How to treat leg muscle cramps. Cramps in legs - muscle spasm and why it is dangerous

In medicine, tonic muscle spasms are distinguished, characterized by prolonged muscle tension, and clonic - short-term contractions, alternating with relaxation. Leg cramps belong to the first category and occur in the feet and calf muscles. Spasms of the lower extremities are accompanied by acute, painful sensations of petrification of a part of the body; they occur suddenly, the pain syndrome lasts from 2 to 5 minutes, and goes away only after relaxation of the muscle.

Causes of leg cramps:

Lack of vitamins and microelements– magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin D, responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles. A lack of micro- and macroelements can be caused by an unbalanced diet, an excess of harmful substances (nicotine, caffeine, tannin, sugar), a protein diet, or taking medications that interfere with their absorption.
Dehydration. With active sweating, there is a significant loss of microelements that ensure healthy muscle function. Therefore, it is so important to drink up to 2.5 liters of water per day, especially during the hot summer season and during active sports.
Temperature changes. Hypothermia while swimming or in the cold causes a sharp contraction of the muscles of the limbs and the appearance of muscle cramps. Therefore, it is important to monitor your body temperature and prevent temperature changes of up to 10 degrees.
Diseases. Improper metabolism, vascular diseases, and limb injuries are common causes of muscle cramps. To eliminate spasms, consult a specialist (endocrinologist, neurologist, phlebologist, orthopedist) and undergo the prescribed treatment.
Stress. During emotional stress or a nervous breakdown, an intense load occurs on the entire human body, primarily on the nerve endings responsible for contracting the muscles of the body. An excess of the stress hormone (cortisol) leads to an imbalance of micro- and macroelements, leading to a lack of calcium in the body, which is necessary for healthy functioning, muscle tension and relaxation.

Muscle cramps

Muscle cramps in the legs occur due to a disruption in the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscle for relaxation. These spasms affect the muscles of the lower leg, front and back of the thigh. The intensity of the cramp can vary from a small twitch to a significant contraction accompanied by severe pain.

Toe cramps are a syndrome of metabolic disorders or diseases of a different nature. Occurs with joint diseases, venous insufficiency, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremity, and diabetes mellitus. It can be observed in people whose activities involve standing on their feet for a long time, walking for a long time in uncomfortable shoes.

Feet

Spasms of the muscles of the feet are associated with the presence of flat feet or neurological disorders. If you frequently experience cramps in the foot area, consult an orthopedist or neurologist. Avoiding wearing uncomfortable shoes, reducing the intensity of the load on the lower extremities, and taking vitamins and microelements that help normalize the functioning of the muscles of the musculoskeletal system help reduce the number of attacks.

What happens when a leg muscle cramp occurs?

In most cases, the lower limbs cramp in the area of the feet and legs during rest or at night. The duration of the attack varies from a few seconds to 5-10 minutes. After this, weakness or increased sensitivity remains in the muscles for a long period.

During a spasm, a person feels sharp pain. It differs in the nature of the flow and sensations. Initially, a pulling sensation occurs in the feet or lower legs. After this, the leg muscles harden and turn into a lump. Similar sensations occur in the thumb, the patient observes how it protrudes, and the area under the fingers is constrained by a spasm.

Spasms are of the following types:

Clonic - short-term contraction and relaxation of certain muscle groups, similar to a nervous tic.
Tonic - local muscle spasm, accompanied by hardening and severe pain.
Generalized ones are one of the most dangerous types of spasm; they can cause painful shock and loss of consciousness against the background of contraction of all muscle groups.

If a leg suddenly cramps, a person cannot suppress this process by force of will. He usually sits in a sitting position to reduce the strain and control the pain a little.

Restoring the function of the limb requires time and pressure using the fingers. If spasm manifests itself in the legs at night, the patient in most cases wakes up and tries to massage.

In pregnant and elderly people, the development of spasms is considered a physiological disorder, which is associated with changes in blood circulation.

dehydration of the body;
taking certain medications;
alcohol abuse;
vein diseases;
hypothermia;
lack of certain elements in the body;
wearing shoes with heels;
heavy sports and physical activity.

Why do my legs often cramp at night?

The main cause of nighttime muscle cramps is slow blood circulation, which reduces the absorption of nutrients necessary for muscles, and an uncomfortable position during sleep. For frequent nighttime antispasmodic attacks, increase your diet with foods high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Eat buckwheat and oatmeal, lentils, legumes, dried fruits, nuts, seaweed, and dairy products more often.

To improve the health of blood vessels and the circulatory system, reduce the amount or completely avoid nicotine, caffeine, and sugar. Reduce the amount of animal protein you consume, giving preference to dietary poultry. Spend more time outdoors, combining leisurely walks with light physical activity on your body muscles. Pay close attention to the quality of your sleep. A comfortable bed with an orthopedic mattress will help you reduce the number of muscle cramps at night.

How to provide first aid?

Emergency care for leg cramps is not a treatment method if the cause of their occurrence is serious chronic diseases. It is possible to completely get rid of spasms only after proper therapy. Recommendations for eliminating cramps in the limbs are necessary to quickly smooth out symptoms and restore motor activity. Many people wonder what to do when they have leg cramps, but cannot find useful information.

Some people feel a spasm within a few seconds. The first aid for impending leg cramps is maximum relaxation.
During a spasm, the fingers are pulled towards the leg for a few seconds, then they weaken the movement and repeat the exercise. It can be done several times.
If your leg cramps for several minutes, you need to give the muscle additional blood circulation by walking. The foot should feel a hard surface - a cool floor or tile.

A light massage is good for eliminating painful cramps. Any warming gel will help enhance the effect.
In emergency cases and severe muscle contraction, tingling or a light needle prick will help.
After the spasm is relieved, be sure to take a sitting or lying position so that your legs are above the level of the navel. This will quickly increase and stabilize blood flow to the extremities.

Often a completely healthy person suffers from cramps at night. Sometimes they can repeat several times during the night. The reason lies in the awkward position he takes. What to do with such a cramp in the legs?

You can keep blood circulation normal with the help of improvised means. Gradually the person will get used to this position and will not roll over uncontrollably in his sleep. Blood does not circulate well if the legs remain crossed or are pressed tightly to the chest. In this case, it is recommended to sleep relaxed on your back, with your legs slightly apart. To maintain the position, you can put a special long cushion between your legs or a pillow.

Better blood circulation is ensured when a soft elevation is made under the calves. If sleeping on your side cannot be changed, it is recommended to use a special mattress that is made for pregnant women. It is designed in such a way that sleeping on your side is comfortable, without any part of the body being compressed or squeezed.

Special exercises are an excellent first aid for leg cramps at home. Muscle training is not carried out during an attack. After the spasm you need to wait several hours. Gymnastics that use compression and relaxation are effective.

To eliminate stagnant processes, various manual influences are used - vibration, compression, stretching, pinching, warming. With daily self-massage you can reduce the number of cramps.

When your leg cramps, the muscle gets stressed. It is dangerous to put a strong load on it. The limbs need rest for some time. Typically, cramps cause nervous tension in a person; the sensation of spasm leads to severe discomfort. After an attack, you can sit in a chair or lie down.

There are several ways to provide first aid for muscle cramps:

conduct an intensive massage session of the affected area;
try to stretch a tense muscle:

calf, foot muscles - while sitting, straighten your limbs, grab your big toes with your hands, pull towards you;
front of the thigh - stand straight, bend the affected leg at the knee, grab the ankle with both hands, pull the foot towards the buttocks;
back of the thigh - stand straight, put the leg with the affected muscles forward one step, put it on the heel, bend the healthy one at the knee, lean on it with your hands, carefully begin to stretch the patient, moving the pelvis back, as if you were trying to remove the shoe from the patient;

apply a cold compress.

Use these methods to relieve the underlying pain syndrome of a cramp. They help relax tense muscles, increase blood flow in the legs, and reduce pain. After eliminating the main pain, ensure good blood flow to the affected area: lie on your back, place a pillow under your feet so that your limbs are at an angle of 60 degrees, try to relax as much as possible. Remain in this position until all pain from the muscle cramp goes away.

How to prevent seizures?

Muscle spasms will appear less frequently if preventative measures are taken.

You should give up heavy physical labor and intense sports for a while. This will help restore muscle functionality.

Such prevention includes individual selection of nutrition in accordance with age, general health and weight. Vitamins of group b and d take part in many complex metabolic and chemical reactions, which are better absorbed in vitamin complexes.

Rescuer of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Krasnodar Territory

Muscle cramps during pregnancy can be caused by many reasons: from disturbances in phosphorus-calcium metabolism to various complications caused by difficulty in blood circulation. If you experience frequent leg cramps during pregnancy, it is important to determine and treat the cause of the muscle cramps by consulting with your healthcare provider.

Let's consider the main prerequisites for the development of muscle cramps in pregnant women:

lack of B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium;
decreased hemoglobin (anemia);
increased blood sugar levels;
vascular diseases, varicose veins;
violation of venous outflow in the legs;
excess caffeine;
sedentary lifestyle.

A balanced diet, additional vitamin complexes, and moderate physical activity will help avoid muscle cramps during pregnancy. If attacks often recur and do not disappear, then this is an additional reason to seek advice from your doctor. Timely treatment and correct diagnosis help eliminate antispasmodic attacks and prevent negative consequences from muscle cramps during pregnancy.

Treatment of leg cramps

Medicines

If your leg is severely cramped, what should you do? What remedies can eliminate unpleasant stiffness?

After an attack, it is recommended to take an antispasmodic. The safest would be a herbal preparation (No-spa). It will relax the muscles as much as possible and eliminate pain. After taking the tablet, rub the shin or foot with anti-inflammatory ointment; you can use gels for sprains.

Folk remedies

To prevent leg cramps, use traditional medicine recipes. Baths made with the addition of horse chestnut infusion, lemon juice, bay leaf decoction and celandine are very effective.

The rub is made from yarrow, which is successfully used by patients with neuralgia. 30 grams of dry grass are infused in 200 ml of vodka for about 10 days. A home remedy works well to relieve symptoms after severe cramps.

Set of exercises

Stand on your toes and tense your calves, then sharply relax them and lower them to the floor of your foot (repeat 5-6 times).
Lie on your back, raise your legs and bend your knees, hold them parallel to the floor for several minutes, then return to the starting position.
Intensive walking for 3 minutes, then lower your feet into a warm bath or pool.

A set of exercises.

The appearance of spasms in muscle tissue is associated with a lack of calcium and magnesium. These two elements are responsible for the reaction of the nervous system. They are used comprehensively for the treatment of neurosis, neuralgia and neuritis. The diet should be enriched with these elements. They are found in large quantities in nuts, buckwheat and spinach.

The main goal of preventive treatment of muscle cramps outside of antispasmodic attacks is to improve the condition of blood vessels and the circulatory system. Review your diet, enriching your diet with essential vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and giving up harmful, unhealthy foods. Reduce or completely eliminate alcoholic beverages, fast food, industrially processed foods, overly salty and sweet foods, and carbonated drinks from your diet. Stop smoking.

To prevent treatment of muscle cramps, do not allow your body to become dehydrated. Drink 2–3 liters of liquids during the day in the form of still drinking water, green tea, freshly squeezed juices, natural fruit drinks, homemade compotes. Reduce the amount of coffee and black tea you consume. These drinks have a diuretic effect, so in addition to water, beneficial microelements will be washed out of the body.

To reduce the likelihood of muscle cramps, engage in sports or other active activities that will help restore blood circulation in the legs after sedentary work and improve blood supply to the lower body. Before going to bed, it is advisable to do stretching exercises, yoga, and Pilates every day, which will relieve stress and tension and stretch tired muscles. A good prevention against night cramps is a warm shower or bath with aromatic oils: rose, lavender, mint, ylang-ylang.

Based on the diagnosis, medications from different areas are used to treat and prevent muscle cramps: correcting metabolism, improving the condition of blood vessels and the circulatory system, helping to recover from injuries. Additionally, complexes of vitamins and microelements are prescribed to replenish substances important for the body. It is important to remember that tablets should only be used for drug treatment of muscle cramps after consulting a doctor.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for muscle cramps help reduce the number and frequency of spasms, reduce pain during an attack, improve blood circulation in the extremities, and increase the elasticity of the vascular system. The use of traditional methods is a good prevention and addition to the main treatment regimen for painful muscle cramps prescribed by a doctor.

Popular treatments for seizures:

cold compresses with lemon juice on the feet, 2 times a day for 2 weeks;
bay leaf oil, used during self-massage for muscle spasms;
Place a regular magnet on a muscle group cramped, after 1 minute the attack will pass;
compress at night for 1 week: apply a horseradish leaf, smeared with honey, sprinkled with salt to the sore spot, wrap it with a cotton towel on top;
ointment based on celandine: mix the juice of the plant with Vaseline, rub problem parts of the body before going to bed for 2 weeks;
daily self-massage of feet with mustard oil.

Therapeutic gymnastics

A special set of exercises will help you against cramps in the limbs. Performing therapeutic exercises promotes better patency of veins, develops and improves the functioning of muscle mass, helps train muscles to contract/relax, strengthens ligaments and joints, relieves stress and emotional tension.

A complex of therapeutic exercises for muscle cramps:

in a standing position:

circular rotations with each foot in different directions, 30 times;
rolls from toe to heel, 30-50 times;
we rise on our toes and sharply lower our heels, 30 times;
swing your legs in different directions, 20 times.

in a lying position:

we rotate our legs, imitating riding a bicycle;
alternate swings of limbs, 30-40 times;
swing your legs crosswise, 20 times

By constantly performing simple therapeutic exercises 1-2 times a day, you will get rid of cramps in the muscles of the limbs, feet and fingers. After completing the complex, take a hot bath with the addition of salt and aromatic oils that help improve blood circulation, dilate blood vessels and relax muscles: basil, eucalyptus, sage, geranium, lavender, tangerine, sandalwood, neroli.

Most often in the legs, it occurs in both adults and children. In most cases, with mild single spasms, massage and stretching of the muscle helps. But if the pathology appears frequently, it is better to consult a doctor. After all, regular cramps are necessarily evidence of problems in the body. And although they generally do not last longer than a minute and do not cause much discomfort, this condition requires special treatment. Tablets for leg cramps are often prescribed, which act on the causes of the pathology and prevent spasms.

Mechanism of seizures

Muscle contractions are regulated by nerve impulses. The work of skeletal muscles obeys the brain and is a voluntary process. But sometimes they can contract involuntarily, which is called a cramp. In this case, the muscle tenses for some time, usually from several seconds to several minutes. It becomes hard and there is a sharp pain. At the same time, movement in this part of the body is limited.

Most often, cramps occur in the calves, feet, thigh muscles or hands. Spasms of the facial muscles and, less commonly, of the trunk muscles may be observed. Such single muscle contractions are called tonic spasms. They are not dangerous and can occur to anyone. In contrast, clonic spasms, or generalized spasms of most muscles of the body, are a serious pathology. They occur only in severe illnesses, such as epilepsy or tetanus.

Tonic seizures occur due to disturbances in the transmission of nerve impulses. This can happen due to pathologies of the nervous system, hormonal imbalances. But most often the cause of seizures is a violation of the electrolyte composition of the blood. After all, it is the minerals contained in it that ensure normal muscle function. In order for them to contract and relax normally, they must be provided with magnesium, potassium, and calcium. In addition, sufficient blood supply is necessary to remove metabolic waste products. This is why leg cramps most often occur at night, when blood circulation slows down.

What causes spasms

Doctors believe that the main cause of tonic convulsions is a lack of minerals in the blood. This leads to disturbances in the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles. This is why leg cramps occur so often in pregnant women. After all, almost all of the microelements in their body are spent on the needs of the child. A lack of essential minerals can also occur due to dehydration or taking certain medications.

Another common cause of calf cramps is poor circulation. Varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis and other pathologies cause congestion and lack of nutrients in the muscles.

In addition, leg cramps can occur for the following reasons:

How to treat leg cramps

When a spasm has already occurred, there is no point in taking any pills. The cramp rarely lasts longer than 2 minutes, so it will stop on its own before the medicine begins to take effect. In this case, emergency measures are necessary. For example, rubbing a muscle, stretching it, a hot compress. Tablets for leg cramps are necessary when they occur more often than once a week or cause severe pain.

Only well-chosen treatment can save the patient from pathology. Usually medications are used in combination with other means: massage, gymnastics, ointments. The duration of treatment is determined individually, but usually it is no more than 2-3 months. Only in case of epileptic syndrome, lifelong therapy is necessary.

Drugs used for seizures

Rarely does anyone go to the doctor with such a problem. People try to get rid of it on their own. And when they come to the pharmacy, they ask for anticonvulsant pills. But drugs with this effect are used for epilepsy. They are not suitable for leg cramps. In this case, the tablets used are not special ones, but those that eliminate the cause of impaired muscle contractions. Therefore, it is better to get examined by a doctor and find out why seizures occur. After all, inappropriate medications can only worsen the situation.

Modern medicine is still exploring the question of how to treat leg cramps. There is no medicine that can get rid of them. Therefore, doctors most often prescribe complex therapy. The following groups of drugs are used:

Do I need painkillers?

Cramps can cause severe pain. But they last no more than two minutes, so during the spasm itself there is no point in taking painkillers. But such drugs can be prescribed in complex therapy for frequently recurring spasms. Analgin or Paracetamol are usually used. They have a moderate analgesic effect.

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

Why do we need vitamin supplements?

Multivitamins contain all the microelements necessary for the normal functioning of muscle tissue. Most often, cramps occur due to a lack of magnesium, potassium and calcium. Therefore, the most common means are preparations containing only these trace elements.

Venotonic drugs

In patients with varicose veins, leg cramps at night are a common occurrence. This is due to lack of blood circulation in the muscles and congestion. To eliminate such disorders, various venoprotective agents are prescribed.

"Asparkam": application

In many cases, especially with leg cramps in older people, doctors recommend that patients take potassium and magnesium supplements. The most common of them is “Asparkam”. This drug contains the correct dosage of magnesium and potassium, the lack of which is often the cause of seizures. A doctor should prescribe this remedy, since it is necessary to take into account the level of these microelements in the blood. “Asparkam” is useful for heart diseases, circulatory disorders, shock and convulsions.

You must take the drug for at least a month. Most often it is recommended to take a tablet three times a day. Asparkam is usually well tolerated, but sometimes nausea and abdominal pain may occur. This drug is contraindicated in case of renal impairment. But Asparkam is often prescribed even to children and the elderly. Sometimes the drug is used by athletes during prolonged physical activity.

"Magnerot": instructions

To compensate for the lack of magnesium, you need to take special medications for at least 1-2 months. But a person feels relief after a few days - the cramps stop. One of the best means for this is Magnerot. The instructions note that it should be taken in case of heart rhythm disturbances 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. Magnerot is prescribed during the first week of treatment, 2 tablets three times a day, then it is enough to drink 1 tablet. The course of treatment is determined individually, but not less than a month. Sometimes a different dosage regimen is recommended. If the patient is bothered by night cramps, you can take 2-3 tablets before bed.

Use of "Troxerutin"

This drug is used for cramps caused by poor circulation in the legs. Troxerutin tablets are prescribed by a doctor, as they are contraindicated for 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 extremities, and varicose veins. They improve blood circulation, relieve swelling, heaviness in the legs and cramps.

Diosmin tablets

In many cases, cramps occur due to the fact that the venous outflow in the legs is impaired, and the muscles do not receive the necessary nutrients. Taking the drug for 2 months allows you to forget about such spasms for a long time. Diosmin tablets are considered the best of the vein protectors, which, in addition, also has a natural composition.

The drug helps to tone and strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve blood circulation, and relieve inflammation. You need to take it 3 tablets twice a day. Sometimes Diosmin can cause allergic reactions, headaches, nausea

The drug "Quinidine"

These pills for leg cramps are prescribed only as a last resort. The drug contains quinine, which has long been used in medicine, but to treat malaria. This remedy also has the ability to relieve the tendency to seizures. But Quinidine has many dangerous side effects. These tablets are especially toxic for a developing child. Therefore, they are never used for leg cramps in pregnant women.

Quinidine can only be used as prescribed by a doctor in a strictly individual dosage. If it is exceeded, the patient may experience problems with vision and hearing, heart rhythm disturbances, nausea, and headaches.

Anticonvulsants

In case of intense convulsive syndrome, special means are needed. These are barbiturates, valproic acid preparations, and various benzodiazepine-based sedatives. They are required for epilepsy, nervous disorders, as well as generalized seizures caused by certain infectious diseases. For ordinary leg muscle spasms, such remedies are not recommended.

Last update 04/04/2019

What to do when your legs cramp? Convulsions go away on their own after a few minutes, appearing in rare episodes at different times of the day and with certain development mechanisms. Leg cramps are the body’s reaction to possible deviations from individual organs or systems. If episodes of convulsive syndrome in the lower extremities become more frequent, you should seek help from a therapist or rheumatologist to determine the true cause of the pathology.

Features of the condition

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

tonic when muscle spasm manifests itself as 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, caused by neurological disorders;

tonic-clonic when limb spasms are caused by epileptic seizures.

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

Predisposing factors

Leg cramps appear for a number of reasons due to endogenous or exogenous factors. Pathologies of internal organs or systems, a complicated rheumatological history of the patient, metabolic disorders can trigger the occurrence of seizures in adults and children. When diagnosing seizures, the key role is played by the localization of the pathological process, the severity of pain and the frequency of manifestations.

General development mechanisms

The nonspecific nature of the occurrence of seizures in the lower extremities is due to the polyetiological nature of the clinical situation. Convulsive syndrome may occur against the background of the following patient conditions:

potassium or magnesium deficiency (for example, during long-term use of loop diuretics: Lasix, Furosemide);

drug treatment of absorbent drugs for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;

increased sweating of any origin (potassium is removed from the body with sweat);

psychoemotional disorders;

vitamin D deficiency;

chronic and acute intoxication of the body due to dehydration;

neurotoxic damage to the lower extremities (for example, poisons of exotic insects);

complicated neurological history;

varicose veins;

severe hyperthermia, cerebral hemorrhages.

Other common reasons why muscles cramp are endocrinological disorders (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism), and renal failure. Physiological factors (flat feet, increased load on the ankle joint, leg injuries of any location) can provoke strong muscle contractions.

Consultation with a doctor to identify the causes

Causes of cramps in women

Convulsive syndrome in women's leg muscles is often recorded under the influence of external factors. In young women, spasms and convulsions may occur due to the following conditions:

constant diets and dietary restrictions;

long-term use of drugs for the treatment of various diseases;

wearing high-heeled shoes;

increased load on the legs associated with professional activities;

intense sports activities;

stress and emotional instability;

active phase of the menstrual cycle.

The eternal struggle with excess weight forces women to limit themselves in nutrition. Given the nature of some diets, a woman’s body may not receive enough beneficial microelements and vitamins that are actively involved in metabolic processes. At night, the ankle joint, tired from the load, relaxes, provoking spasms in the area of the foot and lower leg.

Cramps of the lower extremities during pregnancy

A convulsive symptom during pregnancy can occur against the background of excess load on the spinal column due to a growing belly. The main reasons are considered:

shift of the center of gravity;

compression of the venous lumens by the growing uterine cavity;

local circulatory disorder;

stressful situations.

Pregnancy is often accompanied by excess body weight, swelling of blood vessels due to increased blood volume, changes in electrolyte parameters (magnesium, sodium, chlorine, potassium). Venous insufficiency is the main companion of pregnancy in late gestation, so convulsions are possible at night, at rest.

Causes of cramps in men

Considering the anatomical differences in the structure of the muscular system in men, pain during cramps is particularly intense. The pain radiates to the back and outer surface of the thigh. The density of muscle structures in the lower extremities causes the appearance of severe pain during spasmodic manifestations. The main causes of cramps in the lower extremities in men include:

excessive physical activity;

professional activities (drivers, loaders, builders):

intense sports activities;

sedentary lifestyle (convulsions occur due to the accumulation of lactic acid);

uncomfortable and tight underwear;

overweight;

addiction to alcoholic beverages, smoking.

Men are less picky about their own diet. When consuming aggressive foods (spicy, sour, salty, alcohol), they contribute to the leaching of potassium and magnesium from the body, causing vascular spasms. With a burdened clinical history, in the presence of various joint pathologies or diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the risks of developing seizures are extremely high.

Features of seizures in children

The appearance of cramps of the lower extremities in young children is often associated with metabolic disorders of various etiologies and excessive load on the legs. Against the background of the child’s absolute health, to correct pathological manifestations, it is enough to adhere to the diet and introduce a nutritious and varied diet. With existing diseases of internal organs or systems, seizures can be a serious symptom leading to the development of exacerbations of chronic processes or the progression of certain ailments. So, the main reasons include:

hypoxic syndrome and birth injuries;

complications of infectious diseases;

previous intrauterine encephalopathy;

consequences of traumatic brain injuries;

electrolyte disturbances.

Occasional foot or ankle muscle cramps may be related to pre-existing factors. For example, a convulsive reaction can develop after vaccination, as a side effect of taking medications, intoxication due to inflammation, or long-term persistence of hyperthermia.

Young children are highly emotional, which can also contribute to the occurrence of episodic seizures. The physiological cause of the development of seizures is the intensive growth of bone and joint tissue. Muscle tissue grows slower than bone tissue, so muscle fibers are not able to completely relax.

Seizures in old age

Cramps in the lower extremities in elderly patients appear for physiological reasons. Natural aging of the body, decreased elasticity of blood vessels, existing chronic diseases and impaired blood supply are common causes of convulsive syndrome. In mature patients, episodes become more frequent, attacks are accompanied by pain and limited joint mobility. The lower extremities are susceptible to the disease primarily due to the colossal daily load. Other reasons include:

ischemia of muscle structures;

compression of the choroid plexuses and disruption of blood flow;

arterial hypertension;

overweight;

hormonal disorders;

trauma to the lower extremities;

destructive and degenerative changes in joint structures (osteoarthrosis, deforming arthritis and others).

If in young patients cramps often occur at night, then in older people cramps with severe pain are possible during the day, in a state of muscle rest.

Features of seizures by localization

Muscle spasms in the lower extremities can manifest themselves in different parts of the legs, which can become a signal to the body for the development of specific pathologies and health problems. There are three main joints: the hip, ankle and knee joints. In addition to the large ones, there are many small articular joints (for example, the toes) that can be subject to intense muscle contractions.

Tuck your toes

Toe cramps occur due to disruption of local blood flow in small capillaries and arteries. Sometimes the cause of the pathology is anomalies in the development of the ligamentous apparatus. The main reasons include:

development of obliterating endarteritis;

increased blood sugar;

flat feet of any severity;

bad habits (alcohol and smoking);

disruption of carbon metabolism in tissues;

excessive stress on the toes (for example, uncomfortable or tight shoes);

finger injuries (bruises, falling of a heavy object, sprains or fractures).

The toes of the foot, like the sole itself, have many capillaries and nerve branches. If the nerve roots are pinched, the fingers may become numb with severe pain and cramps.

Spasms in the calf muscles

The calves on the legs of men and women are most often subject to muscle contractions. It is the ankle joint and calf muscles that are the main support of a person when walking, contracting intensely with every movement. The calf muscles are most susceptible to tonic cramps, which are caused by the following conditions:

intoxication dehydration;

chronic liver diseases with complications such as cirrhosis;

varicose veins;

end-stage renal failure (including the period of decompensation: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis);

blood and plasma transfusions;

inadequate use of diuretic drugs;

the course of infectious diseases of viral or bacterial origin;

spastic paralysis of the lower extremities;

epilepsy, endocrinological diseases.

Rare diseases of any nature can provoke the development of spasms of the calf muscle. With the progression of articular pathologies from the musculoskeletal system, convulsions occur as one of the manifestations of the clinical picture.

Night cramps

The appearance of muscle spasms at night is due to a number of reasons, grouped into three large groups. Each predisposing factor can in one way or another affect the occurrence of muscle contractions. If your legs cramp at night often, then this is a clear reason to see a doctor.

Biochemical composition of blood

When the electrolyte balance in the blood plasma is disrupted, the composition of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium and potassium, changes. The pathological condition is often caused by regular participation in strenuous sports, excessive physical activity, endocrine diseases, and diseases of the kidney structures. With hypoglycemia, spasms of muscle structures are also observed.

Circulatory disorders

Compression of blood vessels as a result of sclerotic changes, with an uncomfortable body position, during pregnancy contributes to difficulty in blood flow, reducing the transport of oxygen molecules to the muscle muscles. With hypoxia of soft tissues and muscle structures, lactic acid accumulates, which becomes a common cause of intra-articular inflammation.

Neurological diseases

Frequent causes of this group of diseases are infection of the body with staphylococci, gonococci and meningococci. As a result of pathogenic activity, disturbances in neuromuscular conduction are formed, causing spasticity of the lower extremities. Stress and overwork, physical exhaustion can contribute to the development of spasms of any localization.

Involuntary muscle contractions occur at night due to the natural relaxation of muscles with their simultaneous shortening during any movements.

Differentiation of diseases

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

Development of epileptic paroxysms. The disease is characterized by generalized muscle contractions, when the muscular structures of the entire body are involved in the pathological process. After the episode ends, the patient does not remember what is happening, and there are disturbances of consciousness.

Choreoathetoid seizure syndrome. Involuntary muscle contractions are caused by diseases of the central nervous system and occur with constant regularity. Against the background of such convulsions, disturbances in the general condition of the patient appear, mainly in terms of the psycho-emotional and physical condition of the patient.

Nervous tics. Pathology refers 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.

The appearance of fasciculations. The condition is represented by fast, rhythmic contractile acts of muscle muscles. There is no pain associated with such cramps. A common cause is overexcitation of motor neurons.

Muscle contractures. The pathology least of all resembles seizures. They provoke a forced position of the patient’s limb against the background of existing rheumatological diseases.

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

Treatment tactics for seizures

If leg cramps occur rarely, you should undergo a comprehensive examination of the body to prevent the persistent formation of any diseases. Usually, drug therapy is not required for self-limited muscle contractions. When episodes with long-term persistence of pain become more frequent, doctors prescribe general health-improving medications and vitamin complexes. The main types include:

vitamins containing potassium and calcium;

groups of vitamins A, B, C, E;

local irritating ointments, liniments, gels.

After consultation with nutritionists, it is often recommended to change your usual diet, enrich it with vitamins in the form of fresh vegetables and fruits, increase your fiber intake, and reduce your consumption of unhealthy foods. Therapeutic tactics are built on the basis of diagnostic research data after identifying the nature of the disease. Sometimes, drug correction of the disease causing seizures is sufficient to prevent episodes of involuntary muscle contractions.

First aid for seizures

To relieve a convulsive episode in the lower extremities of any location, it is recommended to gently prick or pinch the affected area.

After the intensity of the cramp has decreased, you should massage your leg with a medicated cream or regular massage oil. Thus, the muscles calm down, the pain goes away, and the mobility of the limb is restored. Massage helps restore blood circulation, increase the penetration of oxygen to soft tissues and muscle structures. For a long-lasting effect, it is better to apply a local irritating cream and wear warm socks or socks.

Additional methods of therapy include traditional recipes, physiotherapeutic treatment, and manual therapy.

Preventive measures

To prevent seizures, it is enough to reconsider your lifestyle, find time for preventive medical examinations, and follow a diet and nutritional culture. Other measures include:

wearing only comfortable shoes;

choosing high-quality, non-tightening underwear;

giving up alcohol and smoking;

after a hard day, do steaming baths and foot massage;

exclude sweet foods and coffee.

If you experience frequent night cramps, you can wear socks after massage and application of medicinal products. This way, thermoregulation will be maintained, the vessels will warm up and better conduct blood along with oxygen.

Cramps in the lower extremities are not a pathology in rare episodes, but attention should be paid to their occurrence if they occur more than once a week. This is an alarming symptom of the development of any disorders on the part of various body systems. Attention to your own health and timely therapeutic correction can prevent serious complications. Today, there are a number of effective and safe methods for getting rid of pathological muscle contractions.

Reviews

Tatyana Ivanova

For two weeks now my legs have been cramping in my sleep. Especially often at night, cramps in the calves and less often in the foot. I wake up in severe pain. They go away after I get up and stand on a flat floor. The next day, the muscles also ache when walking. Can I buy magnesium and calcium supplements myself at a pharmacy or should a doctor prescribe them after an examination? What ointments can be used before bed to prevent muscle cramps?

Elena

I often experienced calf muscle cramps during the period when I had to work two jobs. Constant stress on the legs caused the appearance of a vascular pattern on the skin. I had to contact a surgeon, who recommended heparin gel and diosmin tablets. Gymnastics, which prevents blood stagnation in the extremities, helps best. In addition, during work it is necessary to constantly warm up, if time permits.

Vladimir

Mostly I have toe cramps and foot cramps, they used to happen more often, now they happen from time to time. As I noticed, they occur when bending the toes, mainly of the right leg. Bending may occur when putting on shoes, or it may occur involuntarily and even during sleep. After a cramp occurs, I slowly and with the help of my hands straighten my toes. What should I do to prevent these seizures?

Vladislav

Hello. I have this question: I often have cramps while I swim, because of this I even have a slight fear of water, tell me, how can I help myself when a cramp occurs in the water? Of course, I try not to swim far at all, but anything can happen. Thanks for the answer.

Elena Krylova

I used to often have nighttime calf muscle cramps, always only in one leg. Pinching and stroking did not help; this pain could only be relieved by standing barefoot on the cold floor. After taking magnesium and potassium, I forgot about them for several years. And now the pain has started, very similar, only the hip cramps during training. The toes and calf muscles are not affected. Are these also seizures or should the cause be looked for elsewhere?

Alexander

Please tell me, this is what I should do. I have cramps when I’m lying in my right leg, the lower muscles under the knee, sometimes it’s so painful that you can die, and nothing helps, is there any method to interrupt this cramp? Thanks in advance!

Sherstyuk Vyacheslav

Good afternoon. I have varicose veins in my legs and recently, after physical activity, cramps began to appear in the shin area on both legs. The intensity of the pain is so great that I cannot stand and have to take a horizontal position. Exercises to pull your toes towards you do not help. Tell me, is there a connection between varicose veins and cramps, and what medications are best to use to relieve cramps (pain) in such cases? Thank you.

Maxim Nefedov

In the evenings I do sports: running and sometimes race walking. And before going to bed, when I managed to relax the muscles, short-term cramps appeared in the calf muscles. I thought the reason was in my classes, but after reading the article I realized that flat feet and incorrect shoes are possible factors. I used ointments, but there was no qualitative improvement. I want to ask, is it possible to use magnesium supplements on your own? And what to do if you are allergic to vitamin D since childhood?

Natalia Borisova

Recently my big toe joint began to hurt and I started having foot cramps. I can’t wear shoes with heels at all - my feet cramp. I switched to flat shoes and sneakers. It is more comfortable to walk in such shoes, but sometimes the foot still cramps, and you have to take your shoes off and massage your toes. I'm very upset about this, tell me what to do? Which specialist should I go to?

Lydia

My right leg cramps during sleep, which wakes me up. The symptom is so sharp that you want to scream. I was advised to pinch the area behind my knee, but this does not always help. I would like to know which drugs are best to use for prevention? I have excess weight (I read one of the possible reasons in the article), but it is unlikely that I will be able to lose it. Are there really no effective methods; convulsions are a very unpleasant phenomenon.

Elena

I like to wear shoes with 7-8 centimeter heels. But lately I have been cramping my right toes almost every day. Moreover, it begins to cramp unexpectedly, mainly while walking. Then an unpleasant pain sensation appears in the fingers. To get rid of the cramp, I quickly take off my shoes and begin by first pinching my toes and feet, then massaging them. Please tell me, if the cause of my cramp is wearing high-heeled shoes, then why is it only the toes on my right foot that are cramping? Or perhaps shoes are not the main reason?

Alina Eremina

I am 26 years old and periodically have leg cramps, and sometimes specific toes go numb. I don’t wear shoes with heels that often, but sometimes I wear shoes that don’t fit, that is, they squeeze my feet a little. Can this cause cramps? And also, why does it happen that cramps can appear during sleep and only if you get out of bed and start jumping or pinching the area with your nails, then after a while the cramps disappear. Thanks in advance!

Natalia Marynyak

As a child, my son had an initial form of spasmophilia due to difficulty in teething. In his youth, he was involved in weightlifting for a long time, now he is constantly on his feet at work. At night he has severe cramps in his calf muscles. Even if he doesn’t wake up, he screams a lot in his sleep and kicks his legs. Among medications she takes Asparkam and Combispasm. A year ago, cramps in the facial muscles in the area of the upper jaw and ear were added. Are cramps in the legs and face related to each other or are they different diseases? Which doctor should I contact to get the correct diagnosis? Can convulsions be a consequence of rheumatic carditis suffered in adolescence?

The term “leg cramps” in common parlance refers to a contraction of individual muscles that is excessive in strength and duration and uncontrollable by the will, which occurs for no apparent reason at first glance and mainly at night.

All of the above reasons provoke certain changes both in the body itself and in certain parts of it, which contribute to the spontaneous occurrence of seizures.

Thus, as a result of excessive load and muscle fatigue, a decrease in energetically important compounds occurs, mainly ATP. At the same time, certain metabolites accumulate in the tissues, primarily lactic acid. As a result, the process of relaxation of muscle fibers is disrupted, which, against the background of a reduced threshold of excitability, leads to spontaneous cramps in the legs at night.

Another mechanism for the development of night leg cramps is a violation of the nervous regulation of muscles, which can occur as a result of general fatigue, taking certain medications, or endocrine disorders. The result of such conditions is a decrease in the threshold of muscle excitability and their contraction in the presence of even weak nerve impulses.

In the presence of varicose veins, diseases of the cardiovascular system, various inflammatory processes and frequent trauma, a change in the metabolism of muscle tissue occurs in conditions of lack of oxygen and nutrients. This contributes to the occurrence of spontaneous cramps of the calf muscles.

When do seizures occur?

In the vast majority of cases, cramps in the toes, as well as cramps in the muscles of the lower extremities, appear in a person at night.

The reason for this phenomenon lies in the fact that during this period of the day all processes in the body are slowed down, the body rests after a busy day. The organs that continue to be supplied with blood at the same level are the non-resting heart, lungs, diaphragm and brain. Everything else, especially the muscles, are in a relaxed state.

If for a number of reasons the local blood supply was initially reduced or there were metabolic disorders, then under conditions of even greater hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the tissues) spontaneous convulsions can easily occur at night.

In addition, during sleep, brain activity increases, which is manifested by the rapid phase of sleep with motor activity. Under unfavorable conditions, even slight excitation and activity of nerve cells leads to muscle contraction and spasm.

Precursors of seizures

In general, night cramps in the limbs in completely healthy people quite often occur spontaneously and without any apparent reason. This type of seizure does not require special measures other than stopping the seizure at the time of its occurrence. At the same time, a significant number of cases requiring human help did not appear out of the blue - they were preceded by a certain unfavorable background.

Such harbingers include:

Many women during the period of bearing a child complain of the appearance of painful uncontrollable contractions of certain muscles of the legs. As we said earlier, the main cause of cramps is a lack of magnesium, potassium and calcium. The leaching of these elements from the body of a pregnant woman during the first trimester is due to toxicosis, accompanied by eating disorders and vomiting. Leg cramps in the second and third trimester of pregnancy are most often associated with increased consumption of vital microelements by the developing fetus.

In addition, in the later stages, the cause of cramps in a pregnant woman is an enlarged uterus, which compresses the inferior vena cava, which complicates the outflow of venous blood from the legs. The condition worsens especially when lying down.

An incorrect diet and the increased energy needs of the unborn baby lead to a decrease in glucose levels in the pregnant woman’s body, which can also become a trigger for the development of leg cramps. That is why, as a preventive measure for convulsive syndrome, the expectant mother must carefully observe her daily routine and ensure that her diet is complete and balanced.

First aid for calf muscle cramps

Many people ask the question “What to do if a cramp cramps your leg?” Despite the surprise, discomfort or pain caused by a cramp, you should not panic, as excitement and anxiety contribute to increased contraction.

As a first aid for toe and calf cramps, you need to pull yourself together as soon as possible and follow these steps:

Without haste, place both feet on the floor. If you are lying down, you need to sit down and sit for a few seconds. After this, smoothly stand on both legs with all your weight, preferably with support.
Massage the affected area. This will ensure a rush of blood to the spasmed area of muscle tissue and its subsequent relaxation
Try to stretch the contracted and tense muscle. If you have a cramped calf muscle, stand on your heel and try to lift your toes up. Another option would be to move the leg back, supporting the entire foot, and gradually apply body weight. The third method of stretching is to pull the toes with your hand.

If the cramp affects the front of the thigh, take an upright position, grab the ankle of the leg bent at the knee and pull the foot towards the buttocks. If you have a muscle spasm in your foot, sit down, straighten your leg, and pull your big toes toward you. If the muscles of the back of the thigh are cramping, take a vertical position, take one step forward and place the sore leg on the heel, bend the healthy leg at the knee and lean on it with your hands. Move your pelvis back and gently stretch the patient. The movements should resemble an attempt to remove a shoe from a sore foot.

Pinch the spasmed muscle or prick it with some non-sharp object such as pens, forks. Knives and needles should not be used at all, but if there is no alternative, try to handle them very carefully.
After stopping the cramp, perform stroking movements or lightly massage the muscle.. This will allow her to relax as much as possible and prevent the occurrence of cramps in the future. Some seek to further insulate their legs by wearing warm leg warmers or knee socks.

When should you seek help?

In a healthy person, in most cases, such single night cramps in the legs can occur spontaneously and nothing usually needs to be done other than stopping them.

Important to know!If such conditions begin to appear repeatedly in you, then this is a serious reason to consult a doctor for consultation and further examination to determine the cause of the seizures. In the process of finding out the cause of your condition, you will have to consult with a wide range of specialists, as well as undergo a series of laboratory and instrumental examinations.

If night cramps begin to appear after starting treatment prescribed by a doctor for an existing disease, then it is possible that night cramps in the legs are associated with the effect of one or more medications taken. In this situation, it is necessary to contact the attending physician as quickly as possible and explain the situation - a review of drug therapy or a change in dosage of prescribed drugs is not excluded.

Preventing leg cramps

There are a number of recommendations that you can follow to reduce the risk of cramps at night. Basically, preventive measures are aimed at general strengthening and healing of the body and improving the condition of the muscles of the limbs.

The list of measures to prevent the development of leg cramps includes:

Normalization of physical activity level. People with reduced physical activity should avoid excessive overwork, but do not forget that a certain level of stress on the muscles is simply necessary, as it helps improve venous outflow, improves nutrition and oxygen supply to muscle tissue. People with increased physical activity are advised to avoid periods of complete rest, but provide periodic rest for the muscles.

As a rule, the listed measures help prevent the occurrence of convulsive syndrome. However, if even after this you continue to be bothered by muscle cramps, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible to undergo an examination and find out the exact causes of the disease, as well as select the appropriate treatment for calf muscle cramps.

You can get more detailed information about leg cramps by watching this video review:

General practitioner, Sovinskaya Elena Nikolaevna

Good afternoon, dear blog readers! Each of us, at least once in our lives, has encountered such a phenomenon as leg cramps. Most often they come at the most inopportune moment and make us feel inconvenienced.

My legs are cramped so much that it is impossible to move, and it hurts to stand up. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Is it dangerous? Is it possible to get rid of cramps forever? See the article for answers to these questions.

Statistics say that 80% of all people experience leg cramps to one degree or another. It is worth noting that convulsive muscle contraction is not an independent disease.

There are different types of muscle spasms. As for the legs, they are most often affected by conical cramps, familiar to each of us: when the leg hardens, which leads to pain and for several minutes the person cannot move.

But the most painful sensation is a cramp in the calf muscles, which takes a person by surprise. Most often, people of mature and elderly age are susceptible to convulsive conditions, although it is also not uncommon in children.

A person can predict the approach of this phenomenon. As a rule, cramps are preceded by: numbness, tingling, twitching, a feeling of “pins and needles”, fatigue.

Causes of seizures

Very often, the occurrence of leg cramps is associated with a lack of microelements in the human body, with muscle overstrain, with a lack of magnesium and potassium. Lack of vitamins A, C, E, D, B also negatively affects the muscle tone of the limbs.

In order to avoid cramps, it is necessary to regulate the functioning of muscle tissue. You should monitor your potassium and magnesium intake. If you take medications, adsorbents or diuretics, you should know that they help remove trace elements from the body. Muscle fibers become dehydrated and this leads to increased muscle contractions.
The cause of potassium deficiency is excessive protein intake, increased sweating, dehydration, and club feet. If desired, they can be replenished by taking vitamin complexes, a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.

When stressed, the body produces a hormone that impairs the absorption of potassium in the intestines.

Lack of microelements is also observed in pregnant women; they need to especially carefully monitor their health. During pregnancy, cramps are associated with a lack of magnesium.

In children and adolescents, legs cramp for various reasons, usually caused by:

elevated body temperature,
infectious diseases,
in infants 3-6 months – spasm of the glottis during prolonged crying,
muscle pain during the period of active growth and even the heaviness of the blanket.

In older people, the cause of leg cramps also lies in chronic diseases, taking diuretics and poor nutrition, and can also be caused by age-related changes.

The most common causes of leg cramps also include:

Wearing high heel shoes for a long time. Women often neglect their health for the sake of beauty. And in vain. Shoes need to be chosen wisely and under no circumstances should you wear high heels every day. The best shoe option for healthy feet is low-heeled, wide-heeled shoes with a smooth instep;

Physical and psycho-emotional stress also has a negative impact on foot health. Stress leads to disruption of the nervous system, relaxation of muscles and loss of calcium.

Muscle hypothermia . Before swimming in cold water, you need to think carefully: do you need it? Hypothermia leads to convulsive impulses of the limbs, which is very dangerous on the water.

High protein meals. Protein interferes with calcium absorption. In pursuit of a thin waist, women are ready to eat healthy protein foods every day, forgetting that their body needs nutrients. Therefore, while dieting, do not forget to provide your body with potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Pathological diseases that cause leg cramps

Leg cramps may also indicate the following diseases:

Flat feet;
Radiculitis;
Diabetes mellitus;
Varicose veins;
Injuries;
Excessive physical activity;
Circulatory disorders;
Kidney failure;
Thyroid diseases.

Causes of seizures in healthy people

Impaired formation of nerve impulses and loss of muscle tone. As already noted, such muscle spasms are a phenomenon that occurs in 80% of the world's inhabitants. This suggests that a leg cramp can occur in absolutely healthy people. All that remains is to find out why?

Firstly, as already mentioned, in our time very few people monitor their diet and do not think at all about what medications they are taking. Many older people take pills for blood pressure and kidney disease, which are diuretics, and “with the help” of these pills, a person gets rid of phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium along with urine. Magnesium deficiency is a common cause of seizures.

Secondly, The cause of cramps may simply be the hot season or increased physical activity. When a person loses a lot of moisture through sweat, and this loss is not replaced. As a result of dehydration, frequent contraction of muscle fibers occurs. It’s not for nothing that they say that water is life. Every day a person should drink 1.5-2 liters of water. This little trick will save you from many troubles in the future.

Thirdly, Reasons include excessive consumption of coffee, cocoa, chocolate and alcohol. Both excessively active physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle are harmful. Sedentary work helps slow blood circulation in the extremities, especially with flat feet and varicose veins.

If your job is sedentary, take a couple of minutes to stretch your body. Your feet will thank you. Uncomfortable shoes won't do you any good either. Never wear tight shoes made of cheap materials. Cramps can also occur after prolonged walking or swimming.

Leg cramps during pregnancy - normal or not?

Leg cramps during pregnancy most often affect women who experience toxicosis in the first trimester of pregnancy. Do not forget that a woman in position needs a large amount of vitamins, and because... We have already found out that the main cause of seizures is the leaching of potassium, magnesium and calcium from the body, then these microelements simply need to be replenished.

What are the causes of cramps in pregnant women? The fact is that in pregnant women the uterus increases in size, it puts pressure on the inferior vena cava and impedes the outflow of venous blood from the legs. Cramps occur especially often when lying down. Women have lower blood glucose levels, which also affects muscle tone. That is why pregnant women must follow a daily routine and adhere to a balanced diet.

What to do if you have convulsions in the water

This should be discussed separately. No matter how much they say: don’t swim in cold water, there will always be brave souls who are ready to risk their health. In addition, the coolness factor of the water is individual for each person. What to do if you experience cramps in the water?

If you managed to get to sushi , then: grab your leg with both hands and pull the toe towards you, and stick your heel back. Despite the pain, the cramp should go away after a couple of minutes. Afterwards, stretch and massage the damaged areas. If that doesn't help, press the heel of your foot firmly against your buttock.

If you are in the water , then it is important to change the position. If you swam on your chest, then roll over onto your back and vice versa. Pull your knees towards you, grab your foot and sharply pull it towards you. If this method does not help, use the following: immerse your head in the water, grab the big toe of your cramped leg with the opposite hand and pull it towards you.

What to do about nighttime muscle cramps

The causes of leg cramps at night are most often trivial - a change in body position. When lying in one position for a long time, the body becomes numb and with sudden movement a spasm occurs. After a cramp, a person cannot fall asleep for a long time due to painful sensations caused by lactates accumulated in the muscles.

Cramps during sleep are especially common in people suffering from osteochondrosis and in the elderly. According to doctors, frequent nighttime cramps may be a sign of incipient thrombosis. Therefore, if this problem bothers you, consult your doctor.

How to help yourself if your leg cramps at night?

You can cope with an attack on your own in the following way: relax your leg as much as possible. Pull the sock towards you. Get up and try to walk around, stretch your leg, massaging it at the same time. If the spasm does not go away, prick yourself with a needle. If you know in advance that a cramp may occur at night, then you can wrap your calf with an elastic bandage.

Keep a magnet nearby.

Yes, it is simple magnets that relieve spasms. Place magnets on the problematic part of the body and within a few minutes the cramps will go away.

Or they also say that you need to press the cramped muscle against cold metal or stand barefoot on a cold floor. My mother also had convulsions and immediately pressed her leg to the metal head of the bed on which she slept. And it helped her.

Traditional methods of treating leg cramps

Traditional medicine is a storehouse of useful knowledge. You shouldn’t neglect folk remedies; sometimes they play a significant role in a person’s recovery. Here are some healthy recipes.

Fill a third of the jar with chopped garlic with vodka. Leave for 2 months, shaking every day. Take orally: 5 drops three times a day before meals.

Garlic oil. Crush the garlic, pour unrefined sunflower oil into the resulting pulp. Leave in the refrigerator for 1 day. Take one teaspoon of garlic oil 3 times a day, wash down with freshly squeezed lemon juice. The course of treatment is no more than 3 months.

Lemon juice. Twice a day, morning and evening, lubricate your feet with lemon juice.

Mustard ointment . Mix two teaspoons of mustard powder with a jar of Vaseline. Rub your skin when a cramp occurs. Lubricating the skin with mustard is useful when tingling occurs in the muscle and blood flow forms. This ointment is good to have in your home medicine cabinet.

Yeast. Pour boiling water over the rye bread crackers and leave for 4 hours, then strain and add yeast. The drink should ferment after 8 hours. You should drink it 100 ml. 1 time a day before meals.

Apple cider vinegar. Mix a spoonful of vinegar and honey in a glass of hot water. Take hot 3 times a day, but no more than a week.

Collection of herbs. Take mint, yarrow, and nettle herbs in equal proportions. Pour 100 grams of the mixture with 200 grams of water, bring to a boil, and cool. Pour the resulting broth into a bath or bucket of water and steam. Repeat 15-20 procedures. The cramps will go away.

Celandine. Squeeze the juice from the celandine and mix with Vaseline. Rub the resulting ointment onto the areas where cramps occur.

Onion peel. Pour a glass of boiled water over the chopped onion peel and let it brew for 10 minutes. You can drink it at night. Traditional recipes say that after the first dose, there will be no cramps that day.

Salt. When a cramp begins, place a pinch of salt on the tip of your tongue. After a few minutes the cramps should go away.

Honey. A good helper in the fight against cramps. Honey is tasty and healthy. It is beneficial to eat 20-25 grams of honey every day.

Horseradish. Grate 200 grams of fresh horseradish on a fine grater, add 500 grams of honey and olive oil. Stir and place in the refrigerator. You can eat 1 tablespoon once a day.

Exercises for leg cramps

Stretch in bed. Pull your socks over yourself, relax and stretch again;
While standing, cross your legs. Place your feet on the outside of your feet, hold the balancing position for 10 seconds, and return to your normal position. Repeat 5-10 times;
Stand on your toes, stretch and sharply “fall” on your heels. Watch how to do vibration gymnastics exercise , which is a prophylaxis for muscle spasms;
Stand on your heels, bend your toes. Hold this position for 10 seconds, return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times;
Find an object 5 cm high, place your toes on top of the object and your heel on the floor. Move left to right for a few minutes.

What to do to prevent seizures

If such conditions have become a real problem for you, you should quit smoking and drinking coffee. Eat greens, cereals, dried fruits, eggs, liver, butter, milk, bananas, meat. The largest amount of potassium is found, surprisingly, in potato peels.

At the discretion of the doctor, you need to take multivitamin complexes. Choose comfortable shoes. Play sports; moderate physical activity has a positive effect on health.

A contrast shower leads to muscle tone. Regular use of such a shower strengthens muscles. You can cope with cramps yourself at home.

Replenish the deficiency of useful microelements;
Drink plenty of water;
Exercise, but avoid overwork;
Get rid of excess weight;
Do a foot massage;
Sleep in a comfortable position.

To minimize leg cramps, you need to see a doctor and undergo general blood and urine tests, which will show whether your vital signs are normal. Then you should adjust your diet.

Leg cramps are an unpleasant phenomenon that is familiar to everyone. The measures listed in the article will allow you to avoid this phenomenon. Watch your body, perhaps it is giving you signals. Be healthy!

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