Calf muscle cramps are a common symptom of musculoskeletal diseases. They can be clonic, tonic, vascular, febrile, etc. Cramps in the calf muscles of the legs are only a symptom, not the disease itself. Therefore, full treatment is possible only by addressing the cause that causes the development of the underlying pathology. It is possible to relieve symptoms, but the effectiveness of such therapeutic effects will be short-lived. All clinical signs of the disease will return as soon as symptomatic medications are discontinued.
You can learn about the main causes of calf muscle cramps and methods of treating the pathologies that cause them in this article, which discusses both diseases of the musculoskeletal system and concomitant diseases.
Adults often experience cramps in the calf muscles at night; their causes and treatment may differ slightly from the development of convulsive syndrome due to a lack of magnesium, calcium, or alcohol intoxication. The fact is that night leg cramps in most clinical cases manifest osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine with total radiculopathy, compression of the sciatic nerve, osteoarthritis of the hip joint, divergence of the pelvic bones and destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the sacroiliac joint of the bones.
It is quite difficult to independently determine the potential cause of calf cramps, since it is necessary to compare the data of the anamnesis, objective examination and the results of clinical examinations.
If you have constant seizures, we invite you to a free initial consultation with a neurologist. In our manual therapy clinic, the first consultation is provided to all patients without exception completely free of charge. During the appointment, the doctor will conduct an examination, make a preliminary diagnosis and recommend an examination. You will also be provided with comprehensive information about the prospects and possibilities of treating the identified disease without surgery using manual therapy methods.
Causes of cramps in the calf muscles of the legs: why do they occur?
The most common cause of cramps in the calf muscles of the legs is a deficiency of certain microelements in the blood. This may be a consequence of poor diet, consumption of certain toxic substances, alcoholism, or taking pharmacological drugs with a strong diuretic (diuretic) effect. In such a situation, the heart muscle suffers, which requires a certain amount of potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium for contractility and successful conduction of an electrical impulse.
If a woman constantly adheres to a special diet and takes diuretics in order to reduce her weight, then she has a high probability of developing electrolyte disturbances in the body. It will inevitably lead to cramps in the calf muscles of the legs. Women may also experience cramps during pregnancy. This is the most common symptom of eclampsia and preeclampsia with dysfunction of the urinary system. Accompanied by the release of large amounts of protein in the urine.
There are other factors why cramps occur in the calf muscles, they may include the following pathologies:
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar and sacral spine;
- protrusion of the intervertebral disc with compression of the radicular nerve responsible for the innervation of the lower extremities;
- cauda equina syndrome;
- piriformis syndrome;
- deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint;
- displacement (dislocation) of the femoral head due to valgus or varus deformation of its neck;
- destruction of the bones of the knee joint;
- incorrect foot placement (clubfoot and flatfoot);
- tunnel syndromes (in the groin area, under the knee, in the projection of the ankle joint).
These causes of calf muscle cramps usually differ in that they cause an asymmetrical manifestation of the symptom. With neuropathy, tunnel syndrome or as a result of compression of the radicular nerve, a violation of muscle innervation occurs in only one limb. This leads to the fact that cramps also appear on only one leg. This allows for differential diagnosis already at the stage of the initial examination of the patient.
Other causes of calf muscle cramps include the following pathological conditions:
- endocrine pathologies, for example, diabetes mellitus, which provoke the development of neuropathy and angiopathy;
- vascular diseases of the lower extremities (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, obliterating endarteritis, etc.);
- consequences of traumatic exposure (fractures, bone cracks, sprains and tears of ligaments, tendons, muscles);
- disruption of the blood supply to brain structures and resulting paresis and paralysis of the lower and upper extremities;
- tumor processes;
- acute inflammatory diseases accompanied by fever and intoxication of the body;
- violation of the water and electrolyte balance of the human body;
- deficiency of magnesium and B vitamins;
- Iron-deficiency anemia.
This is not a complete list of potential causes that cause cramping in the leg muscles. Making an accurate diagnosis is possible only after all the necessary examinations have been carried out. Therefore, do not start treatment without first consulting your doctor. Believe me, taking magnesium supplements in most cases does not solve this problem, and sometimes even worsens it.
Types and risk factors
Today, there are 2 types of cramps in the calves at night. The first type is called idiopathic. Their cause is unknown, which is why they are called idiopathic. Most often they occur after intense physical activity, as well as with a sudden disruption of blood flow to the lower leg.
Idiopathic seizures can occur not only in young people, but also in older people. In this case, the cause can be called shortening of the tendons during their aging process.
Secondary seizures occur against the background of some pathology or pregnancy. Neurological diseases or peripheral neuropathy are most often to blame. This also includes liver disease, poisoning and dehydration.
There are certain risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of such attacks. These include the following:
- Age over 50 years.
- Physical overexertion.
- Pregnancy.
- Flat feet.
- Leg deformity.
- Taking medications.
Of course, not all pregnant women experience such problems, and not all people with flat feet may experience them. However, it is these factors that deserve great attention.
Frequent calf muscle cramps
Frequent cramps of the calf muscles are a specific clinical symptom on the basis of which one or another disease can be suspected. It is important to recognize the types of seizures, which are divided into:
- tonic, characterized by rapid onset and prolonged muscle tension;
- clonic, characterized by repeated spastic muscle twitches;
- clonic-tonic, in which one muscle is very tense and painful, and those located nearby twitch in a certain rhythm;
- partial, accompanied by severe pain, literally forcing the patient to cry out during the development of convulsive muscle tension;
- febrile, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, are mainly recorded in children with an underdeveloped central nervous system under the age of five years;
- myoclonic, which involves large muscle groups, leading to loss of consciousness and fainting.
Frequent clonic and tonic calf muscle cramps may be the result of improper blood supply or innervation. They may accompany increased physical activity. For example, this symptom appeared in a patient after changing jobs. When changing the degree of physical activity, it takes some time for the muscular system to adapt. This is what can cause seizures.
Cramps in the calf muscles at night and in the morning
a cramp in the calf muscle at night is almost always a reliable clinical symptom of trouble in the musculoskeletal system. This may be due to degenerative dystrophic changes in the structure of the spinal column. the initial stage of osteochondrosis rarely produces pronounced clinical symptoms in the form of severe pain. However, pinching of the nerve fiber during the destruction of intervertebral discs begins literally immediately. This leads to the fact that the patient may notice that cramps occur in the calf muscles at night and in the evening when trying to go to sleep.
This symptom is always accompanied by restless legs syndrome: it is impossible to find a position in bed for the lower extremities in which one could fall asleep peacefully. Therefore, as a consequence, secondary insomnia, irritability and decreased mental performance appear.
Cramps in the calf muscles in the morning may also indicate the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. But more often they appear due to poor nutrition or increased consumption of microelements and vitamins by the human body. These could be persistent infections, the development of cancer, or chronic iron deficiency anemia. Therefore, if cramps appear in the calf muscles, you should consult an experienced doctor as soon as possible. During the examination, the doctor will rule out the presence of serious diseases that require immediate medical attention.
What to do for calf muscle cramps: how to treat and relieve
The first thing to do in case of calf muscle cramps is to conduct a full examination of the body. Under no circumstances should you immediately run to the pharmacy and buy magnesium preparations there, as is advised in commercials shown on television. This measure may turn out to be completely ineffective.
Before relieving a cramp in the calf muscle, you need to completely straighten the lower limb and ensure complete relaxation without exerting physical exertion. It is best to sit on a hard surface with a strong back support. Try to relax the muscles in your calf and thigh. if this does not work, then grab the calf muscle with your hand and begin to slowly and smoothly swing it in different directions. This will restore blood supply. If this measure does not help, then you need to grab the muscles and make several twisting movements.
Before treating calf muscle cramps, an accurate diagnosis must be made. Only with a therapeutic effect on the disease that causes seizures can you completely get rid of them.
Therefore, contact your doctor, get examined and follow all his recommendations. This is the only way to achieve complete restoration of health.
Additional signs will indicate a deficiency of this element:
- Memory deteriorates and concentration begins to decline.
- You get tired quickly, your limbs often go numb and you experience nervous tics.
- Pain in the heart may appear, tachycardia and arrhythmia occur.
- You begin to sweat profusely at night, become anxious and irritable, and often wake up tired after nightmares.
- Caries develops faster and toothaches become more frequent.
- Menstruation becomes more and more painful.
- Spasms of the larynx, esophagus or bronchi are periodically observed.
- Nails become brittle and peeling, and hair becomes weak, thin and lifeless.
- Diarrhea and constipation occur, and abdominal pain also manifests itself, which can be managed with the help of antispasmodics.
Treatment of calf muscle cramps
Complex treatment of calf muscle cramps may include both methods of pharmacological replacement therapy and manual therapy. In particular, in the treatment of lumbosacral osteochondrosis, which is accompanied by myofascial and convulsive syndrome, exclusively manual therapy is used. And when restoring the patency of the bloodstream against the background of diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, varicose veins of the lower extremities, manual therapy without compensation with the help of pharmacological drugs is rarely used, only in the initial stages, when catastrophic pathological changes have not yet occurred in the human body.
Our manual therapy clinic uses a variety of techniques to treat night and morning calf cramps. The course of treatment is always developed individually. Most often, patients are prescribed:
- reflexology, which allows you to normalize the body’s energy balance and launch recovery processes in it using hidden reserves;
- osteopathy and massage, which, when used correctly, completely restore the trophism of muscle tissue by improving microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid;
- kinesiotherapy and therapeutic exercises;
- exposure to a laser beam;
- physiotherapy and many other ways to restore human health.
If you need treatment for cramps in the calf muscles, sign up for a free initial consultation with a chiropractor at our clinic. During the examination, the doctor will make a preliminary diagnosis, talk about the possibilities and prospects of treatment, and give individual recommendations for the examination.
Diagnostics
Seizures in themselves do not require diagnosis, but it is necessary to determine the causes of their occurrence. To do this, the patient, if he is conscious after the attack, must:
- provide complete information about all the diseases he suffered from throughout his life;
- tell the doctor what symptoms bother him, how intense the pain is, and report the possible causes. This will help the specialist determine the type of painful contractions;
- take blood and urine tests for general and biochemical examination;
- undergo a full hardware examination, consisting of MRI, CT, ultrasound, radiography and other diagnostic measures;
- undergo additional consultations with specialists such as a neurosurgeon, psychologist, therapist, surgeon, neurologist.
It is worth paying attention to diagnostics in women during pregnancy, because not all examinations can be done at this time.
These basic studies will provide an overall picture of the condition of the patient’s internal organs and systems.
