Leg cramps at night: cause and treatment: what to do and how to prevent

Short-term painful localized (limited to one muscle or group of muscles) cramps are called cramps . They can occur in any muscle group, but are most common in the calf muscles. And it looks like this: we lie on our backs and after a slight movement of our toes, “ convulsive pain in the calf muscles ” occurs, tightening and squeezing, extremely unpleasant. Such pain can also occur when we take off our shoes. By its nature, it is a prolonged tonic contraction of the muscle, lasting from several seconds to minutes.

Most often, cramps are associated with diseases of the lumbar spine (for example, osteochondrosis), in which, sooner or later, the nutrition of the nerve endings and muscles in the legs is disrupted, so they do not receive all the necessary nutrients and begin to work “not correctly.” Such cramps occur after physical exertion or at night while lying down.

Separately, stenosolia is distinguished - this is compressive pain in the soleus muscle (it is located deeper under the calf), also very unpleasant pain, but a little weaker than cramps. This muscle has a special structure and is very sensitive to disturbances in microcirculation in it. Stenosolia most often occurs when we lie on our side or stand for a long time, walk, or sit.

What are night leg cramps?

Involuntary contraction or excessive tension of one or more muscles is medically called a cramp. In essence, this is a short-term muscle spasm that significantly reduces the mobility of the limb, causes pain and acute internal discomfort. The pathological process involves one or more muscles located in the arms, legs, abdomen, and neck. To return normal leg movement and restore restful sleep, it is important not to delay in finding the root cause and starting comprehensive treatment.

Varieties

If you regularly experience leg cramps at night, you should not ignore such an unpleasant symptom. More often, the pathological process involves the muscles of the calves and toes, which do not experience similar discomfort during the daytime. The phenomenon is temporary, but dangerous; frighteningly systematic relapses. To speed up the final diagnosis, it is necessary to find out in detail what leg cramps happen at night. The classification depending on the type and manifestation of spasm is as follows:

Tonic convulsions. If the patient takes an uncomfortable position of the legs and does not change it for more than 4 minutes, control of the limb is significantly limited, and acute pain syndrome predominates.
Clonic. The spasm predominates during accidental or forced stretching of muscle structures and has a short-term course.
Localized. The focus of the pathology is single - only one muscle suffers, while others are not involved in the pathological process.
Generalized. This is a consequence of a serious pathology of the entire muscular system of the leg, and such an unpleasant symptom is disturbing over a long period of time.

Whatever form the disease predominates, in any case it requires timely diagnosis and subsequent treatment. If the calf muscles suffer, the reasons can be physiological and pathological, and in the latter case they require a comprehensive examination at the hospital. To quickly suppress cramps at night, you need to start treatment with a visit to your local physician.

Potassium deficiency

Potassium maintains water-salt balance. Deficiency causes rapid fatigue, metabolic disorders, changes in blood pressure, and slower wound healing. Dull, weak hair, dry skin, women have difficulties with pregnancy, premature birth, and sometimes infertility.

Lack of potassium disrupts neuromuscular conduction - the cause of cramps in the calf muscles, thighs, and feet at night. Treatment is carried out by taking pharmaceuticals to eliminate potassium deficiency.

It is useful to include the following foods rich in potassium in your diet: oats, buckwheat, millet, rice, wheat bran, meat, fish, seafood, poultry, legumes, nuts, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, parsley, raisins, prunes, cherries, currants, dairy products.

A study of patients with cirrhosis confirms that leg cramps are not associated with changes in calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, or zinc levels.

Causes of leg cramps at night

A problem exists in the body and may indicate a short-term effect of a provoking factor or the negative impact of a dangerous pathology that is prone to recurrence. Among the main causes of night cramps, doctors identify the following clinical pictures:

dehydration of the body with extremely undesirable loss of electrolytes and ions along with fluid;
impaired sweating;
intoxication with alcohol-containing products;
excessive slagging of the gastrointestinal tract;
oxygen starvation;
genetic predisposition (hereditary factor);
prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures (outdoors or indoors);
hypokalemia as a consequence of long-term use of hormones and diuretics;
neuralgia (myositis, intervertebral hernia, radiculitis, poliomyelitis, sclerosis);
prolonged presence of stressful situations;
hypomagnesemia;
clubfoot;
polyneuritis;
taking certain contraceptives;
Iron-deficiency anemia;
phlebeurysm;
professional sports;
vitamin deficiency prevailing in the body;
excessive physical activity during the daytime;
pregnancy.

Among women

Representatives of the fairer sex join the risk group. This health problem occurs more often in pregnant women, when stagnation occurs in the body, there is double blood flow and increased load on the lower extremities. If cramps appear at the beginning of the first trimester, this is a normal reaction to the birth of a new life. When an unpleasant symptom bothers you at a more advanced stage of obstetrics, alternatively, the following diseases and pathological conditions of the pregnant body may predominate:

phlebeurysm;
toxicosis caused by an acute lack of vitamins and minerals;
deficiency of magnesium, potassium and calcium;
intrauterine pathologies;
tachycardia and other pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
elevated blood cholesterol levels;
renal failure.

In order to resort to conservative treatment for leg spasms, you need to consult with an obstetrician-gynecologist, since the presence of certain medications can only aggravate the woman’s condition and cause significant damage to the intrauterine development of the fetus. Self-medicating at home is dangerous for the health of the mother and the unborn child.

In old age

Night cramps with such a clinical picture become unpleasant symptoms of other diseases of the body of a chronic nature or are a typical condition of the irreversible aging process. With age, the size of the tendons changes, as a result of which the patient begins to be bothered by night cramps, which periodically remind themselves of themselves during the daytime.

Drug therapy, as such, is not provided; doctors recommend taking a course of massage and adhering to simple rules of prevention. In the latter case, it is advisable to give up bad habits, take more vitamins and increase physical activity. To obtain nutrients for cartilage, the doctor prescribes multivitamin complexes and limits exposure to provoking factors.

Why is there a problem?

The main and most common reason is improper (excessive) load on the legs. And at a certain point it begins to manifest itself in the form of convulsions. What could cause such tension? Causes include previous scoliosis and injuries to the coccygeal-sacral region. Because of them, the pelvic bones rotate, therefore, the load on the legs is distributed incorrectly. In theory, this should prevent a person from walking, but our body is amazing: it adapts. But the muscles begin to work more intensely than in a healthy body. To keep their body upright, they have to overexert themselves. When a person goes to bed, he seems to relax, but this does not happen to the leg muscles. During sleep, pressing, bursting sensations may appear, which disappear with movement due to increased blood circulation. Normally, any movement (squats, walking, rubbing, etc.) relieves muscle tension, but if the mechanics of the lower body are impaired, this is not enough. Therefore, the process continues at night - during sleep, twitching occurs in the legs, which can wake a person and even provoke insomnia. This is called restless legs syndrome. In essence, these are convulsions.

Article on the topic Unstable gymnastics. We work muscles in an unusual way

Also among the causes that cause convulsive muscle contractions are::

Physical activity: long walking, intense training. Cramps in this case signal that the muscles have not yet recovered, have not rested, and the metabolic products that have accumulated in them have not been completely washed out.
Due to overexertion, cramps often occur in athletes during sports.
Increasing stress in pregnant women can cause cramps. Pregnancy works like a litmus test - it reveals previously hidden defects and problems of the musculoskeletal system.
Disruption of the parathyroid glands. The consequence of this is slow absorption of calcium in the intestine.
Hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose levels.
Lack of vitamin D. Of course, this is not a direct cause. However, a deficiency of this vitamin may be an indirect sign. And its deficiency occurs in the majority of Russian residents, and this should not be overlooked.

In the case when such a syndrome appears constantly and affects not only the leg muscles, I recommend that you consult with an endocrinologist.

If while swimming, for example in a pool, you feel your leg cramping, there may be two explanations for this. Firstly, an unusual increased load: strong tension in the calf muscles, stretching of the fingers. The second reason is the cold. Low temperatures themselves can trigger cramps.

Question answer

Does soap in bed help with cramps and spasms?

What to do if your legs cramp at night

To reduce the number of night attacks to a minimum, at the first symptom you need to contact a specialist and jointly determine the etiology of the pathological process. Otherwise, ensuring the long-awaited balance will be especially difficult, almost impossible. If cramps persist at night, here are the recommendations given by competent specialists:

Review your daily diet, give up strict diets and hunger strikes. Replenish the supply of such valuable microelements as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron into the blood (in the case of the latter, it is necessary to increase the process of absorption and assimilation by the body).
It is very important to completely avoid wearing uncomfortable and narrow shoes every day, which for a long time fixes the incorrect position of the foot, puts unnecessary stress on the joints and tendons, and causes acute pain.
It is necessary to permanently get rid of the bad habit of sitting in a cross-legged position, since in this case blood stagnation progresses, fraught with night cramps and numbness of the limbs.
If there is a local impairment of blood circulation in the legs, it is necessary to increase physical activity during the daytime, for example, spend more time in the fresh air and take long walks. It is very important to avoid nervous tension and prolonged stressful situations.
It is necessary to perform a series of laboratory tests (urine and blood) to determine the underlying disease, which could provoke night cramps in the legs. This is not only impaired metabolism, but also diabetes, hypoparathyroidism, Parkinson's disease, and infectious diseases.
As an “ambulance”, you need to perform a quick massage of the cramped calf of the leg or perform a rotating movement on the areas of the feet (to stretch the spastic muscles).
Steady positive dynamics are provided by foot baths with sea salt, which have not only an antiseptic, but also a restorative, regenerating, and soothing effect.

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Drug treatment

Night leg cramps can be eliminated using conservative methods, but this should be done if such an unpleasant symptom begins to remind itself with particular regularity. Self-medication at home is completely excluded; doctors provide a comprehensive approach to the health problem, which begins with a detailed diagnosis and identification of the root cause of the disease. As for oral administration of medications, for night cramps it is appropriate to involve representatives of the following pharmacological groups:

magnesium preparations: Mydocalm, Natur Kalm, Magnerota, Solgar with magnesium citrate, Baclofen (to strengthen the structure of cartilage and tendons, get rid of signs of vitamin deficiency);
multivitamin complexes: Complivit, Alphabet, Magne-B6 (to increase local immunity, speed up the healing process and get rid of such unpleasant night symptoms).

Exercises

To prevent the occurrence of night cramps, doctors recommend that patients perform simple physical exercises before bedtime. This is both treatment and prevention, which requires only time. Below are basic movements that, if performed regularly, can reduce the number of painful attacks. So:

Leaning on your feet, you need to squat down. Supporting the body with your hands, smoothly move from toes to heels and back (be sure to stretch). It is necessary to perform 3 sets of 10 – 15 repetitions.
In a standing position, you need to press your heels firmly to the floor and transfer the weight of your entire body to them. Freeze in this position for 15–20 seconds, then take a break and repeat 2 more approaches.
Another useful movement must be performed according to this principle: the toes of the feet are brought together, and the heels are located apart. Then you have to change the position of the body exactly the opposite. Perform the exercise for a minute, then a break and 2 more similar approaches.

Emergency help when your legs are cramping. How to stop a cramp

If your legs are cramped at night, in the morning or before bed:

sit up in bed, then slowly lower your legs down and stand on the cool floor (not the carpet). Feet together, body position as straight as possible. After a few minutes, blood circulation normalizes - the pain will begin to recede. With both hands, grab the toes of the “cramped” leg (or legs), pull them towards you and up. Try to pull and “swing” your leg at the same time. When the pain subsides a little, massage the cramped muscle
If the cramps do not go away, firmly pinch the sore spot. Then massage your calf and foot. The movements should be rubbing and patting: from the toes to the heel, from the heel to the knee
sometimes it is recommended to prick the leg with a needle or pin, but it is better to stick to more humane and safe methods
Place a folded blanket under your feet or elevate them for a few minutes. This will help prevent recurrent seizures.

To make the unpleasant sensations go away faster, try to relax as much as possible, even if it’s not easy.

If a cramp occurs while you are awake, apply warm, damp compresses to your legs or rub a warming ointment into your leg muscles (not for varicose veins and problems with blood vessels).

Treatment of leg cramps in old age

If at retirement age the appearance of night cramps is associated with a lack of microelements in the body, intensive vitamin therapy will help replenish the imbalance. Taking any medications must be discussed with your doctor in advance, since in the presence of chronic internal diseases, drug interactions with essential medications cannot be ruled out. If the condition of an elderly patient is not critical, you can completely abandon drug therapy and follow the following doctor’s instructions in your daily life:

Spend time in the fresh air, take long walks without any outside support for your body.
Change the daily diet, enrich it with foods rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
Treat in a timely manner the underlying diseases that provoke the regular occurrence of night cramps.
Distribute the physical load on the spine, in the daytime, avoid stress and nervous shock in every possible way.
Use alternative medicine methods strictly as recommended by your doctor, for example, perform foot baths with thyme infusion or prepare a sedative for the stress hormone (cortisol) from valerian root.

Folk remedies

Methods of alternative medicine in the successful treatment of leg cramps play only a secondary role; they can suppress an unpleasant night attack only at the early stage of the disease. This home therapy causes fewer side effects; the main thing is to first make sure that the body does not have an allergic reaction to the main ingredient. With the help of folk recipes, you can eliminate unpleasant symptoms and its root cause in the patient’s body. Here are some effective recipes for nourishing nerve cells and restoring cartilage and tendons:

Dissolve in 1 tbsp. water 2 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, mix the mixture thoroughly. After this, rub your calves intensively before going to bed, be sure to provide the so-called warming effect (you need to wrap your legs in a blanket). You will have to be treated in this traditional way for a month, then take a break for several days. Unpleasant symptoms disappear within 3–5 nights, and the once disturbed sleep phase returns to normal.
In one container you need to combine raw egg yolk (after shaking it), 1 tsp. turpentine, 1 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, mix thoroughly until a foam from the yolk forms on the surface of the medicine. With the prepared medicinal composition, you need to intensively rub your feet before going to bed in those areas where night cramps occur. The course of intensive therapy is 2 – 3 weeks.
It is necessary to combine 1 part of fresh celandine juice and 2 parts of Vaseline, mix vigorously until smooth. Apply the prepared composition during night cramps, rub vigorously into the skin until completely absorbed. Afterwards, be sure to wrap your feet in a warm blanket.
If there is no allergic reaction to bee waste products, it is recommended to rub the diseased calves with liquid honey (apply a thin layer and rub well), then wrap them in cellophane and warm them with a warm blanket. The procedure should be carried out before going to bed, and in the morning after waking up you need to take a shower.

So that it doesn't hurt excruciatingly

What to do to prevent leg cramps (calves, feet, toes)

First of all, eliminate the most obvious “culprits” of cramps - tight shoes, shoes with too high heels

. For winter, choose warm shoes. Otherwise, your legs will be repaid for the long “freezing” at stops with painful cramps.

To prevent cramps from recurring, strengthen the ligaments

.
simple set of exercises
:

Curl your toes, count to 10, then straighten your toes and count to 10 again
rise on your toes (your feet should come off the floor) and sharply lower your heels to the floor
bend and straighten your toes intensely
stand so that your feet are crosswise, lean on their outer edges

Perform all exercises barefoot, each 5-10 times.

Try to avoid overstraining your legs during the day. In the evening, massage your calves, feet, fingers

. If there are no problems with blood vessels, take contrast foot baths before bed. First, lower your feet into hot (about 40 degrees) water for a few seconds, then into cold water. You can add medicinal herbs to the water - horsetail, mint, valerian. Remember to gradually increase the bath time.

Prevention

To exclude the unexpected appearance of night cramps and a decrease in the duration of the sleep phase, doctors recommend taking timely preventive measures, changing your usual lifestyle and individual habits. This is especially true for people with a genetic predisposition to periodic spasms of the calf and other muscles of the extremities. Here are the preventive measures we are talking about:

completely give up bad habits (do not smoke, do not drink alcohol, control the intake of medications, do not self-medicate);
it is important not to eat at night, to avoid systematic overeating (it is advisable to adhere to a lean therapeutic diet);
promptly treat underlying diseases, for example, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
evenly distribute the load on the spine during the daytime, avoid stress, emotional overstrain, and states of shock;
take vitamins and multivitamin complexes, especially during the period of seasonal vitamin deficiency (we are talking about the intake of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron into the body);
Massage of the calf muscles after a hard day is especially useful; you can additionally use ointments and creams such as the drug Troxevasin.

Hepatitis

The cause of the disease is a virus:

infection with hepatitis A (Botkin's disease) occurs through household means, through food and water;
hepatitis B infection occurs through the blood;
hepatitis C is the most dangerous; it is often detected in the later stages, with maximum tissue damage.

Prolonged inflammation can cause irreversible tissue degeneration (cirrhosis of the liver).

With an inflammatory process in the liver, bitterness in the mouth, heartburn, belching, nausea, lack of appetite, darkening of urine, yellowish color of the sclera and skin. Sometimes itchy skin, temperature up to +37.5C, cold extremities, sweating, redness of the skin of the thumbs or little fingers.

If inflammation of the liver tissue is the cause of night cramps in the calf muscles and toes, treatment is prescribed by a therapist, infectious disease specialist, or hepatologist.

The study confirms the connection between vascular diseases, liver diseases and night leg cramps.