Cramps in the legs at night: causes, treatment, what to do

click fraud protection

Probably there is no person who would never have experienced at night with cramps in the legs of in calves under the knee. Night leg cramps always occur suddenly, are very painful and unpleasant, any attempt to carry out any movement, anything to do - brings incredible suffering. It seems to a man that his veins on his leg and muscles are about to burst.

Question:

What if my leg cramps?

The recipe is simple:

Plentifully moisten the saliva of the index finger of the hand and spread the spot under the knee with a cramped leg - pain and tension will immediately release!

But leg cramps can be not only at night, but also in the daytime - in a foot on the sole - the fingers begin to spin down and inward - a very painful phenomenon.

Leg cramps can occur:

  1. in pregnancy,
  2. in young people and adolescents,
  3. aged 50,
  4. in the elderly.

Today we will talk about the causes of nocturnal and diurnal leg cramps, about why they arise, about the treatment of leg cramps - what to do and how to get rid of them at home by simple home folk remedies and medications, medications and exercises.

instagram viewer

At the end of the publication, watch the video with the detailed consultation of Dr. Evdokimenko about why he reduces his legs: how to treat them properly, the available simple methods of treatment.

CONTENTS

Nocturnal leg cramps: the causes of

The muscles of the legs and toes are susceptible to the most prolonged spasms. There are many reasons, depending on them, treatment is selected. Symptoms of painful muscle spasm in the legs of the legs are more often observed during sleep.

Types of nocturnal seizures

Regardless of the manifestation and type of spasm, it is the body's response to any internal or external stimuli. Seizures are of a quality:

  1. tonic( protracted) - the muscles are fixed in an uncomfortable position for a long time - from four or more minutes, are very painful, block the control of the limb;
  2. clonic( rhythmic) - cramps of the muscles of the legs are short-lived with the delaying of specific muscle groups.

In the coverage of the zone of influence, convulsions can be divided into:


  1. localized( delimited) - convulsive manifestation in a particular muscle, pain is fixed there, other muscles are not affected;
  2. generalized( common) - convulsive contraction extends to all limb muscles, usually this is the manifestation of any disease.

What causes the

legs What are the main causes of leg cramps at night:

  1. dehydration of the body( electrolytes, ions are washed away with water);
  2. increased sweat separation;
  3. with strokes, alcohol poisoning and damage to toxic substances in the brain formed motor impulses;
  4. local oxygen starvation( blood circulation is severely impaired);
  5. high temperature( overheating, illness, heat or sunstroke);
  6. osteochondrosis of the spine( in case of disturbance of the nerve pathways, the nerve endings may not work properly, and the muscles can be reflexively contracted);
  7. hypokalemia - leaching of calcium from the body( with long-term use of diuretics or hormonal drugs);
  8. neuralgia( myositis, vertebral hernia, sciatica, poliomyelitis, cerebral or peripheral atherosclerosis);
  9. hypomagnesemia( with the use of drugs that interfere with the absorption of magnesium ions);
  10. stressful situations;
  11. diets with increased protein content( proteins do not allow full-value calcium absorption in the body);
  12. pregnancy( with pregnancy, leg cramps are a frequent phenomenon - the fetus squeezes blood vessels, nerve endings).

Causes of seizures at night can be the states of increased impulse activity of the brain( for head injuries, epilepsy, psychoses, decrease in the amount of ATP( for varicose, diabetes, heart failure).

First aid for leg cramps: what to do?

When spasms appearthe patient's condition can be eased, the pain and discomfort can be alleviated. To this end, you can:

  1. walk on the cold floor;
  2. lie down or sit down, pulling out the spasmodic leg, pulling the foot towards you;
  3. doing self-massage of the shin;
  4. take an aspirin tablet( if there are no contraindications) to normalize blood circulation and remove hypertension from the muscles
  5. prick the affected area with a needle( it works well if the spasm is in the calves, but it's best to perform the procedure for a specialist).

To improve blood circulation and reduce spasm or its effectsSaddle an easy gymnastics for the legs in the form of natural movements of the foot, shin, circular movements, pulling the foot towards yourself - from yourself, left and right. The attack will pass!

Ways to treat leg cramps

Before treating leg cramps, you need to unequivocally determine the reason why the legs cramp their legs at night. As a concomitant treatment, the diet is adjusted towards more vitaminization( groups B, D and E, can also be obtained in the form of tablets).

Most often, seizures occur with a lack of blood circulation in the muscles, during physical stress and overexertion.

Medication: drugs

Anticonvulsant drugs with local effects have not been developed. And those that are - a lot of side effects.

Vitamin-mineral complexes, magnesium preparations, can act purposefully, for example:

  1. Mydocalm,
  2. Natur Kalm,
  3. Magnnerota,
  4. Solgar with magnesium citrate,
  5. Baclofen.

Among vitamin-mineral complexes:

  1. Complivit,
  2. Alphabet,
  3. Calcium D3
  4. Nycomed,
  5. Magne-B6.

It is useful to take them and children when there is a lack of nutrients in the diet.

To remove the pain of a convulsive spasm will help ointments:

  1. Capsicum,
  2. Finalgon.

Treating convulsions at home with available

remedies. With the help of the following recommendations, you can alleviate the condition with muscle spasms and twitchings:

Taking contrasting foot baths( cold hot), rubbing the feet skin alternately with hot and cold water before falling asleep. The procedure very well improves blood microcirculation in the legs and reflexively has a calming effect on the central and peripheral nervous system. When taking foot baths, you can add decoctions of medicinal herbs and medicinal plants into the water: decoction of valerian root, horsetail of field, peppermint.

Eat more food:

  1. avocado,
  2. legumes,
  3. greens,
  4. cereals,
  5. sour-milk products,
  6. vegetables,
  7. bran,
  8. liver fish( especially cod),
  9. dried fruit,
  10. cottage cheese.

Performing a gymnastic complex of natural movements:

  1. walking in the morning alternately on the toes, heels, internal and external parts of the foot,
  2. wiggling of the toes,
  3. sit-ups.

This improve the condition of the muscles, reduce the frequency of seizures.

Treating folk remedies at home

To reduce seizures, the frequency of their appearance, there are effective traditional medicine.

  1. For half an hour, apply a warm honey compress to the calf area, wrap the leg. After the procedure, wash the honey with warm water. This recipe well helps with spasms of the legs in a child.
  2. Lubricate the soles of the feet before sleeping pressed juice of , do not flush. Carry out rubbing for one or two weeks.
  3. With varicose in old age, with old age, rub twice a day with painful vessels with water with two tablespoons apple cider vinegar 6%.The course of treatment is 30 days.
  4. To prevent cramping at night, apply ointment from yolk , 1 tea box turpentine and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to the calves and soles of the legs before going to bed. In the morning, rinse the remnants of the remedy. Similarly, you can use natural mustard powder .
  5. Helps with spasms Vaseline ointment .Mix 1 part of celandine with 2 parts of Vaseline base. Apply the mixture if there is a threat of convulsive spasms.
  6. Grass Goose Goose Finger .In one liter of boiling water, add four tablespoons of herbs. Blend the mixture on low heat for five minutes, cool, strain. The resulting broth taken during the day for a few tricks. Similarly, you can brew grass in a glass of milk( a glass of a pinch of grass).Milk to drink in hot form 3 times a day.

Exercises from night cramps

Using this set of exercises, you can reduce the frequency of painful muscle spasms. If the leg is brought down, such movements help:


  1. IP lying. The legs are stretched, the feet are simultaneously pulled back( forward-down).
  2. IP is the same. Simulate the rotation of the bicycle pedals several times in the forward and reverse directions. The
  3. IP is the same. Hands are located along the body. Take turns in a stretched position to raise your legs. While doing the exercise, hold the leg with your hands and pull it towards yourself( towards yourself).
  4. IP standing. Several times turn up and down on your toes( very helpful in cramping during pregnancy).
  5. IP lying or sitting. Rotate, bend the foot in all possible directions.

For a good stretching of the muscles of the calves of the legs, do the following:

  1. Place a middle book under the toes,
  2. for a few seconds, press the heels to the floor;
  3. remove the socks together, and spread the heels and press them to the floor;
  4. dilute socks, make heels, repeat.

How to get rid of cramps in the legs quickly?

With a sense of approaching the onset of cramps, immediately pull your toes onto yourself. This will help to stop the attack.

You can ease your leg back from the bed, resting your fingers on the floor. Pressurize the front of your foot with your weight.

Regular exercise will help avoid convulsions at night.

Prevention

For the prevention of nocturnal leg cramps, you can follow certain principles:

  1. does not overload your legs, give them rest more often( over the age of 40);
  2. reduce the consumption of soda, sweet, coffee;
  3. to reduce the number of smoked cigarettes or quit smoking altogether;
  4. give lure the body microelements: calcium and magnesium;
  5. regularly do gymnastics and grinding calves( in the absence of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis);
  6. to warm feet during sleep;
  7. actively use the healing power of contrasting foot bathtubs daily before bedtime;
  8. smooth out stressful situations( especially for those over 50).Leg cramps can disturb sleep. But by doing simple exercises and following the above recommendations, you can get rid of the disease. If convulsive muscle spasms are a frequent phenomenon - consult with physicians therapists, neurologists.

    Do not be surprised at night cramps in the legs during pregnancy, this is a common phenomenon, it is not dangerous, albeit unpleasant. Successes to you and health!

    Related videos

    Cramps in the legs of pregnant women: reasons for getting rid of

    On the video channel of Alina Kazak.

    In this video, I'll talk about the causes of cramps in the legs of pregnant women and how to deal with it instantly!

    On my channel you can also find topics such as pregnancy, how beautifully to dress pregnant, what to take with you to the hospital. How to give birth easily and without breaks! I will share my advice on breastfeeding, how to teach your child to talk, how to teach him to a pot and how to teach him to fall asleep on his own. And, of course, beauty and fashion theme! !!How to care for thin hair, medical procedures, as well as salon procedures. Running cosmetics! I'll tell you how to dress beautifully and inexpensively, how to dress stylishly.

    Cramps in the legs: what to do with leg cramps?

    On the video channel "Grossmann Center".

    The question of nocturnal cramps in the legs is raised by most weight-losing people, especially those who are losing weight very quickly. The fact is that when you burn fat, it's as if you received a lot of physical exertion and products of burning fat, the same acids make you this cramp! By and large it's not scary.

    What should I do if my leg cramps? If there was a night of cramps in the legs: relax, calm down, stroke your foot. Do a move to the body, to slightly stretch, pull this liquid with acid.

    Why does my leg cramp? What should I do?

    On the video channel "Health-Life!" The author gives his vision of the problem.

    Seizures in the legs are painful muscle contractions. Many people have experienced this unpleasant sensation, and some are worried about it all the time. What are the reasons that the legs "reduce"?

    • Varicose veins. With this disease, the legs hurt for a long time, they swell and feel heaviness, and after a while there are cramps.
    • Flat feet. This feature of the structure of the soles of the feet also provokes convulsions. Deficiency of potassium and magnesium.
    • Physical overload. As a result, the fluid supply in the body is depleted, which provokes convulsions.
    • Disruption of the endocrine system.

    Cramps in the legs, why it reduces legs: how to treat, how to treat

    On the video channel of Dr. Evdokimenko.

    Legs most people often reduces at night.

    Causes of leg cramps:

    • Magnesium deficiency in the body.
    • Lack of calcium.
    • Lack of B vitamins.
    • Side effects of some medicines.

    Other causes of leg cramps:

    1. pregnancy,
    2. vegetarianism,
    3. smoking,
    4. alcohol,
    5. frequent drinking of green tea,
    6. spasms of blood vessels,
    7. muscle fatigue.

    Treating leg cramps:

    First of all, check the instructions of those drugs that you take daily, for several months or years. Remember that many drugs( from cholesterol, pressure, diuretics, hormones) give a side effect in the form of cramps in the legs. If you have legs from drugs, it is desirable to replace the drug.

    If it's not about the side effects of drugs, we begin the phased treatment of leg cramps:

    The first stage of treatment of : Magnelis B6, or Magne B6, or Magnesium Plus B6, in tablets. Buy from these drugs the one that will be cheaper. Adults take any of these drugs - 2 tablets 3 times a day, while eating, drinking a glass of water - for 1 month.

    IMPORTANT!Admission of these drugs should be canceled immediately if symptoms of excess magnesium in the blood appear, such as:

    1. strong slowing of the pulse( less than 60 per minute),
    2. double vision,
    3. sudden rush of blood to the skin of the face,
    4. headache,
    5. severe pressure decrease,
    6. nausea,
    7. dyspnea,
    8. blurred speech,
    9. vomiting,
    10. weakness,
    11. severe dizziness.

    All this happens with the intake of magnesium infrequently, nevertheless, this must be remembered.

    2nd stage of treatment of : If the cramps in the legs do not stop after the course of treatment with magnesium preparations, then go on to injections with Group B vitamins.

    Milgamma or Kombilipen( which will be cheaper) - buy 10 ampoules, administer to adults intramuscularly for 1 ampoule(2 ml), every other day, that is 10 injections. But if from 5-6 injections of milgamma or kombilipen to the legs it does not become easier, then we stop stitches, and then we proceed to the third stage.

    3rd stage of treatment of : Calcium preparations, better in the form of carbonate( it is believed that it is better absorbed).For example, Complymium calcium D3.Or Calcium D3 - Nycomed. We buy from them the one that will be cheaper.

    Adults take: Complicant calcium D3 - 1 tablet 2 times a day, preferably with meals. Tablets are chewed or swallowed whole.

    Or use Calcium D3 - Nycomed: take daily 1 tablet of calcium D3 - Nycomed - forte or 2 tablets of regular calcium D3 - Nycomed.

    The course of treatment with calcium preparations - no longer than 1 month. Check the contraindications!

    4th stage of treatment of : Venotonics: Detralex, Flebodia, Diosmin, Troxevasin in capsules, Troxerutin.

    ATTENTION!This video is educational and fact-finding. There are contraindications. Before applying recommendations and advice from the video, be sure to consult a doctor!