Why leg cramps. What to do when you cramp your leg? Idiopathic causes of muscle spasm

Some people have seizures very often.
Everyone has experienced pain from a cramp at least once in their life. The cramp appears suddenly. The pain is so sharp and there is a feeling that the muscle can burst from tension. Very often, convulsions occur at night, disrupting sleep and making you experience unpleasant moments. What are seizures? What is the reason for their occurrence? How to deal with them? Let's figure it out.

Why does he cramp his legs. The most common reasons

Involuntary painful muscle contractions can cause various reasons. Among them are the most likely:

1. Diseases of the venous system of the legs: the development of venous insufficiency, thrombosis, varicose veins, the formation of trophic ulcers.
2. Malfunctions in the functioning of the thyroid gland.
3. Deficiency in the body of B vitamins or magnesium. Women during pregnancy most often suffer from a lack of vitamins and minerals.
4. Sudden change in blood glucose levels. This situation most often occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus.
5. Violation of blood circulation as a result of the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
6. Dehydration of the body. The occurrence of this condition is facilitated not only by a violation of the drinking regime, but also by the development of kidney diseases.
7. Disruptions in the hormonal system. Due to an excess of estrogen in the body, a person not only has cramps, but also disrupts the menstrual cycle in women, which can cause difficulties with conception. Men suffer from sexual dysfunction and obesity.
8. Professional sports and dance. Intense exercise provokes muscle fatigue. If an athlete or dancer does not have enough time to rest, then his body does not have time to recover.
9. Diseases of internal organs, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue syndrome.

Often reduces the legs of those who, due to professional duties, spend a long time on their feet. In addition to cramps, they may suffer from a feeling of heaviness in the evenings, the formation of corns and corns.

Predisposing factors

Convulsive contractions occur for many reasons, caused by both external and internal factors. Pathologies of internal organs and systems, a history of severe rheumatological diseases, metabolic disorders can cause the development of convulsive phenomena in patients of different categories.

To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to know the localization, severity and frequency of manifestations of pathology.

What is muscle spasm and why is it dangerous

A spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle. It occurs either due to insufficient blood supply to the working muscle, or due to a violation of the excretion of metabolic waste products produced during muscle activity. In fact, contraction is a defense against further muscle damage.

If you do not take into account unpleasant pain, spasm is usually not dangerous, especially local. Basically, it doesn't last long. With a long duration (due to poor circulation), there is a risk of muscle cell death.

General development mechanisms

Convulsive phenomena can occur against the background of the following conditions:

1. Deficiency of potassium, magnesium, vitamin D.
2. Long-term use of absorbents in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
3. Increased sweating due to various reasons. Along with sweat, the body loses potassium.
4. Psycho-emotional disorders.
5. Intoxication of the body, provoking dehydration.
6. Neurotoxic lesions of the legs, such as bites from poisonous insects.
7. Varicose veins.

Often the legs are reduced as a result of the development of endocrine pathologies, renal failure, severe hyperthermia. Severe cramps can be caused by physiological factors: leg injuries, flat feet, excessive load on the ankle joint.

Causes of seizures in women

Convulsive syndrome in women often occurs due to:

1. Constant wearing of high heels. During rest, the joints of the legs, tired from the load, relax, provoking the appearance of spasms.
2. Prolonged use of medications.
3. Increased load on the legs associated with professional activities.
4. Excessive exercise, such as after intense exercise.

Pain in the lower extremities can occur against the background of constant diets and dietary restrictions. During this period, the body is deficient in vitamins and minerals that are actively involved in metabolic processes. In addition, stressful situations and emotional instability can provoke the appearance of unpleasant sensations.

Pregnant women often suffer from seizures. The reason why it reduces the lower limbs is the excessive load on the spine due to the growth of the fetus. During this period, a number of changes occur in the woman's body: blood circulation is disturbed, venous lumens are compressed by the growing uterine cavity, and swelling occurs. Often, women, especially in the last stages of pregnancy, develop venous insufficiency. Therefore, seizures are possible.

Causes of seizures in men

Convulsive phenomena in men are accompanied by severe pain that spreads to the back and outer thighs. Among the main reasons why it reduces the lower limbs, we can distinguish:

1. Strong physical activity.
2. professional activity.
3. Intensive sports activities.
4. Wearing tight underwear.
5. Overweight.
6. Sedentary lifestyle. The accumulation of lactic acid can cause seizures.

Eating spicy, sour and salty foods leads to leaching of magnesium and potassium from the body, which can cause vasospasm. If this occurs against the background of the development of pathologies of the joints or diseases of the musculoskeletal system, then the risk of seizures increases.

Features of seizures in children. How to help children

If it reduces the lower limbs at an early age, then the cause may be metabolic disorders and excessive stress on them. Most often, convulsions occur as a result of birth trauma, previous intrauterine encephalopathy, and complications of infectious diseases.

Night cramps can occur in children as a result of:

1. Severe hypothermia of the legs. To remove an unpleasant symptom, you need to warm the child's legs, cover with a blanket.
2. Being in an uncomfortable position for a long time. To reduce cramps, you should massage the problem area or ask the child to walk around to restore blood circulation.
3. Flat feet.
4. Lack of potassium and magnesium in the body.

Convulsive phenomena may appear after vaccination, as a side result of taking medications, poisoning the body, prolonged hyperthermia. In addition, children are characterized by increased emotionality, which can also provoke the appearance of episodic convulsions. Among the physiological reasons, it is necessary to single out the active growth of muscle and bone tissues.

The growth of muscle tissue is slower, so the muscles cannot completely relax.

Good nutrition will help correct pathological manifestations in a healthy child. If convulsions occur against the background of pathologies of internal organs or systems, then this may indicate the onset of an acute period of chronic diseases.

Seizures in old age

The causes of leg cramps in older patients are most often physiological changes in the body: natural aging, chronic diseases, impaired blood supply, and decreased elasticity of blood vessels.

Each attack is accompanied by increased pain, decreased joint mobility. In addition to the increased load on the lower extremities, the following can cause convulsive phenomena:

1. Ischemia of muscle structures.
2. Violation of blood flow as a result of compression of the vascular plexuses.
3. Arterial hypertension.
4. Disruptions in hormonal balance.
5. Excess weight.
6. Leg injuries and destructive-degenerative changes in the joints.

Unlike younger patients, who are more likely to suffer from cramps at night, muscle spasm in older people can occur during the day, even in a state of muscle rest.

Specificity of manifestations and classification

A spasm of the calf muscle occurs suddenly and is characterized by a sharp contraction of all muscle bundles located in it.

There are two types of convulsive contractions:

• Clonic - periodic contractions that alternate with complete relaxation;
• Tonic - prolonged manifestations of a convulsive symptom.

Cramps in the calf muscles last from 5 seconds to 10 minutes. The longer the attack lasts, the more painful the sensations will be after it passes.

It is important!

At the time of a prolonged attack, blood circulation is disturbed, and lactic acid is retained in large quantities in the muscles.

All spasmodic manifestations of muscles are divided into 3 groups:

1. Muscle spasms. Occurs due to incorrect muscle impulses. They last about 15 minutes and are fixed in the thighs or lower legs.
2. Cramps of the toes. The manifestation of spasms is due to pathological changes in metabolic processes or chronic diseases. Manifestations are possible in people who wear uncomfortable shoes or spend a long time standing.
3. Cramps in the feet. Diagnosed in patients with flat feet or neurological diseases.

Any cramps in the legs can be both a consequence of overexertion and a harbinger of severe pathology of the internal organs. Therefore, if the convulsive syndrome manifests itself frequently and lasts a long time, it is necessary to undergo a detailed examination in order to find out the root cause and begin its treatment.

Features of seizures by localization

Convulsive phenomena can occur in different parts of the legs. This may indicate the development of various pathologies. The lower extremities consist of 3 main joints - the hip, ankle and knee - and many small ones. Most often it reduces the leg in the calf muscle. However, small articular joints are also subject to muscle contractions. For example, when it brings the feet together, this may mean that the spasm has attacked the toes.

Flattening of the toes

The toes cramp as a result of impaired blood flow in small capillaries and arteries. In addition, they contain a large number of nerve branches. Their infringement causes numbness of the fingers, which can result in severe pain and cramps. In rare cases, an unpleasant symptom is caused by pathological changes in the development of the ligamentous apparatus. Among the main causes of seizures are:

1. Pathology of the blood vessels of the legs.
2. Change in blood sugar levels.
3. Flat feet.
4. Violation of carbon metabolism in tissues.
5. Drinking alcohol and smoking.
6. Strong stress on the fingers, for example, after wearing uncomfortable shoes.
7. Finger injuries: bruises, sprains, fractures.

Spasms in the calf muscles

The greatest number of muscle contractions occurs in the calf muscles. They, together with the ankle joint, are the main support of a person when moving. Constant intense contraction leads to the fact that most often reduces the calves. Among the factors that cause this condition, we can distinguish:

1. Dehydration of the body as a result of poisoning.
2. Chronic liver pathologies, such as cirrhosis.
3. Varicose veins.
4. Renal failure.
5. Frequent blood and plasma transfusions.
6. Uncontrolled intake of diuretics.
7. Infectious diseases caused by viral or bacterial infections.
8. Spasmodic paralysis of the legs.
9. epilepsy.
10. Endocrine pathologies.
11. Pathology of the joints of the musculoskeletal system.

Condition features

The muscles of the legs have a striated structure and are an integral part of the skeletal muscles. If smooth muscle contractions are called spasms with pulling pains of varying severity, then skeletal convulsions are always accompanied by a strong painful reaction to muscle contractions. In addition to the pain syndrome, the ability to control the muscle throughout the entire episode of convulsions is lost. A cramp of skeletal muscles is an absolute, involuntary contraction of muscle structures for a certain time with severe pain. There are three main types of seizures:

• tonic when muscle spasm is manifested by a short-term episode, but is caused by external or internal factors;
• clonic when muscles twitch periodically with an increase and complete disappearance of contractions, they are caused by neurological disorders;
• tonic-clonic when convulsions of the limbs are caused by epileptic seizures.

If leg cramps are rare episodes in the patient's clinical history, this should not be of particular concern. Increasing episodes up to several times a week, severe pain during exercise or at rest, a tendency to generalize the pathological process in both limbs, along their entire length, requires immediate diagnostic measures.

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Night cramps

The occurrence of convulsive contractions at night is due to many reasons. If it strongly and often reduces the calves of the legs at night, then this is an occasion to immediately consult a doctor.

Biochemical composition of blood

He often cramps his legs at night as a result of changes in blood sugar levels. If the electrolyte balance of blood plasma is disturbed, this leads to changes in the vitamin and mineral composition, including a decrease in the content of calcium, magnesium and potassium. Factors provoking the occurrence of such a condition are excessive physical activity, including heavy sports, diseases of the endocrine system, kidney pathology.

Circulatory disorders

Sclerotic changes in the blood vessels lead to their compression. Prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position impedes blood flow, reduces the transport of oxygen molecules to the muscles. The lack of oxygen in the soft tissues leads to the accumulation of lactic acid, which provokes intra-articular inflammation. All this can cause the legs to cramp at night.

Neurological diseases

The cause of such pathologies is infection of the body with staphylococcus aureus, gonococcus or meningococcus. Their pathogenic activity leads to a violation of neuromuscular conduction, as a result, the leg cramps. The appearance of seizures of any localization can contribute to stress and overwork, physical exhaustion.

Prevention

The main measures to prevent muscle spasms:

• appropriate physical activity (best options include walking, cycling, swimming, and similar activities);
• weight loss;
• adjusting nutrition, giving up bad habits (reducing excessive consumption of alcohol, coffee, smoking);
• compliance with the drinking regime;
• replenishment of missing minerals (their levels can be determined by a blood test); you can "blindly" use magnesium or vitamins, especially B and E.

With periodic contraction of the calf muscles, it is advisable to stretch them (daily walking). With spasms of the femoral muscles, muscle imbalance, physiotherapy will help. Sometimes its combination with relaxing drugs, muscle relaxants is required.

With recurring discomfort, it is advisable to undergo a podological examination to assess the arch of the foot, because. its deformity (eg, flat feet) can also be one of the causes of muscle cramps in the legs.

If none of these measures help, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Muscle spasms accompanying some diseases are eliminated by treating the primary disease.

Why does he cramp his legs

There can be many reasons why the legs suffer from convulsive phenomena. Before starting treatment, you should understand what provokes this condition.

you overexerted yourself

Muscle strain often leads to microtrauma of muscle fibers. In the healing process, krepatura may occur, and sometimes a cramp reduces the calf muscle. In addition, as a result of excessive loads, the nerve fibers that go from the muscles to the spinal cord and brain become overexcited, provoking the appearance of spasmodic contractions.

You have uncomfortable shoes

If the cramp reduces the calves of the legs, the cause may lie in uncomfortable shoes. Shoes with an uncomfortable last or the wrong size provoke constant muscle tension and poor blood circulation. As a result, when the shoes are removed, the muscle cannot quickly relax, a cramp appears.

You are supercooled

The legs often cramp in case of circulatory disorders caused by vasospasm.

This condition occurs when there is a large temperature difference between the human body and the environment. Most often, this situation occurs when swimming. In addition, during swimming, a person behaves actively, which, against the background of a spasm, also causes overstrain.

You lack magnesium, potassium and other trace elements

If the legs are cramping, then this may be due to a lack in the body of such important elements as potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium. Their deficiency leads to a deterioration in the conduction of nerve signals in muscle fibers.

you have varicose veins

Malfunctions of the blood vessels lead to a lack of nutrients in the muscle fibers. As a result, it reduces the muscles of the legs, there are painful sensations, swelling appears.

You are pregnant

When carrying a child, especially in the second and third trimesters, muscles in the legs often suffer from cramps. This is due to the changes taking place in the body of a woman, and an increase in the load on the lower limbs.

You may be prone to seizures

Constantly occurring convulsive contractions may be associated with the individual characteristics of the nervous system. There are people who have never experienced this symptom. And someone suffers from cramps after any physical activity.

Disease differentiation

Cramps in the lower extremities as a symptom of certain diseases should be differentiated from other pathologies similar in clinical picture. Among muscle contractions, the following conditions can be distinguished:

1. Development of epileptic paroxysms. The disease is characterized by generalized muscle contractions, when the muscle structures of the whole organism are involved in the pathological process. After the termination of the episode, the patient does not remember what is happening, disturbances of consciousness are noted.

1. Syndrome of choreoathetoid seizures. Involuntary muscle contractions are caused by diseases of the central nervous system and occur with constant regularity. Against the background of such convulsions, violations of the general condition of the patient appear, mainly from the side of the psycho-emotional and physical state of the patient.

1. Nervous tics. Pathology belongs to the field of psychiatric practice. Clinicians highlight changes in the patient's facial expressions. With a burdened psychiatric history of the patient, the pathology tends to generalize to the lower extremities.

1. The appearance of fasciculations. The condition is represented by fast, rhythmic contractile acts of muscle muscles. Against the background of such convulsions, pain does not occur. A common cause is overexcitation of motor neurons.

1. Muscular contractures. Least of all, the pathology resembles convulsions. They provoke a forced position of the patient's limb against the background of existing rheumatological diseases.

The appearance of cramps in the legs is always a response of the body to the changes taking place. These changes are not always associated with irreversible pathological processes. With the normalization of nutrition and the observance of the protective regime, the prerequisites for the occurrence of seizures disappear, and the patient feels comfortable at any time of the day.

First aid for convulsions. What to do about leg cramps right now

When the leg is cramped, you must first of all relax and breathe deeply. This will help improve the blood supply to the tissues. Gently pull your foot towards you. Stretching the muscle will help ease the spasm. If the cramp does not let go, then you should pinch your leg and rub it. As a first aid massage with a warming ointment helps.

If the front of the thigh is injured, then you should stand up and rest against a hard surface, such as a wall. Bend the affected leg at the knee and try to pull the sock to the buttock. Tension in the muscles will help relieve spasm.

Load the injured leg

Everyone who is prone to cramps should know what to do if they cramp their leg. You should stand up, straighten your legs and back. Roll from toe to heel several times. The load on the leg will relax the muscle and reduce pain.

Stretch

When he brings his leg together, you need to take it by the toe and gently, but strongly pull it towards you. Then let go and massage the calves a little. Then lie down with your feet above head level.

Get a massage

When it brings the feet together, it is necessary to massage them. This will increase blood circulation, and the spasm will pass.

What to do if you have a cramp?

As much as you would not like to face it, but convulsions always happen suddenly. The main question is what to do with it? The simplest thing is to pull the sock over yourself, bend and unbend the knee joint several times, rub and massage the muscles of the lower leg well. To increase blood flow, use warming ointments. If you have a competition (for example, running) and you are afraid of spasms at the most inopportune moment, take a sterile needle and an alcohol wipe with you. If a cramp occurs, stop, wipe the outer part of the calf muscle in the widest part with a napkin and pierce with a needle 1.5 - 2 centimeters. Remove the needle immediately after the injection. In this way, you quickly remove the spasm and continue running.

How to treat leg cramps

Before you begin to treat the problem, you need to accurately determine the cause that causes it. To do this, you should consult a doctor.

Medicines

If convulsive attacks occur frequently and are accompanied by painful sensations, then therapy is prescribed using general strengthening drugs and vitamin complexes. Most often, it is recommended to take magnesium-containing products, potassium and calcium preparations, vitamins A, B, C, E. In addition, local preparations are prescribed: ointments, gels, liniments.

Folk remedies

Relaxing baths with sea salt or baking soda help to alleviate the condition after a convulsive attack. Keep your feet in the bath for no more than 15 minutes. Instead of salt and soda, decoctions of medicinal herbs can be added to the bath water: chamomile, calendula, tansy.

A set of exercises

A simple set of exercises will help prevent spasms of the lower extremities. First of all, you need to warm up the muscles by running slowly in place or walking for several minutes.

Do a stretching exercise. Step back 1 m from the wall, stretch your arms forward at chest level and rest against the wall. Bend so that you feel a stretch in the calves. In this case, the legs should stand firmly on the floor. Bend over and stay in this position for 5-10 seconds. Straighten up. Repeat 3-4 times.

For the second exercise, the same starting position remains, only one leg should be bent at the knee. In this case, the feet should be exactly on the floor. Bend your knee and hold it for 15 seconds. Focus on the straight leg. It should feel the tension of the calf muscle. Repeat 4-6 times.

Then you should walk on tiptoe for a few minutes.

To perform the next exercise, you need to sit down. Squeeze your toes and hold them in this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times for each leg at intervals of 10 seconds.

Diet for leg cramps

To eliminate the possible causes of seizures, it is necessary to organize proper nutrition.

The basis of the diet should be complex carbohydrates: cereals, pasta, vegetables and fruits.

Be sure to include fat in your diet. In addition, it is recommended to use nuts, dairy products, bananas, dried apricots, sea kale, greens more often. Eat small meals at least 5 times a day.

Drink more water, avoid alcohol.

First steps

With cramps in the legs, first aid is necessary, as the person experiences severe pain and cannot move. In addition, given the suddenness of the attacks, it is impossible to prepare for them. People experience panic fear, confusion, panic.

What to do if there is a cramp in the legs?

• Take a few deep breaths to calm down;
• Pinch the place that cramped;
• Slowly bend and unbend the reduced leg at the knee joint;
• You can make an intense massage by patting and pinching your leg;
• Lie down and lift your legs up, preferably at an angle of 60 degrees;
• Lie down for a few minutes, placing a roll of a blanket or pillow under your feet.

What to do with cramps that appeared in the water?

Under no circumstances should you panic. Trying to breathe deeply, roll over onto your back and swim towards the shore.

In this case, involuntary muscle contraction occurred due to hypothermia. Therefore, in order to relieve pain in the calf muscle, it needs to be warmed up. To do this, use warming ointments or ordinary alcohol. Be sure to do an intense massage and get dressed.

Note!

This method should not be used by people who have been diagnosed with blood clots or varicose veins.

Muscle spasms at night are especially inconvenient, so it is important to know what to do with leg cramps in this case.

• Try to stand up with your feet flat on the floor;
• If the pain is sharp and you can’t get up, start rubbing your legs intensively, pinching them;
• After the spasm has passed, lie down on the bed with your legs elevated by placing a blanket or pillow under them.

If the legs often cramp, this is a signal from the body about an impending or developing pathology. First aid for seizures relieves only the manifestations of symptoms, but does not treat the underlying disease that caused them.

Not childish problems

The manifestation of spasmodic contractions in children is always frightening for both the kids themselves and their parents. Therefore, adults should clearly know what to do if a leg cramp occurs in a child.

Spasms are mainly affected by children under three years of age. The following categories of babies are at risk:

• Children born prematurely weighing less than 1.5 kg;
• Newborns who have hemorrhages of different localization;
• Babies born with intrauterine infection;
• Children with CNS damage.

With convulsions in a child that manifested itself for the first time, it is necessary to hospitalize the baby or undergo a detailed examination in the near future. After all, spasmodic contractions can occur due to acquired diseases:

• Diseases of an infectious nature;
• Intoxication of the body;
• Diseases and injuries of the brain: hemorrhages, tumors and cystic changes;
• Pathologies of the nervous system;
• Failure in the functioning of blood circulation;
• During epileptic seizures;
• genetic predisposition.

First aid for convulsions in children consists in clear and consistent actions:

• Call an ambulance;
• Put the baby on a flat and hard surface so that he cannot fall, placing a pillow or a rolled-up blanket under his head;
• Ensure the safety of the child by removing all piercing objects that can injure the baby;
• Provide access to fresh air in the room;
• Remove or unfasten the pressing elements of clothing, ensuring free breathing;
• Gently but intensively massage the legs, starting from the tips of the fingers and ending with the entire calf muscle;
• It is strictly forbidden to pour water into a child by force, to squeeze or unclench the jaws.

With proper and comprehensive treatment, started in a timely manner, the problem of convulsive spasms in children will pass. However, parents should be aware that frequent and prolonged attacks lead to oxygen deficiency, which will cause serious consequences for the health and mental development of babies.

The effectiveness of folk remedies

A leg can be cramped at the most inopportune time, so it is important not only to give yourself first aid for cramps, but also to be able to prevent their occurrence in time.

Consider a few recipes that have proven their effectiveness, which can be prepared at home.

Recipe #1

1 st. l. apple cider vinegar; 30 g of turpentine; 1 egg yolk. Mix the components well and lubricate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe legs, which cramps, for the night.

Recipe #2

60 g goose cinquefoil; 1 liter of boiling water. Pour boiling water over the grass and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Strain and take the resulting infusion in small doses throughout the day. This remedy will get rid of severe pain and muscle spasms in the legs.

If the toes are cramping, they should be rubbed with lemon juice or rubbed with mustard overnight.

If the legs are cramped and there is an ordinary magnet under the arms, it is enough to attach it to the caviar. The spasm will pass in 1-2 minutes.

To prevent the occurrence of seizures, you need to reconsider your lifestyle, follow a diet, regularly perform a set of special exercises, and conduct preventive medical examinations.

What to do if seizures recur regularly

If venous insufficiency was previously diagnosed, then compression garments should be used. With flat feet, you need to wear special orthopedic shoes or use insoles.

In addition, it is necessary to take vitamin and mineral complexes. But before taking them, you should consult a doctor.

What measures should be taken to reduce the likelihood of seizures

When convulsive nocturnal seizures in the legs are frequent, an examination in a medical institution is required to determine the true cause. After that, the specialist will prescribe an individual course of therapy.

Self-medication is not effective, and in some cases it aggravates and delays the healing process.

magnesium deficiency

Signs of deficiency: dizziness, fog before the eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, loss of appetite, nausea, anxiety, no mood. Sleep disturbed, restless dreams, difficulty waking up, nervousness and irritability, lack of strength during the day. Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia). Excess calcium reduces the elasticity of blood vessels, develops atherosclerosis and anemia (anemia). The flexibility of the joints is worsened, the functioning of the gallbladder and pancreas is disrupted. Overabsorption of calcium is the cause of kidney stones.

Symptoms

Clinical manifestations of seizures can vary from mild to pronounced. Typical symptoms of leg muscle spasm include:

• pain;
• swelling of soft tissues;
• numbness of fingers;
• twitching of muscle tissue;
• darkening in the eyes;
• convulsive tic;
• weakness;
• tingling in the skin.

In a severe course of an attack, short-term fainting, dizziness, involuntary urination, and severe headaches are possible. If convulsions do not go away within 1-2 minutes, an ambulance team should be called to the house.

The appearance of foam from the mouth, loss of consciousness, vomiting and panic fear indicate an epileptic seizure.

Complexes of vitamins and minerals

"Complivit"

Contains 11 vitamins and 8 minerals, as well as other necessary substances for the normal functioning of the whole organism.

It is prescribed both as part of complex therapy, and for the direct fight against illness and pathological conditions on its own, pointwise impact on the cause of pain.

Note! In case of improper intake of vitamins and medicines, in some cases, manifestations of allergic reactions on the skin are possible.

"Calcium D3"

The drug belongs to anticonvulsant drugs that quickly compensate for the lack of calcium in the body.

"Vitrum Calcium"

The main active ingredients of this remedy are vitamin D3 and calcium carbonate. The drug replenishes the deficiency of calcium in the body and vitamin D3.

It is often used when there is a lack of calcium or vitamin D3 in the body for women during childbearing or breastfeeding, with complications after fractures, and also in case of limb cramps.

Medical treatment

In most cases, it is almost impossible to cope with the disease without medical treatment. Most often, doctors prescribe various ointments that can have a positive effect on the course of the disease and relieve convulsions. There are no drugs that can permanently cure a person of seizures.

"Troxevasin"

It is the most common and frequently used ointment in the fight against seizures. It has anti-edematous and anti-inflammatory properties, has an antioxidant effect. "Troxevasin" significantly reduces capillary permeability and seals the vascular wall, reduces inflammation and limits adhesion to the vascular wall of platelets.

"Troxerutin"

The gel is a modern analogue of "Troxevasin" and is often prescribed in the presence of seizures. The drug significantly increases the level of elasticity of blood vessels and significantly reduces their permeability. The use of the drug reduces the number of inflammatory processes. It also has a positive effect on the excretion of metabolic products from tissues.

Venarus

Often prescribed by doctors for chronic venous insufficiency. The drug is based on natural substances that tone the venous wall. It copes well with the disease, not only at the initial stage, but also in a neglected state. Significantly reduces the manifestation of symptoms of a chronic disease, removes swelling and a feeling of heaviness.

"Venoflebin"

Tablets significantly help patients with cramps in the legs that appear as a result of venous expansion of the veins. It is also used in the treatment of hemorrhoids, thrombosis and various venous pathologies.

"Detralex"

Tablets reduce venous distension, reducing venous congestion and increasing tone. In most cases, it is prescribed to reduce permeability, strengthen capillaries and regulate blood flow. Regular use of the drug almost completely relieves the patient of seizures.

"Diosmin"

It is a drug of natural origin. It is prescribed by doctors to combat varicose veins. The drug significantly strengthens the walls of blood vessels, increasing the overall tone. Its action blocks all kinds of inflammatory processes and normalizes the process of blood flow in the body.

The use of "Troxerutin"

This drug is used for cramps caused by impaired circulation in the legs. Tablets "Troxerutin" are prescribed by a doctor, as they are contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes this drug can cause allergic reactions.

But "Troxerutin" and its analogue "Troxevasin" are effective for venous insufficiency, trophic disorders in the limbs, and varicose veins. They improve blood circulation, relieve swelling, heaviness in the legs and cramps.

Medications - the cause of seizures

Legs cramps at night with the abuse of laxatives, hormonal, antihypertensive (reduce pressure) drugs.

One of the causes of cramps in the calves and thighs at night is treatment with diuretics, they are prescribed for hypertension, heart failure.

With urine, the body loses a lot of magnesium, sodium, potassium, which are involved in the contraction and relaxation of the leg and other muscles, the transmission of a nerve impulse.

Urgent care

With the frequent occurrence of cramps in the legs, you need to know what to do in an emergency to get rid of such symptoms:

• it is recommended to pull the toes of the cramped leg towards you, and if it’s hard to reach out, you can use a towel or belt to tighten your fingers;
• in the event that there was nothing at hand that could help, you can stand with your whole foot on your toes, so that the foot bends up as much as possible, then relax and stretch the calf muscle;
• it is necessary to massage the leg muscle starting from the fingertips, towards the knee, as well as pinch and pat the leg.

Massage of the calf muscles allows you to quickly get rid of cramps

For some patients, very strong muscle spasms can be relieved by a hot foot bath.

How to help - what to do with spasm of the calf muscles

A cramp is always accompanied by a sharp pain that lasts for quite a long time. Some sources advise using a needle or pin as a quick way to eliminate crumpy - you need to prick into a tense muscle, especially when hitting a trigger point. But this method is not safe, and it is quite problematic to look for a sharp object in the dark during severe pain.

But the method with a needle works effectively with convulsive contraction during swimming, helping to quickly return to duty. One minus - a prick with a non-disinfected needle can lead to infection, but swimmers pin a pin to their swimming trunks in order to help themselves in time.

There is an experience of a folk remedy to sleep with a wrench in the legs instead of a kitten. The cold body of the metal does not allow convulsions to manifest in the night. Helps a lot.

The best solution for relieving cramps is massage and stretching, especially before bed. To relieve tension, you should stretch the muscle well, making passive movements.

How to relieve spasm of the calf muscle

When convulsions appear, you should take the straightened leg by the toe, gently pulling it towards you (lying or sitting). The exercise should be carried out smoothly, without sudden movements, trying to follow the stretching rule - the body should follow along the leg, leaning towards the foot.

Read the book: "6 Rules for Effective and Safe Stretching"

After removing krampi, you need to carry out stroking massage movements, in the direction from the foot up. This will help relieve swelling, restore blood circulation.

After the pain has disappeared, it is advisable to put your foot on an elevation (roller, pillow).

Local treatment and exercises

Ointments and creams are used mainly for the vascular nature of the symptoms. With diagnosed varicose veins on the legs twice / day, you need to apply the following ointments:

The frequency, strength of spastic contractions after the start of the use of such drugs quickly decreases, pain and swelling disappear, because the blood and lymph flow is activated. Traumeel homeopathic ointment can be used to massage calves or other muscles - after a month of use, you can notice a significant improvement in blood circulation in the limbs.

You can prevent an attack of convulsions by special exercises, if you notice its approach in time.

Against spasms, you need to lie on the bed, stretch hard, point your toes towards yourself. Muscles during this exercise should be tense. You can also stand on your toes, then abruptly roll over on your heels, this will also help against an attack.

Drugs used for severe spasms

To successfully and effectively get rid of the disease, it is necessary to find the causes of spasms. If this is a disease, then its treatment is required, if there is a deficiency of substances in the body, a complex of vitamins is required.

In some cases, you can not do without a complex of medicines from injections.

Quinine is a new generation drug administered under the skin or intravenously. It has a minimal list of contraindications and effective results.

The main use is for the treatment of malaria. In addition, it is introduced to relieve muscle tone.

Contraindications:

• body intolerance;
• diseases of the middle ear.

This medicine is highly effective in the fight against these diseases.

Provoking factors

The triggers are:

• abuse of alcohol, coffee, black tea, smoking;
• hypodynamia;
• intramuscular injection;
• sudden sharp sound or smell;
• irrational nutrition;
• sleeping in an uncomfortable position;
• too high or low room temperature.

Secondary paroxysms in the elderly can be caused by certain groups of drugs that provoke muscle spasms. It:

• diuretics - diuretics used for edema, high blood pressure, renal and heart failure;
• statins - lower blood cholesterol levels;
• Nifedipine - treatment of angina;
• Raloxifene - prevention of bone tissue destruction during menopause.

Decreased ATP production

A decrease in the production of ATP in the body (adenosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphoric acid), the main energy carrier, impairs metabolic processes inside the calf muscles, thighs and feet, disrupts the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signals, increases the reflex to contraction, and reduces the ability of the muscles to relax.

To eliminate this cause of cramps at night and treat the muscles of the legs so that they do not reduce, succinic acid is used.

The drug stimulates metabolic and energy processes in the body, mobilizes, quickly restores strength, relieves pain in overtrained or tired muscles, accelerates the regeneration of muscle tissue.

"Magnerot": instruction

To compensate for the lack of magnesium, you need to drink special preparations for at least 1-2 months. But a person feels relief after a few days - the convulsions stop. One of the best means for this is Magnerot. The instruction notes that it should be taken in violation of the heart rhythm and muscle spasms. It contains magnesium orotate dihydrate and auxiliary components.

The drug is well tolerated, but it is not recommended for children and patients with impaired renal function. In addition, allergic reactions are sometimes possible. Assign "Magnerot" during the first week of treatment, 2 tablets three times a day, then it is enough to drink 1 piece. The course of treatment is set individually, but not less than a month. Sometimes a different regimen is recommended. If the patient is concerned about night cramps, you can drink 2-3 tablets before bedtime.

Pills and injections for seizures

Most often, painful muscle spasms are eliminated with a course of magnesium, potassium and calcium preparations. These include the following tools:

The course of treatment is 1-2 months, usually during such a period of time the symptoms recede. During pregnancy, complex drugs are prescribed that contain all vitamins and minerals in an increased amount, always with folic acid.

If muscle spasm is caused by a disease, etiotropic therapy is carried out, aimed at eliminating the cause.

Nervous diseases and stresses that provoke phenomena in the legs are treated by taking antipsychotics, tranquilizers, and sedatives. Varicose veins are treated by taking Phlebodia, Troxerutin, Detralex and other venotonics. The traumatic nature of spasms necessitates massage courses, manual therapy to relieve compression of the nerve roots. At the same time, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are given in injections or tablets.

In the event that leg cramps do not go away for a long time, are accompanied by additional dangerous symptoms, you need to call an ambulance in order to prevent dangerous complications in which case.

Are painkillers needed?

Seizures can cause severe pain. But they last no more than two minutes, so during the spasm itself it makes no sense to drink painkillers. But such drugs can be prescribed in complex therapy for frequently recurring spasms. Usually used "Analgin" or "Paracetamol". They have a moderate analgesic effect.

A commonly used drug is Aspirin. Acetylsalicylic acid has the ability to thin the blood and improve blood circulation, so that the drug has not only an analgesic effect. Therefore, in the complex treatment of seizures, it is often prescribed.

Pathological conditions, which, in fact, are not an independent disease, but at the same time disrupt the patient's usual way of life, are quite common. An example of such a condition is, for example, myoclonus, when it often brings the legs together.

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 advice and diagnosis, as sometimes leg cramps can be an indicator of some serious illness.

10 most common causes of seizures

The causes of seizures are quite diverse, but the etiology of the disease has not been studied enough.

Most often, provocateurs of a pathological condition are:

1. Physical overwork

The calf muscles are overstressed during long walks, long distance running and physical activity, which leads to the development of cramps. Tonic - characterized by a rather long muscle tension, atonic - short-term contraction and relaxation. However, in some diseases (intoxication, disruption of the heart, beriberi, traumatic brain injury, etc.), both types of seizures can occur.

Tonic spasm often occurs after a busy day at work

2. Dehydration

The second most common cause of leg cramps is sudden dehydration, especially during the hot season, during intense sports training or visiting the sauna. In this case, the work of the sweat glands is enhanced, and together 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 may occur in patients when the treatment of the disease involves the use of diuretics, for example, in hypertension or cardiovascular insufficiency. The action of these drugs is sometimes accompanied by convulsions, especially at night.

3. Violation of water and electrolyte balance

Another predisposing factor why it cramps the leg 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 noted with a decrease in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphoric acid), which leads to a deterioration in metabolic processes in the muscles of the lower extremities and a decrease in their relaxation. In addition, it can cramp legs with pathological changes in the vessels, for example, with an increase in blood viscosity, etc.

4. Hyperthermia and stress

At temperatures above 38 degrees, cramps may occur in any part of the body, including the legs. This condition is especially common in childhood. In addition, in 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, followed by cramps in the legs.

Febrile seizures in childhood require immediate medical attention

5. Hyperparathyroidism

The parathyroid glands are located close to the thyroid gland. Their function is to regulate phosphorus-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. Simultaneously with spastic contractions, the patient may be disturbed by pain in the abdomen, insomnia and increased irritability.

6. Hypoparathyroidism

With a lack of calcium in the body caused by hypoparathyroidism, repeated cramps in the calf muscles are noted. Seizures may be short-term or prolonged, involving one or more muscles. In addition, the patient has a decrease in immune forces, increased fragility of nails, deterioration in 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 for 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, vitamin D intake is necessary, since it is he who contributes to the maximum absorption of phosphorus and calcium.

7. Polyneuritis

In this disease, there is multiple damage to the nerve endings. The main cause of polyneuritis are viral infections, hypovitaminosis, intoxication, diabetes mellitus, metabolic disorders.

Polyneuritis often develops against the background of 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") and numbness of the extremities. The patient is concerned about headaches and dizziness, hearing loss, pain in the heart and increased irritability.

8. Varicose disease

Quite often, convulsions occur against the background of varicose veins, in which veins dilate and weaken the venous valves, which leads to stretching of the venous walls and blood stasis. In addition to cramps, the patient is worried about heaviness in the legs, pain, swelling and difficulty walking.

A congestive process in the veins can lead to the development of thrombophlebitis and complete blockage of the vein. Subsequently, this process can lead to thromboembolism and death of the patient.

To improve blood circulation in varicose veins and prevent the development of seizures, it is necessary to use a special elastic bandage, to avoid tight belts and belts. In addition, it is recommended to abandon the habit of cross-legging while sitting, as this position of the body significantly impairs venous blood flow. In case of severe or chronic development of the process, surgical intervention is recommended.

9. Curvature of the ankle joint

Often, the causes of cramps are due to such a joint defect as clubfoot, when the heel area constantly leans inward, provoking a curvature of the ankle. This defect is especially manifested in women wearing shoes with high heels.

Forms of curvature of the ankle joint

When walking, the legs quickly get tired, pain appears in the calf muscles and the knee area, and the veins of the lower leg and feet expand, which leads to the development of a convulsive syndrome, and in the absence of corrective treatment, to a serious violation of posture.

10. Pregnancy

As a result of hormonal changes in the body of a woman during pregnancy, there is a violation of blood flow due to compression of the venous plexus by the uterus. The effect of hormones contributes to the softening of the venous walls, which are often damaged due to a sharp change in pressure, especially during labor.

The most common cause of leg cramps during pregnancy is venous insufficiency.

As a rule, convulsions occur at night. In women, in the evening, the upper part of the leg, foot, lower leg swells, 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 taking place. 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.

Medical therapy

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 are 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:

• Magne-B 6 , Alphabet;
• Calcium-D 3 Nycomed;
• Alfadol-Ca, Complivit, etc.
• Magnesium preparations that serve to prevent the development of seizures are:
• Natural Calm, Magnerota;
• Diasporal; Magnistad;
• Asparkam, Magnelis V 6 ;
• Solgar with magnesium citrate, etc.

Muscle relaxants include:

• Baclofen, Tolperisone;
• Sirdolud, Mydocalm and others.

As a local remedy, you can use Troxevasin ointment or gel, Heparin ointment, as well as drugs that contain horse chestnut

Such drugs stop convulsive attacks and pathological symptoms due to the warming and anti-inflammatory effect exerted on the vessels of the lower extremities.

Treatment of seizures with folk remedies

In addition to drug therapy, it is possible to treat a pathological condition with the help of traditional medicine. Thanks to such recipes, you can significantly reduce the frequency of seizures, and in some cases completely get rid of them.

The following recipes are considered the most effective:

• to relieve convulsive contraction, it is necessary to apply slightly warmed honey to the calf area, on top of which a layer of cling film is applied, and then a heater. The holding time of such a compress on the leg is no more than half an hour, after which the remnants of honey are washed off with warm water;
• with cramps against the background of varicose veins, rubbing the legs with apple cider vinegar is recommended, as well as taking apple cider vinegar inside 2 times during the day, after dissolving 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vinegar in 200 ml of slightly warmed water. The general course of treatment is at least 1 month;
• so that the legs do not cramp, it is recommended to mix 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp. spoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of turpentine. After thorough mixing, this solution is rubbed into the calves at bedtime;
• to prevent the development of seizures, you can rub your feet with mustard powder or freshly squeezed lemon juice;
• celandine juice (1 part) is mixed with 2 parts of vaseline and applied to the legs when a convulsive attack begins, which allows you to stop it at the initial stage.

Despite the sufficient effectiveness and safety of folk recipes, you should consult with your doctor before using them, as there may be cases of individual intolerance to some herbal ingredients.

Urgent care

With the frequent occurrence of cramps in the legs, you need to know what to do in an emergency to get rid of such symptoms:

• it is recommended to pull the toes of the cramped leg towards you, and if it’s hard to reach out, you can use a towel or belt to tighten your fingers;
• in the event that there was nothing at hand that could help, you can stand with your whole foot on your toes, so that the foot bends up as much as possible, then relax and stretch the calf muscle;
• it is necessary to massage the leg muscle starting from the fingertips, towards the knee, as well as pinch and pat the leg.

Massage of the calf muscles allows you to quickly get rid of cramps

For some patients, very strong muscle spasms can be relieved by a hot foot bath.

Diet

To date, there is no single product that would provoke the development of a convulsive symptom with a high degree of probability. Nevertheless, the influence of nutrition should not be completely excluded, since it can often lead to leg cramps with obesity and atherosclerosis. Accordingly, a special diet should be drawn up, which as much as possible prevents the development of such a condition.

The diet must meet the following conditions:

• the daily menu should contain the required number of calories to maintain strength, including trace elements and vitamins;
• it is important to ensure that 1/3 of the entire diet is made up of plant products;
• The daily amount of food should be divided into 5-6 equal portions. At the same time, 1-2 servings of food should be porridge, in order to improve digestion;
• it is recommended to have dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime, while dinner should be as light as possible.

It must be remembered that the tactics of treatment directly depends on the diagnosis of the disease. With frequent convulsions that are not amenable to drug therapy, surgery is sometimes indicated. In addition, the choice of the right shoes, the normalization of physical activity on the legs and the timely treatment of chronic diseases are of no small importance. With an integrated approach to the treatment of the occurrence of cramps in the legs, the prognosis for recovery is favorable.

Content

If at night it reduces the lower limbs, this is an alarming symptom that not everything is in order with human health. About 60% of people face such an unpleasant condition, and most of them suffer from chronic insomnia for this reason. It is necessary to determine the etiology of the pathological process and eliminate it in a timely manner, otherwise the symptoms only worsen, supplemented by other changes in general well-being.

What are nocturnal leg cramps

The involuntary contraction or excessive tension of one or more muscles is medically called a cramp. In fact, this is a short-term muscle spasm, which significantly reduces the mobility of the limb, causes pain and acute internal discomfort. One or more muscles located in the arms, legs, abdomen, and neck are involved in the pathological process. In order to return the normal movement of the legs and restore restful sleep, it is important not to delay the search for the root cause, the beginning of a comprehensive treatment.

Varieties

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

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

Whatever form of the disease prevails, in any case, it requires timely diagnosis and subsequent treatment. If the calf muscles suffer, the causes can be physiological and pathological, and in the latter case they require a comprehensive examination at the hospital. To quickly suppress convulsions at night, it is necessary to start treatment with a visit to the local therapist.

Causes of leg cramps at night

The problem in the body exists 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 distinguish the following clinical pictures:

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

Among women

Representatives of the weaker sex replenish the risk group. This health problem is more common in pregnant women, when congestion occurs in the body, there is a double blood flow and an increased load on the lower limbs. If convulsions appeared at the beginning of the first trimester, this is a normal reaction to the birth of a new life. When an unpleasant symptom worries at a more solid obstetric period, as an option, such diseases and pathological conditions of the pregnant body may prevail:

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

In order to resort to conservative treatment for leg spasms, you need to consult 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-medication 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 disturbed by night cramps, which periodically remind of themselves in the daytime.

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

What to do if your legs cramp at night

To reduce the number of night attacks to a minimum, at the first symptomatology, you need to contact a specialist and jointly determine the etiology of the pathological process. Otherwise, it will be especially difficult, almost impossible, to ensure the long-awaited balance. If they do not leave cramps at night, here are the recommendations given by competent specialists:

1. Review daily nutrition, abandon strict diets and hunger strikes. To replenish the flow of such valuable trace elements into the blood as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron (in the case of the latter, it is necessary to increase the process of absorption and assimilation by the body).
2. It is very important to completely abandon everyday wear of uncomfortable and narrow shoes, which for a long time fixes the wrong position of the foot, puts unnecessary stress on the joints and tendons, and causes acute pain.
3. 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, numbness of the limbs.
4. With a local violation of the blood circulation of the legs, it is necessary to increase physical activity in the daytime, for example, to be outdoors more often and to walk long distances. It is very important to avoid nervous overstrain, protracted stressful situations.
5. It is necessary to perform a series of laboratory tests (urine and blood) to determine the underlying disease, which just could have provoked nighttime leg cramps. This is not only a disturbed metabolism, but also diabetes mellitus, hypoparathyroidism, Parkinson's disease, and infectious diseases.
6. As an "ambulance" it is required to perform a quick massage of the reduced calf of the leg or to do a rotating movement of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe feet (to stretch the spastic muscles).
7. Steady positive dynamics is provided by foot baths with sea salt, which have not only an antiseptic, but also a tonic, regenerating, and sedative effect.

Medical treatment

Night leg cramps can be eliminated by conservative methods, but do this if such an unpleasant symptom began to remind of itself with particular regularity. Home self-medication is completely excluded, doctors provide an integrated approach to a health problem, which begins with a detailed diagnosis and identification of the root cause of the disease. As for the oral administration of medications, it is appropriate to involve representatives of such pharmacological groups with night cramps:

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

Exercises

To eliminate 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 costs. Below are elementary movements, with regular performance of which you can reduce the number of painful attacks. So:

1. Leaning on the feet, you need to squat down. Supporting the body with your hands, perform a smooth movement from socks to heels and vice versa (while always stretching). It is necessary to perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
2. In a standing position, it is required to firmly press the heels to the floor and transfer the weight of the entire body to them. Freeze in this position for 15 - 20 seconds, after taking a break, repeat 2 more sets.
3. 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.

Treating leg cramps in the elderly

If at retirement age the appearance of night cramps is associated with a lack of trace elements in the body, intensive vitamin therapy will help to fill the imbalance. Taking any medications must first be discussed with the attending physician, since in the presence of chronic internal diseases, drug interactions with the main medications are not excluded. If the condition of an elderly patient is non-critical, you can completely abandon drug therapy, and follow such instructions from doctors in your daily life:

1. To be in the fresh air, to take long walks without the participation of extraneous support for the body.
2. Change the daily diet, enrich it with products with a capacious content of magnesium, potassium, calcium.
3. Timely treat the underlying diseases, which just provoke the regular appearance of night cramps.
4. Distribute the physical load on the spine, in the daytime in every possible way to avoid stress and nervous shocks.
5. Use alternative medicine methods strictly on the recommendation of your doctor, such as taking a foot bath with a decoction of thyme or preparing a sedative for the stress hormone (cortisol) from valerian root.

Folk remedies

Alternative medicine methods in the successful treatment of leg cramps play only a secondary role, they are able to suppress an unpleasant night attack only at an early stage of the disease. Such home therapy causes fewer side effects, the main thing is to first make sure that there is no allergic reaction to the main ingredient in the body. 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:

1. Dissolve in 1 tbsp. water 2 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, mix well. After that, intensively rub the calves before going to bed, be sure to provide the so-called warming effect (you need to wrap your legs in a blanket). It will be treated in such a folk way for a month, after taking a break for a few days. Unpleasant symptoms disappear already on the 3rd - 5th night, the once disturbed phase of sleep is normalized.
2. In one container, you need to combine raw egg yolk (after having loosened it), 1 tsp. turpentine, 1 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, mix thoroughly until a yolk foam forms on the surface of the medicine. The finished therapeutic composition is required to intensively rub the legs before going to bed in those areas where night cramps occur. The course of intensive therapy - 2 - 3 weeks.
3. It is necessary to combine 1 part of fresh celandine juice and 2 parts of vaseline, mix intensively until smooth. Apply the finished composition for night cramps, intensively rub into the skin until completely absorbed. After that, be sure to wrap your feet with a warm blanket.
4. In the absence of an allergic reaction to the waste products of bees, it is recommended to rub sick eggs with liquid honey (apply a thin layer and grind well), then wrap it in cellophane and warm it with a warm blanket. The procedure is carried out before going to bed, and in the morning after waking up, you need to take a shower.

Prevention

To exclude the unexpected occurrence of night cramps and a decrease in the duration of the sleep phase, doctors recommend taking preventive measures in a timely manner, 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 limbs. Here are the preventive measures we are talking about:

• completely abandon 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);
• timely 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, shock conditions;
• take vitamins and multivitamin complexes, especially during the period of seasonal beriberi (we are talking about the intake of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron into the body);
• especially useful massage of the calf muscles after a hard day, you can additionally use ointments and creams such as the drug Troxevasin.

Video

Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Night leg cramps: causes, treatment and prevention of the disease

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Anonymous 225

for night cramps, I applied a solution of glycerin, lubricating the interdigital places on my legs. Enough for a week before the bath.

3 days Reply

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Leg cramps are not a pleasant feeling. According to statistics, 30% of people have muscle cramps at least once in their lives. The pain from this is almost always unexpected and very sharp. Often, convulsions begin at night, forcing us to experience not the most joyful moments. Fortunately, this can be avoided.

website will help you understand the reasons why your legs are cramping, and tell you where to start treatment.

Dehydration

The classic cause of nighttime leg cramps is dehydration. Drinking enough fluids is very important for proper muscle function. According to doctors, lack of water provokes hypersensitivity of nerve endings, resulting in seizures.

What to do? Drink plenty of water, especially if it's hot outside or you're active in sports.

Micronutrient deficiency

Micronutrient deficiencies can cause many health problems, including seizures. Potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium are vital minerals that help maintain fluid balance in the body and are involved in muscle function.

Potassium and sodium chloride create electrical impulses responsible for muscle contraction. And magnesium regulates the amount of adenosine triphosphate in the body, which is the main source of energy for muscles. Interestingly, the main reserves of magnesium are “stored” in the muscles of the legs, so cramps are the first sign of its lack.

What to do? Eat and drink. No kidding: water and food contain all the necessary trace elements.

Leg cramps are one of the "bonuses" of pregnancy, especially in the 2nd trimester. Scientists believe that this comes from fatigue and poor circulation. In addition, the weight of the baby during this period increases, and it is difficult for the body to adapt to new conditions.

What to do? Pregnancy is the time when you have every right to say to problems and troubles: "Oh, that's it!" Rest, a balanced diet, walks in the fresh air are the best prevention of seizures.

Hypothyroidism

High sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes damage the nerves in the arms and legs. Unfortunately, this is not the only troubling symptom: dehydration and mineral deficiencies are also characteristic features of this disease.

What to do? And here you can not do without medical help. The doctor will prescribe anti-diabetic therapy, which will stop further nerve damage. In addition, he may recommend anticonvulsant and pain medications.

Alcohol consumption

The systematic use of alcohol leads to dehydration, harms the peripheral nervous system and deprives the body of important trace elements. Therefore, alcohol is one of the causes of seizures.

What to do? If the party could not be avoided, make up for the lack of fluid.

Taking medications

If there are no obvious reasons for seizures, look in your first aid kit. Some drugs can cause spasms.

• Statins. Used to lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Diuretics. Assign at high pressure. Diuretics are diuretic drugs and can cause potassium and magnesium deficiencies.
• Estrogens. Hormones to treat menopausal symptoms.
• Painkillers. Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have side effects including muscle cramps.

What to do? Contact your doctor. The doctor will select other, more suitable drugs.

Reduces the muscles of the legs with the same frequency in both men and women. Sometimes cramps are practically not felt, and sometimes they make you wake up from pain. Why does it bring the feet together? The reasons for this phenomenon can be different - from a banal lack of vitamins to serious internal diseases. The method of their treatment will also depend on the correctly established cause of seizures.

Why does it bring legs together: the most common causes

Leg cramps are involuntary painful contractions. Most often they occur in the calf muscles, but sometimes a person cramps fingers, feet, or even thigh muscles. The attack lasts from a few seconds to one minute, and the longer it lasts, the more the pain increases.

Here are the most likely reasons why it cramps legs at night:

• Lack of B vitamins or magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is especially common in women who are expecting a baby. This is one of the most innocuous reasons, since hypovitaminosis is easily eliminated by nutritional correction.
• Diseases of the veins of the lower extremities: chronic venous insufficiency, thrombosis, varicose veins, trophic ulcers.
• Malfunctions in the thyroid gland.
• Why cramps both legs? A sharp drop in blood glucose levels. This phenomenon is often observed with untreated diabetes mellitus, its improper therapy, and also if the diabetic constantly violates the therapeutic diet.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system, heart failure. With these pathologies, blood circulation in the legs is disturbed, the vessels become fragile.
• A fairly common reason why it reduces the calves of the legs at night is the usual dehydration of the body. Its occurrence is facilitated not only by non-compliance with the drinking regime, but also by kidney disease.
• Problems in the hormonal system - increased production of estrogen. Excess estrogen leads to more than just cramps. In women, the menstrual cycle goes astray and there are problems with conception, in men obesity occurs, sexual function suffers.
• Why it reduces toes, athletes know firsthand - runners, football players, ballerinas. Intense frequent training leads to muscle fatigue. If a person does not sleep enough hours at night, his body does not have time to recover.

Diseases of the internal organs should never be ignored. All of them are subject to mandatory treatment. But if health is in order, and spasms continue to bother, perhaps the reasons lie in the wrong lifestyle. The question of why it brings the feet together often worries women who are used to wearing high-heeled shoes. When tight, uncomfortable stilettos squeeze your feet and toes, circulation to your feet is disrupted. There may also be a feeling of numbness or tingling.

Often reduces the legs and those who spend most of the day on their feet. In addition to night cramps, such people may be disturbed by a feeling of heaviness in the legs in the evenings, the appearance of corns and bumps.

How to treat leg cramps

For effective treatment of spasms, it is necessary to correctly identify their cause. Having figured out why he cramps his legs at night, you can understand how to proceed. If a person is really sick with diabetes, suffers from heart pain, is registered with an endocrinologist due to problems with the thyroid gland - you should not try to get rid of seizures in isolation, but contact a competent specialist. It must be understood that in these cases, spasms in the legs act only as symptoms of the underlying disease. As soon as competent therapy is selected, convulsions will stop. Pregnant women who complain of calf cramps while sleeping should contact their prenatal care provider and discuss the benefits of increasing magnesium-rich foods in their diet.

For those who are engaged in fitness or strength training at home or in the gym, it is imperative to stretch after class. It will relieve tension from all muscle groups, make them more flexible. In addition, well-executed stretching reduces muscle pain, which often occurs after a workout. Leg cramping at night will occur less frequently if, after a hard day's work, the following remedies are used:

• Relaxing bath with sea salt. In warm water, dissolve 3-4 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt, optionally add a few drops of essential oil. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes.
• Bath with baking soda. At 5 l. warm water dissolve 1 tbsp. l. soda, immerse your feet for no more than 10 minutes. An additional bonus - soda will have a softening effect on the skin of the feet.
• Bath with medicinal herbs. You need to add a decoction of chamomile, calendula or tansy to the water.
• It must be remembered that hot foot baths are prohibited for pregnant women. Also, these methods will not work if you are allergic to sea salt, soda or herbs.

It is also necessary to drink more fresh drinking water without sugar and without gas, stop or reduce coffee consumption as much as possible, quit smoking and alcohol: coffee, alcohol and cigarettes contribute to severe dehydration of the body. How can you help yourself if you suddenly have a painful attack at night? You need to take your foot by the toe, and gently, but with force, pull it towards you. After that, it is easy to massage the calves, and lie down a little with legs raised up. Massage will increase blood circulation. If possible, you can walk around the room barefoot for a bit. The advice is widely known to prick the reduced leg with something sharp - for example, with a pin.

Any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure. So that the question of why he brings his legs together at night does not arise, it is necessary to establish good blood circulation in the limbs. To do this, follow these recommendations:

• Always purchase only high-quality shoes with a comfortable last. A common reason why sometimes the muscles on the legs are cramped is uncomfortable, tight shoes. Shoes are not the kind of expense that you need to save on. A correctly chosen pair will last more than one season, and the legs will be very comfortable. This is especially true for people who are forced to walk a lot during the day.
• If a person is busy at standing work, he should devote several minutes a day to simple gymnastics. Simple exercises will disperse the blood in the lower extremities.
• Feet should always be warm; in the cold season, do not neglect wearing insulated tights or socks.
• Nutrition should be complete, with enough greens, vegetables and fruits.
• Also, people who have a tendency to spasms are not recommended to swim in open water when the water is too cold. If, at great depths, the leg is suddenly brought together, this can lead to trouble. Therefore, before swimming, it is worth warming up a little and stretching.

If spasms in the legs become more frequent, other alarming symptoms join them - pain in the internal organs, swelling, general deterioration in well-being - you need to visit a doctor and undergo an examination.

How to help children

Many parents are concerned about the question of why it reduces the muscles on children's legs, and what to do in such a situation, how to help the child? Usually the child brings his legs together for the following reasons:

• lack of calcium, potassium and magnesium;
• fast growth;
• a large load on the calf muscles during the day;
• low temperature in the room during sleep.

What to do, how to cope with a convulsive seizure? Depending on the cause and treatment will be different.

• If your legs cramp while sleeping, make sure your child is warm. If he is cold, cover him with a warm blanket. To relieve discomfort in the calf, massage it or ask the baby to stand up and walk around the room, restoring blood circulation, and in the meantime, adjust the temperature in the room.
• It happens that children cramp their legs in the morning, in the morning it is especially cold in the room, so it can easily reduce frozen muscles. The solution is the same: a warm blanket at the ready, massage and warm-up.
• Sometimes a child gets leg cramps while swimming. This phenomenon does not depend on the age of the swimmer and his professionalism. To avoid this, allow your child to swim in moderately cool, not icy water, and teach him to do warm-up exercises before the swim.

If a child regularly brings his toes together, cramps appear in the left leg, then in the right thigh, in a word, in different places, this is a reason to see a doctor. He will figure out why this is happening, and what to do to prevent the occurrence of cramps that bring the legs together. Our body often gives us signals that we need to change our lifestyle. However, we sometimes seek to “silence” these signs and struggle with the symptoms, instead of finding and eliminating the cause. Listen to your body, take care of it and be healthy!