cold (legs may go numb in cold water or in the cold). Often the legs cramp during sleep, which is explained not so much by pinched nerve roots as by deterioration in nutrition and blood supply to the leg muscles due to improper body position in bed.
If you don't know what to do if you have leg cramps, use the recommendations below. You need to sit up in bed, lower your legs down and carefully stand up (it’s a good idea to do a few squats). It is best to first prick your leg with a clean needle (preferably not to the point of bleeding!) or simply pinch it. You can also add a piece of ice to it.
Then you need to massage your feet and calves with stroking and patting from your toes to your heels, from your heels along your calf muscles to your knees. After this massage, you should lie down with your legs raised at an angle of at least 60°, which will ensure blood flow and prevent recurrent cramps.
Treatment for leg cramps includes massage with essential oils (laurel laurel oil is especially effective for this). Just don’t forget to mix the essential oil with the base (neutral oil, for example, olive or corn) in the ratio: 10 drops per 50 ml of base (if the cramps were not one-time, it is advisable to carry out sessions of such therapeutic massage for 10-12 days).
Traditional recipes: remedies and methods for treating leg cramps
Before treating leg cramps, adjust your diet by increasing the consumption of fermented milk products (especially cheese and cottage cheese), which contain a fairly large amount of calcium, in addition, introducing cereal porridge, beans and sesame into your diet (the latter contains the largest amount of easily digestible calcium!)…
In addition, you should lubricate your feet with freshly squeezed lemon juice (and do not walk or put on shoes until the lemon juice has dried). The course of treatment should last 2 weeks.
Before going to bed or in anticipation of cramps, it is a good idea to massage three points: in the middle of the calf, at its highest point and under the kneecap.
An effective folk remedy for leg cramps is a hot infusion of the herb “crow’s feet”: 1 tablespoon of the herb is poured into 1 glass of boiling water, left for 1 hour and drunk a third of a glass before meals 3 times a day.
Another recipe for cramps is rubbing your calves with ice. It is advisable to store ice from peppermint infusion in the freezer - you can wipe your feet with it both in the evening and before bed (or even when night cramps occur in the leg muscles).
When treating leg cramps with folk remedies, take contrast baths (you can simply immerse your legs alternately in a bucket of cold water or a bucket of hot water for 2-3 seconds) - such procedures perfectly tone the blood vessels of the lower extremities and even train the muscles of the legs and feet.
By the way. In recent years, leg cramps have increasingly occurred not so much at an advanced age, but among young representatives of the fairer sex. And the whole point is that, in pursuit of rapidly changing fashion, they are ready to put on their cute feet either shoes with huge platforms, or shoes with high heels, or even show off even in the winter cold in summer sneakers. And such “abuse” of “the main means of transportation” often does not go in vain for them, causing pain, fatigue and, of course, leg cramps!
Folk treatment for leg cramps is also possible with the help of...... a cat! It is well known that domestic cats love to sleep at their owners' feet. And all because these animals are bioenergy therapists and perfectly feel that it is in the lower extremities that people accumulate negative energy during the day. With their warmth and their own positive energy, cats have a warming, analgesic and relaxing effect, relieving or simply preventing possible cramps in the owner’s legs. In addition, the fur of these little healers, which carries a light electrical charge, stimulates active points, located in large numbers in the legs, which also causes a general stimulating, healing effect!
Combine traditional methods of treating leg cramps with exercises that strengthen the ligaments, get rid of excess weight, uncomfortable shoes, avoid prolonged stress on the legs, monitor the condition of the veins in the legs, wear stockings (socks) made of natural fibers.
It is better to start taking care of the condition of your legs even before cramps occur. To prevent leg cramps in the morning, do not be lazy to perform a set of special strengthening exercises:
1. While sitting or standing, place your feet crosswise and rest on their outer edges.
2. Curl your toes, count to 10, then straighten them and count to 10 again.
3. Raise yourself onto your toes until your heels come off the floor, then quickly lower them to the floor.
4. Place a board or block 5 to 10 cm high on the floor. Place your feet so that your heels are on the floor and your toes are on the board, and slowly move first to the right and then to the left.
Do not forget that all these exercises must be performed barefoot, each at least 5 times!
During the day, to prevent seizures, it is advisable to carve out a few minutes of your precious time and, sitting on a chair or standing with your back to the wall, do the following exercises:
1. Raise yourself on your toes 8-10 times.
2. Tighten and relax the leg muscles alternately 10-20 times.
3. Perform rotational movements in the ankle, knee and hip joints - up to 20 times.
Tension in the leg muscles that has accumulated during the day can be relieved in the evening with these simple exercises:
1. Sitting on a chair, raise your legs and make circular movements with your feet.
2. Bend your toes down and then sharply straighten them up. Move your fingers vigorously.
3. Stomp on the inner and outer ribs of your feet.
4. Take ten slow steps in place, pointing your toes down. Imitate the gestures of pantomime actors.
Before going to bed, it is useful to perform these simple exercises:
1. Lying on your back, twist your legs as if you were pedaling a bicycle.
2. Pull your toes towards you.
These same exercises for cramps can be done at night if your legs are cramping.
In our difficult times of constant stress, not only the head, but also the legs react to them, and nervous spasms occur.
And if in the evening, after a hard day filled with stress, you, already lying in bed, feel “small”, not very strong cramps in the legs, causing an irresistible desire to move them, if there is a feeling of restlessness in the legs, “goosebumps” running along them from the tips fingers to the very thighs, these manifestations indicate that the cramps arose primarily from nervous overstrain.
In such cases, experts recommend taking folic acid and iron supplements. In addition, sedatives are desirable (preferably medicinal herbs such as valerian, motherwort), as well as foot massage before bed. In the midst of “creepy crawlies” and cramps, you can get out of bed and do a few squats - this usually helps quite quickly.
Important warning! In cases where the occurrence of leg cramps is associated with vascular disorders in them, you should apply Troxevasin or Troxerutin gel to your calves in the mornings and evenings (without rubbing!).
A cramp is a sudden, painful contraction of a muscle. This phenomenon is uncontrollable and involuntary. Not everyone knows that spasms occur not only in the leg muscles. In fact, a nervous tic of the face, eyelids, is also a type of spasm, only this type of spasm is called “clonic” because it is expressed by rapid uncontrolled movements that are stereotypical in nature.
The same seizures that almost every adult knows about are called “tonic”. In this case, the muscles do not contract, but harden, causing severe pain. Most often, such cramps occur at night in the leg area, namely in the shin area. Also, sometimes the feet or thighs cramp. Seizures occur even in children, but much less frequently than in adults.
Statistics say that leg cramps that frequently occur at night are a phenomenon well known to 80% of the world's population.
This phenomenon is not only unpleasant, but its importance should not be underestimated. Severe forms of seizures can even be life-threatening. With so-called “generalized” cramps, almost all the muscles of the body cramp. Such a spasm can cause a person to lose consciousness. Convulsions of this type are caused by the consequences of certain diseases. In such cases, medical assistance cannot be avoided.
Let's try to understand why seizures happen and what to do to prevent and treat them. Oddly enough, the most common reason lies in the blood. If the blood is not replenished with certain necessary substances, its biochemical composition changes. Substances such as calcium, potassium and magnesium contribute to the normal functioning of muscles and nerve endings. In addition, the body may not have enough vitamin D. A lack of these substances may well cause an imbalance that leads to seizures.
The normal absorption of calcium and magnesium by the body may be prevented by taking any medication. Among such drugs are adsorbents and diuretics. The latter promote the removal of potassium and magnesium from the body. Heartburn medications can have the same side effect.
The body can begin to excrete calcium on its own, without the external influence of any drugs. This occurs when there is excessive release of a hormone such as cortisol. Cortisol enters the body during severe stress.
During pregnancy, a lack of one or another microelement is a common problem. A woman who is expecting a child needs much more calcium and magnesium. In this regard, pregnant women often experience cramps in their legs.
Another cause of calcium deficiency is eating too much protein. If the body does not have enough glucose, it takes it from fats, and not just from carbohydrates. In this case, so-called “ketosis” may develop, triggered by the appearance of ketones in the blood. This entails such an active removal of calcium from the body that stones may even appear in the kidneys.
Cramps often occur in athletes in the summer. This occurs due to sweating. Quite a lot of potassium comes out with sweat.
In winter, people receive less vitamin D from sunlight. And vitamin D promotes normal calcium absorption. Therefore, a lack of vitamin may also cause the problem in question.
There are several other possible causes of painful muscle spasms:
One of the most unpleasant and painful types of cramps is a spasm of the calf muscle. It begins with a slight sensation of muscle contraction and develops into severe pain. An increase and intensification of pain occurs in a short time, it is always sudden.
Night cramps are considered a very common occurrence. They should not be confused with disturbing sensations in the legs caused by joint dysfunction. Such spasms prevent people from sleeping well at night.
There is a category of people who can feel the onset of spasms in advance. The correct action for them would be to relax the leg muscles as thoroughly as possible.
If you did not have time to do this, then you need to take countermeasures against the spasm that has already occurred.
Grasp your big toe and pull it firmly towards you. Release your toes briefly and then repeat the action. Take off your socks and walk through the cold with half-bare feet.
If you have an ointment with a warming effect on hand, rub it on your cramped leg or ask someone close to you to do it.
A well-known remedy for cramps is a needle prick. At night, the needle may not be nearby; you can replace the injection with a light pinching in the muscle area.
When the cramp passes, raise your legs above heart level. The blood will drain from the legs, and the risk of recurrence of the spasm will be minimized.
It is impossible to get rid of this problem forever without eliminating its source. A doctor can correctly identify the cause of seizures. Be sure to set aside time to visit a specialist, because health is most important.
With this problem, you need, first of all, to go to a general practitioner. He will conduct a general examination of the body and decide which specialist you should be referred to. The therapist makes this decision based on test results that show in which area violations are possible. There are fairly safe things you can do to prevent seizures that you can do on your own.
Take contrast baths before bed, this will reduce blood flow to the legs and the risk of cramping at night. You can add valerian to the water, which is known for its relaxing properties.
Massage your feet before bed. Rub the muscles where they usually cramp. Start with gentle movements and increase them over several minutes.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, cramps in the legs at night most often occur in people who do not eat the right way. If you experience leg cramps at night, it means your body is missing something.
The natural conclusion is that you need to include foods containing a lot of potassium and magnesium in your diet. You also need to take calcium and vitamin D, which can be taken in tablets. Calcium is found in dairy products. Eat cottage cheese, cheese; drink kefir and milk. There is a lot of potassium in meat, poultry, and fish. You get magnesium from cereals, greens, and legumes. Get outside more often, especially in sunny weather. This way you will enrich your body with vitamin D.
Two more things to do when dealing with cramps: control the amount of coffee you drink and try to smoke less.
In the morning, stretch in bed, stretch your legs, tense and relax several times in a row. This exercise should be done regularly. Stretch up while standing on your toes. Quickly return to the starting position. This can be done several times in a row. Stand up straight. Standing on the outside of your feet, tighten your legs. Stay in this position for several seconds, up to a minute. Relax your legs, let them rest, and repeat all over again.
Now you know what to do to prevent and prevent seizures. If you have normalized your diet, but your legs still cramp at night, then something else needs to be changed. Where to start in this case? Of course, with a visit to the doctor. It must be remembered that self-medication can cause serious harm to health. Thoughtlessly treating yourself for cramps, you can provoke the appearance of problems much more serious than cramps at night.
After reading this article, you have become familiar with the most common and harmless methods of treating and preventing the problem in question. But the reasons for your particular cramps may differ from those described above. This means that other treatment methods must be used.
What is a cramp and what to do if it often cramps your leg?
The most famous are cramps of the calf muscle; it is these cramps that are many times more likely to receive complaints from those suffering from this disease. Let's talk about this in more detail and give several acupuncture techniques that can help alleviate the problem.
Almost all of us have experienced leg cramps. Usually this is a one-time unpleasant event, but quite frequent, sudden seizures also occur. There are people who experience nighttime calf muscle cramps as a regular occurrence. The reasons for this may be a lack of potassium and calcium in the body, flat feet or varicose veins. In any case, frequent sudden seizures are a reason to consult a doctor for examination and prescribing appropriate treatment.
As for the precisely established lack of trace elements of potassium and calcium, it is worth increasing the diet of cheeses, cottage cheese, apples, bananas, dried apricots, and paying attention to vitamin preparations.
Some common causes of leg cramps at night
1. Staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time. As a result, the muscle nerve is pinched in the muscle canal and a cramp occurs. A light massage to relax the muscle and adopting a comfortable position usually solves this problem.
2. Excess caffeine in the body. This can be solved by reducing the amount of coffee you drink daily. At the same time, you should reduce your sugar intake.
3. Excess nicotine in the body. In this case, it is necessary to give up cigarettes or significantly reduce their consumption.
4. Various injuries, brain tumors, epilepsy, neurological diseases, toxicosis during pregnancy.
To treat these diseases, it is necessary to contact the appropriate specialized specialists. Night leg cramps disappear after treatment of such a disease identified by a doctor.
Another situation in which this painful phenomenon occurs is a cramp from hypothermia in winter or while swimming in cold water. This phenomenon is especially dangerous when swimming in a large body of water, when there are no people nearby who can provide assistance. Such convulsions do not mean that a person has any disease. The person suffering from a cramp should get out of the water, warm up and carefully massage the limb.
And in general, regular massage is an excellent remedy against cramps.
Y Tsutsumi, a Japanese acupuncturist, tells how to get rid of leg cramps:
Anti-cramp exercise 1
To combat cramps in the calf muscle, carefully massage the sezan point located in the middle of the calf. Duration of massage is 2 minutes.
Anti-cramp exercise 2
The second point that should be treated with acupressure is the “ityu” point, which is located in the upper edge of the calf. It should be massaged for 2 minutes.
Anti-cramp exercise 3
The point in the middle of the popliteal cavity is the third point for acupuncture for two minutes. Please note that to achieve a quick and maximum effect, the proposed small set of acupuncture exercises must be performed three times a day.
In order for treatment to be effective, it should be c.
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Perhaps everyone has encountered such a nuisance as an involuntary and very painful muscle contraction, for example, at night or while swimming. Knowing and understanding why your arms and legs cramp, you can respond promptly and adequately by taking appropriate measures. If sudden spasms happen rarely, you don’t have to worry too much, but when they happen frequently and regularly, you should think about treatment and prevention.
The cause of seizures can be inflammation, hidden injuries, endocrine disorders and diabetes, diseases of the nervous system. Serious health problems require contacting a doctor. In such cases, after examination and treatment, the seizures usually stop. Unbearable pain as a result of sudden muscle contraction also occurs due to flat feet, varicose veins, and stressful situations.
Convulsions can be triggered if a person is very cold or finds himself in icy water. Often, cramps in the calves, feet and toes occur as a result of a lack of microelements in the body:
Muscle strain provokes spasms during intense physical exertion or prolonged squatting.
The cause of seizures can be heat and sunstroke, as well as any other pathologically sharp increase in body temperature. During influenza and acute viral infections, alcohol intoxication, the development of a stroke and during the recovery period after it, the limbs cramp, since foci of irritation arise in the corresponding area of the cerebral cortex. Vascular diseases of the legs and hypoxia - insufficient oxygen supply to tissues can also cause seizures.
Diabetic patients are also familiar with cramping pain in the legs when, due to hunger, the blood sugar level sharply decreases. Cramps can also occur with an overdose of sugar-lowering drugs. The legs cramp when sensitivity is impaired when the nerve fibers coming out of the spine are compressed, if a person suffers from osteochondrosis. Being in a stuffy room for a long time, experiencing overwork or intoxication, even healthy people can feel convulsive muscle contractions.
If sharp convulsive pains persist during night sleep, if you feel an attack, it is recommended to sit down, lower your legs from the bed and very carefully step on the hard surface of the floor (a soft carpet is not suitable here). In this case, keep your legs together and straighten your torso as much as possible.
Within a few minutes, muscle tone and blood circulation in the limbs will be completely restored. Another way to overcome sudden sharp pain: grab your cramped toes with your hands and pull them towards you. As soon as muscle spasms weaken, it is necessary to massage the limb.
You can relieve pain and eliminate cramps by injecting strongly or pinching the sore spot. Pain in the muscle will calm down when applying ointment or warming cream. Rubbing the limbs with vodka or apple cider vinegar has a good effect. Frequently recurring spasms can be successfully combated with warm alcohol compresses.
To successfully deal with muscle pain due to spasms, it is important not only to understand why your arms and legs cramp, but also to follow simple recommendations from doctors.