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Cramps at night what to do. Seizures: causes and treatment

Cramps at night what to do. Seizures: causes and treatment

Leg cramps at night are a common occurrence among many modern people. Some suffer pain without finding out the cause, while others begin treatment, taking pills and other medications just to relieve night pain.

Doctors insist on the need to find out the causes of seizures and prescribe comprehensive treatment as soon as the symptom manifests itself, without waiting for the problem to worsen.

For successful treatment, drugs from the pharmacy, traditional methods and nutritional recommendations from a nutritionist are quickly prescribed.

We’ll talk about the cause and treatment of night cramps today.

Why does my legs cramp?

Most often, the unbearable sensation of cramping occurs at night or early in the morning when waking up. Sometimes, due to overwork or stress, a cramp may occur, but in some cases this is a fairly common pathological manifestation.

The causes of cramping pain may be hidden in various diseases or pathological changes in the body.

Doctors consider the following diseases and factors to be the most common causes of night cramps:

diabetes;
lack of minerals and vitamins;
hypothermia;
malfunction of the thyroid gland;
flat feet;
varicose veins;
dehydration;
injuries;
inflammatory neurological and other diseases;

Causes of night cramps

Leg spasm in calf

When the calf muscle contracts in a cramp, it cannot relax.
Possible reasons:

hypothyroidism– insufficient productivity of hormones (thyroid gland malfunction);
daytime overvoltage limbs leads to leg cramps at night;
dehydration from taking medications, pills, heat.

Spasm of toes

Spasms of the toes indicate frequent stress on these parts of the body. This category includes football players and ballerinas, but sometimes such painful sensations occur in people of ordinary professions.

This may be due to:

lack of calcium;
poor blood supply;
hypothermia;
taking certain medications.

Leg cramps at night during pregnancy

Almost all pregnant women experience muscle cramps.

There are several reasons for this:

imbalance of microelements;
toxicosis;
lack of nutrients due to the formation of the child’s body in the womb;
low levels of calcium, sodium, potassium;
lack of B vitamins;
low glucose levels;
varicose veins;
disruption of plasma circulation.

Leg cramps at night in older people

In old age, the body does not work at full capacity. With age, the body produces and consumes nutrients, including calcium. This is not the only reason older people suffer from nighttime limb cramps.

thrombosis;
loss of fluid between tendons and bones (tendons decrease in size);
weakening of muscle tissue;
diabetes;
diuretics, neurotics, blood pressure-lowering medications;
overheating, heat, uncomfortable position while resting.

What to do about night cramps

There are several instructions from doctors on what to do if you suddenly have a muscle spasm.

It is important to know! Methods for relieving leg cramps at night are effective when the causes of the pathology do not have serious changes in the body, but therapeutic therapy with the use of tablets, ointments and other medications is often required.

Tablets for leg cramps

Detralex

The drug reduces venous distension, increasing tone and reducing venous stagnation. Recommended to reduce permeability and fragility of capillaries, improves blood flow. Regular use relieves convulsive symptoms associated with chronic venous insufficiency in the legs.

hemorrhoidal attacks;
painful symptoms;
convulsions;
feeling of heaviness in the legs;
venous insufficiency;
trophic disorder;

Each tablet contains: diosmin and hesperidin.

Taking the drug: venous insufficiency - 1 tablet, twice a day during meals (noon, evening), acute hemorrhoids - the first four days, 6 pieces of the drug daily, the next three days, 4 tablets.

Contraindications include individual intolerance.

The tablets do not affect the attentiveness of drivers when driving and do not inhibit the psychomotor reaction.

Detrolex (tablets) is recognized as the best drug for the treatment of leg cramps at night– it relieves not only painful symptoms, but also hits due to the appearance of these manifestations. After completing a two-month course of treatment, you can forget about seizures for a long time.

The price for 60 capsules is 1400 rubles.

Diosmin

According to doctors, the drug helps prevent limb cramps at night at any stage of the venous pathological process, if they occur for this reason.

This drug in tablets is the best angioprotector of natural origin, which is recommended for the treatment of varicose veins.

The uniqueness of the composition of the drug is due to the active substance diosmin, which has strengthening effects on the walls of blood vessels, with an increase in overall tone. Thanks to the action of the drug, inflammatory processes are blocked and blood flow is normalized.

The tablets have a fairly wide spectrum of action, their use is recommended for:

The product has the quality of rapid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Excretion from the body occurs naturally through bile, feces, and urine.

Diosmin effectively strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

It is important to know! Among the contraindications of the drug are: allergic reactions, therefore the ban on taking the drug applies to pregnancy, breastfeeding, children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Recommendations for use: If the body is intolerant to the components included in the tablets, stop taking it. For varicose veins, the recommended dose is 1000 mg per day in two doses - that’s 3 tablets, twice a day. The course of treatment is 60-90 days.

Diosmin can cause allergies, skin rashes, digestive system failure, and headaches. Treatment of varicose veins should include additional preventive measures: an active lifestyle, weight control, walks in the fresh air, and the use of compression garments. The approximate price is 430 rubles.

Venoflebin

Granular Venoflebin tablets help with leg cramps at night which occur due to varicose veins. The drug is recommended for the effective treatment of thrombosis, hemorrhoids, and venous pathology.

Among the contraindications, individual susceptibility to the active components of the drug is noted.

Acute condition - 40 granules are diluted in 100 ml of water, taken 1 tsp. every 3.5 hours, the solution should be held for a few seconds before swallowing. After acute symptoms are relieved, you can proceed to the usual dosage regimen.

Side effects include allergies due to overdose. The price of 30 g packaging is 320 rubles.

Venarus

A venotonic drug with angioprotective and venotonic effects. Reduces venous distension, improves blood flow, increasing the tone of the vascular walls.

Indicated for use in acute hemorrhoids, venous insufficiency of the extremities, relieves heaviness in the legs and muscle spasms.

The substances of the drug are eliminated from the body naturally through the digestive organs and kidneys.

It is important to know! The drug Venarus is approved for the treatment of varicose veins during pregnancy as studies have not shown any side effects.

It is prohibited to take the medicine during breastfeeding.

Recommendations for use: 1-2 tables each during the day. The drug is taken during meals, the recommended dose should be divided into two doses (at noon and in the evening). There is no information about overdose.

The duration of the course of treatment is determined by a specialist. The price of tablets is from 800 to 1100 rubles (depending on the individual quantity).

Troxerutin

Treatment of night cramps of the lower extremities, eliminating the causes with tablets Troxerutin
Pharmacology		Method of administration
Angioprotector with mutagenic, embryotoxic effect. Relieves inflammatory processes, has vitamin-rich activity. The active substances are excreted from the body by the kidneys and liver without penetrating into the bloodstream.	It is prescribed for patients with varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, phlebitis, as well as for pain caused by injury, dislocations, sprains, and muscle spasms.	Determined by the attending physician. The basic regimen indicates taking one tablet twice a day with meals. The drugs are washed down with water, in their entirety (without chewing). The usual course for relieving painful symptoms is 20 days, the entire treatment process lasts up to 45 days.

The price of the drug is 270-290 rubles.

Troxevasin

It is recommended to take one capsule twice a day. A course of therapeutic therapy is recommended by a doctor; for prevention, 20 days of a single dose of 1 capsule is sufficient.

The price of the drug is 280-300 rubles.

What measures should you take to reduce the likelihood of seizures?

When convulsive night attacks in the legs are frequent, examination at a medical facility is required to determine the true cause. After which 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.

Useful videos about the causes of leg cramps and how to deal with them

Useful video about how to treat leg cramps at night and their causes:

And another useful video about the treatment of seizures, what medications in tablets can help:

About medications for leg cramps:

We hope this article was useful to you and our tips will help you in treating leg cramps! Be healthy!

Every person - even the incredibly healthy and moderately lazy - has had a cramp in his legs at least once in his life. And this always happens unexpectedly. And sometimes the pain is so sharp and strong that it seems as if the muscle will simply burst from tension. Cramps often occur at night, disrupting sleep and causing us to experience several unpleasant moments. What are the causes of this disease and where should treatment begin? Let's try to figure it out.

My leg cramped!

Cramps, including in the legs, are involuntary muscle contractions, usually accompanied by severe pain. Moreover, spasms can vary greatly in the type of manifestation, and are observed not only in the legs.

For example, there are seizures that look like stereotypical rapid movements. A typical example is a nervous tic of the eyelid. This type of spasm, called clonic, is a consequence of short-term contraction and relaxation of individual muscle groups.

But there are also tonic seizures, which are more familiar to many of us. This is when the muscles seem to harden for a few minutes, and this condition is accompanied by severe pain. As a rule, such involuntary contractions are local in nature. Most often, cramps occur in the legs and calves. It happens that the hip and foot suffer. Leg cramps can occur at different ages, but more often people of the middle and older generation are susceptible to them.

The most severe and life-threatening cramps are when almost all muscles contract. They are called generalized and are often accompanied by loss of consciousness. Such spasms are the result of serious illnesses and require immediate medical attention.

Perhaps one of the most common causes of leg cramps is a violation of the biochemical or electrolyte composition of the blood. Imbalances can occur due to a lack of calcium, magnesium and potassium in the body, as well as a lack of vitamin D. All of these substances help regulate muscle activity and control nerve impulses. Why do we lose essential microelements?

taking a number of medications, for example, adsorbents and antacids used to treat heartburn, may interfere with the full absorption of magnesium and calcium. And diuretics have a side effect in the form of removal of potassium and magnesium from the body.
under stress The body begins to intensively produce the hormone cortisol. One of its side effects is a deterioration in calcium absorption in the intestines and increased excretion by the kidneys.
lack of magnesium and calcium, as a rule, happens during pregnancy, when the expectant mother needs twice as much of these beneficial microelements as usual. Seizures can develop against the background of inferior vena cava syndrome, in which the movement of venous blood from the lower extremities worsens.
eating a lot of proteins also causes calcium deficiency. The fact is that the human body for the most part absorbs glucose from carbohydrates, and not from fats, for energy purposes. If there is little glucose in the blood, then fat reserves are used. This, in turn, contributes to the appearance of ketones in the blood. If they are in excess, ketosis can develop, which increases the risk of kidney stones, since a large amount of calcium is excreted through the urine.
with heavy sweating The body loses essential potassium, so leg cramps are quite common in hot weather or during high-intensity sports training.
vitamin D deficiency Almost all residents of northern Shirok experience it due to the long winter and lack of sunlight. In turn, a lack of vitamin D leads to poor absorption of calcium.

According to statistics, more than 85% of people on the planet suffer from recurrent leg cramps to one degree or another.

Other reasons why leg cramps include:

chronic circulatory disorders in the vessels of the lower extremities
chronic renal failure
diabetes
radiculitis
leg injuries and muscle damage
excessive physical activity
hypothermia

The most painful of all types of spasms is the calf cramp. Like any other, it happens suddenly, except that a couple of moments before it starts, the muscle seems to be weakly pulled, as if about to be squeezed into a lump. Quite often, leg cramps occur at night, interrupting sleep and forcing a person to get up and rub the sore spot. Symptoms are sometimes confused with night cramps.

Emergency help for leg cramps

1 Some people feel a cramp coming on, so if you are one of them, relax your leg beforehand.
2 If a spasm does occur, pull the toe of your foot towards you, then loosen the traction a little and pull again. If the cramp does not go away, then get up and walk around a little. It is better not on the carpet, but on the floor, and it is advisable that your feet are bare and the floor is cool.
3 A light massage of the cramped muscle will help relieve the cramp. To enhance the effect, use a warming ointment.
4 If the spasm does not go away, try pinching the spasmed muscle or pricking it with a needle.
5 After the cramp has passed, it is recommended to lie down for a while with your legs elevated (if possible) to allow blood to flow out and reduce the risk of the spasm recurring.

If you suddenly experience a cramp in the calf muscles while walking, a simple technique can save the situation - gently pull the toe of your foot towards you and fix your leg in this position for about 10 seconds...

Leg cramps: prevention and treatment

You can get rid of unpleasant muscle spasms only by eliminating the cause of their occurrence. If leg cramps are causing you anxiety and worry, it is best to consult your doctor.

First, visit a therapist who can prescribe a general blood test to determine whether all the main indicators are normal. If leg cramps are caused by any disease, then the next visit is to a specialized specialist. But some methods for treating and preventing muscle spasms are available for home use.

Adjusting your diet. You can avoid the occurrence of leg cramps by increasing your consumption of foods rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D. Magnesium is mainly found in foods of plant origin: dill, parsley, green onions, cereals, wheat bran, seaweed, legumes, dates , figs, dried apricots, prunes. There is a lot of calcium in fermented milk products: milk, cottage cheese, cheese, as well as in all types of cabbage and sesame seeds. Vitamin D is found in the liver of fish, especially cod, as well as egg yolk, butter, and milk. But most of all, walking in the fresh air in sunny weather contributes to the production of vitamin D in the skin. Well, you can get potassium from bananas, meat, poultry, fish and avocados. If there is a severe lack of microelements, the doctor may prescribe medications containing multivitamin and mineral complexes. And, of course, it is recommended to quit smoking and avoid consuming caffeine-containing products (coffee and strong tea), as they provoke seizures.
Choosing the right shoes. Wear shoes with high arches and tight ankle support. It is better to replace high heels with small and stable ones (no higher than 4 cm). Then your legs will get less tired during the day, which means cramps will happen less often.
Contrast baths or showers. It is recommended to do these procedures every time before going to bed. It is useful to add decoctions of medicinal herbs with anticonvulsant effects to water: mint, horsetail, valerian. These measures will improve blood flow from the lower extremities and prevent the occurrence of seizures.
Self-massage of feet. It's not difficult to do. To do this, sit comfortably, bend your legs slightly at the knees. Movements should be directed from the periphery to the center. To begin with, give a few light strokes, then move on to spanking and kneading the area where the muscle most often cramps. At the end of the massage, it is recommended to find a central point on the foot and massage it for several minutes.

If your legs cramp at night: causes and treatment

Why your legs cramp at night: serious and not so serious reasons

Leg cramps at night (when your calves, feet, or toes cramp right in your sleep) can happen for various reasons. These can be either congenital factors (such as serious hereditary diseases) or the most banal circumstances (incorrect sleeping position or excessive love for coffee). Among the most common reasons are the following:

(in different stages);
lack of such substances in the body as and;
flat feet (or curvature of the foot due to injury or other circumstances);
often leg cramps (and especially severe ones at night) occur due to an excess of caffeine and nicotine in the body;

The most serious causes of night leg cramps are diseases such as epilepsy, brain tumors, eclampsia, spasmophilia, as well as hidden injuries, inflammatory and infectious and neurological diseases.

Cramping legs at night: how to choose the right treatment

It is important to understand: in case of illness, when your legs cramp at night, the causes determine the treatment, which means that in each specific case the method of getting rid of the painful syndrome will be different. And the specialist doctor is also somewhat specific.

For example, if the cause of leg muscle cramps turns out to be varicose veins, then the treatment method will be prescribed by a phlebologist. If the problem is revealed to be a deficiency or excess of any substances in the body, it means that for a while your “comrade” will be an endocrinologist. If you have flat feet or curvature of the foot, the orthopedic doctor will recommend wearing special shoes or insoles, etc...

If leg cramps at night have become a regular occurrence for you, do not hesitate to seek help from a therapist: taking into account your personal medical history, he will certainly be able to accurately refer you to a more specialized specialist.

And don't panic ahead of time! Leg cramps often occur for very ordinary reasons - for example, due to incorrect posture during sleep. In this case, an ordinary rubbing massage helps relieve muscle spasm.

An excellent prevention against leg cramps (including at night) is regular leg exercises and massage.

Get ready to exercise: gymnastics against leg cramps

If you have leg cramps at least once a week, then it would be absolutely useful to get into the habit of doing the following exercises daily:

Exercise 1. In the morning, stretch in bed. Stretch your legs, strongly straining your muscles, and pull your toes toward you.
Exercise 2. In a standing position, cross your legs. Stand on the outer edges of your feet, stand there for 10 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.
Exercise 3. Stand on your toes, stretch up and sharply fall on your heels. Repeat several times.

Everyone has experienced leg cramps at least once in their life. Moreover, they always appear unexpectedly, along with mild or unbearable pain, as if the muscle in the leg is about to explode from tension. Often this pathology occurs at night, preventing sleep and causing discomfort. Why do leg cramps appear?

What is a cramp and what are the reasons for its occurrence?

Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions that are usually accompanied by pain. They are divided into several types:

clonic;
tonic;
generalized.

The first type is sharp and rapid muscle contractions, like a nervous tic, which are sometimes a consequence of overexertion. Tonic cramps often occur at night, when the leg muscle seems to harden and a sharp pain is felt. Such spasms usually occur in the calf muscles or lower leg. Sometimes the toes, both feet and thighs are affected. Generalized cramps are the most unpleasant and dangerous when all muscle fibers become toned and contract sharply. A person may lose consciousness, in which case urgent hospitalization is necessary.
Convulsive syndrome occurs at any age, and it is important to determine the causes of this phenomenon. This may be a violation of the electrolyte, as well as the biochemical composition of the blood, when a deficiency of potassium, magnesium, calcium or vitamin D, A, E and all components of group B occurs. These trace elements and vitamins are washed out:

In stressful situations, when the hormone cortisol is actively produced. It negatively affects the absorption of calcium in the gastrointestinal tract and actively secretes it by the kidneys.
When taking certain medications, for example, diuretics, adsorbents, which reduce the complete absorption of calcium, as well as microelements such as potassium and magnesium.
During pregnancy. The body of the unborn child takes vitamins and microelements if the mother does not consume them enough. In this case, convulsions in women also occur when blood flow through the vessels of the legs worsens.
As a result of excessive protein consumption, calcium is lost. Glucose in the human body is released mainly from carbohydrates. When they are deficient, cells take it from fats, and the amount of ketones in the blood increases, causing calcium to be washed out through the urine.
Potassium is lost when you sweat excessively. Doctors have noticed that cramps appear more often in the summer and after active sports.
If there is not enough vitamin D, which is produced by the skin under the influence of sunlight, and it is directly involved in the absorption of calcium by cells.

The most painful of all is the calf cramp. You cannot be prepared for its appearance. It occurs suddenly at any time, often at night, forcing a person to rub the sore muscle and take painkillers. Often convulsive syndrome is a symptom of:

radiculitis;
excessive physical activity;
varicose veins on the legs;
thyroid diseases;
diabetes mellitus;
disturbances of blood flow in the vessels of the legs;
flat feet;
muscle damage, including trauma;
chronic kidney diseases;
hypothermia.

Such diseases must be correctly diagnosed and treated in order to get rid of leg cramps.

What to do if a cramp suddenly appears

A person himself can help himself urgently when a severe cramp occurs. At the first unpleasant sensation, it is better to relax your leg as much as possible. During a spasm, the toes of the foot are pulled towards themselves, gradually weakening the pull and straightening the foot, and again make this movement. After a cramp, you can stand up and walk on a hard surface, taking off your shoes.

Relieve cramps by massaging the painful cramped muscle. To enhance the effect, rub in a warming ointment.

Important! The spasmodic area, if the spasm does not go away, is pinched or even pricked with a needle. After the muscle has been released, it is better to lie down with your legs raised up so that the blood moves away from the painful area and the spasm does not reappear.

Read more about first aid for leg cramps -.

Why do night cramps occur?

In most cases, convulsive muscle contractions occur at night, when all natural processes in the body, including blood circulation, slow down. The main organs responsible for vital functions continue to work actively. These are the lungs, heart, diaphragm, brain. The human muscles are relaxed. If, as a result of any pathologies, blood circulation in the legs has worsened due to metabolic disorders, overload, hypoxia, then spontaneous cramps are felt at night. If this is a rare occurrence, then treatment is not necessary.

In active people, cramps appear during prolonged inactivity and, conversely, in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, they occur at night after vigorous physical activity.

Frequent spontaneous convulsive activity at night can also be caused by exacerbations of chronic diseases - endocrine pathology, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, prolonged stress. Its appearance is also caused by a relative deficiency of essential minerals, as well as valuable vitamins.

Leg cramps during pregnancy

Uncontrolled muscle contractions with pain often appear during pregnancy, especially in the last months. Their main reason is clear - lack of potassium, calcium, magnesium. In the first trimester, their leaching from a woman’s body is due to the manifestation of toxicosis - often profuse and prolonged vomiting.

Subsequently, the consumption of important microelements by the growing fetus increases. In the later stages, it “puts pressure” on the blood vessels leading to the legs, and blood circulation in the lower extremities is disrupted. The outflow of blood is also impaired, especially if you lie down.

Note! Poor nutrition also leads to cramps during pregnancy, when glucose levels decrease. Therefore, it is important to eat a healthy and balanced diet, as well as wear a bandage and special tights that improve blood circulation.

Diagnosis of convulsive syndrome

Before treating cramps in the thigh and calf muscles, feet of both legs and fingers, it is necessary to identify the factors that provoke them. First of all, you need a consultation with a therapist, laboratory and comprehensive diagnostics, which includes:

blood sugar test;
general and Nechiporenko urine analysis;
Ultrasound of leg vessels;
blood biochemistry.

If leg cramps are caused by a chronic or acute disease, then the direct route is to the appropriate specialist.

Drug treatment

To relieve an unpleasant condition, its cause is identified. Often, cramps in the legs occur with varicose veins, then ointments and tablets are prescribed:

"Troxevasin";
"Vazoket";
"Diosmin";
"Troxerutin."

Special compression garments help reduce the primary symptoms of seizures and improve blood circulation.

To compensate for the lack of magnesium and potassium, the drug “Asparkam” is prescribed in ampoules or tablets, which helps muscle structures function correctly. It should not be used for more than 10 days without a doctor's prescription. You can replenish the loss of essential microelements with the help of the drug “Ortho Calcium + Magnesium”. From the name it is clear what microelements the medicine contains, plus vitamin D.

Ortho Taurine Ergo is also recommended for eliminating muscle spasms in patients with hypertension and. It includes vitamins E, B, zinc, lipoic and succinic acid. The action of such drugs is aimed at protecting muscles from damage and accelerating their recovery process.

Folk remedies for the treatment of leg cramps

Effective means to eliminate convulsive syndrome are:

Adonis tincture;
decoction of birch buds;
decoction of cinquefoil;
tincture with linden flowers;
a decoction of walnuts, mistletoe, lily of the valley, dill, barberry, blackberries, chamomile and black elderberry;
a mixture of olive oil and crushed wormwood seeds;
chamomile decoction;
alcohol tincture with thyme;
decoction of poppy petals with milk and honey.

For cramps in the legs, especially in the calves, lubricate the legs with chamomile, garlic or bay oil or mustard powder. Traditional healers often recommend rubbing the soles of your feet with fresh lemon juice or an ointment made from saffron and egg white before going to bed and in the morning. If there is a lack of potassium, which causes cramps, it is recommended to take yeast with honey. The yeast drink is made by fermenting rye crackers in boiling water with the addition of dry yeast. Plus, homemade honey is useful in this drink.

Diet for leg cramps

Diet therapy is another way to relieve leg cramps. The diet must include:

cereals, especially buckwheat and oatmeal, rich in zinc, potassium, magnesium and calcium;
homemade milk, fermented baked milk, kefir, cottage cheese, hard cheese and other dairy products;
eggshells, ground into powder;
quail eggs;
chamomile tea;
strawberries, oranges, avocados, bananas;
beets, spinach, all varieties of cabbage, carrots;
mushrooms;
beef and fish;
green leafy vegetables, herbs;
whole grains;
sardines, cod and salmon;
figs and dates;
seaweed;
butter and egg yolk;
pumpkin seeds and wheat germ;
almonds and sunflower seeds;
soya beans;
dried fruits.

Important! You should avoid drinking coffee, tea, all kinds of alcohol and sweet soda, and also quit smoking.

Leg cramps and how to deal with them (video)

How to help with leg cramps? We will learn from the video why they arise and how to eliminate such an unpleasant pathology.

We also recommend reading the article about.

Preventing leg cramps

To eliminate this unpleasant pathology, it is important to normalize physical activity, avoiding heavy loads on the muscles, but also not to forget about training to improve venous blood flow in the legs.
Elimination of vitamin deficiency. Vitamin-mineral complexes help normalize metabolism and compensate for the lack of microelements, the absence of which causes muscle contraction disorders.
Normalization of water balance. We must not forget about the quantity and quality of fluid consumed. It is best to drink pure artesian water to avoid swelling as well as dehydration.
Taking sedatives. Herbal remedies help relieve stress, excessive nervousness, fatigue, which directly affects the nerve endings in the legs.
Wearing comfortable shoes, preferably without heels or with very small heels, but stable, so that your feet are not overloaded during the day.
or foot baths before bed. It is useful to add a decoction of valerian, mint, and horsetail to water.
Proper and balanced nutrition. The menu should be designed in such a way as to completely compensate for the lack of all vitamins and essential elements responsible for the development and proper functioning of the human muscular system.
Foot massage, which improves lymphatic drainage, normalizes blood circulation, helping to increase the elasticity of the veins. The muscle massage itself trains them, allowing them to automatically relax/contract.

Eliminating leg cramps is a complex issue that must be resolved after identifying the causes of this pathology. Will a simple diet, vitamins help, or are medications needed, as well as treatment of the underlying disease, the doctor will tell you. You can only relieve pain when cramps appear on your own with massage and carry out a set of measures to prevent them.

Next article.

It is difficult to imagine a person who has not felt leg cramps at night at least once in his life. When your calf muscles cramp, you feel a sharp nagging pain. The disease is common, especially among older people, but easily treatable. Note that it can occur not only in adults; children also suffer from it.

In most cases, night cramps bother older and middle-aged people. Among the main reasons why muscle spasms occur in the mornings and nights are:

Damage and dysfunction of nerve cells. Cell problems arise due to diseases of the human nervous system;
Side effects when taking medications. Often, professional athletes who use steroids experience cramps in their legs at night. Frequent cramps during sleep may occur in people taking iron supplements and diuretics;
Pregnancy. Expectant mothers need to learn in advance how to get rid of leg cramps at night. They face this disease in most cases. During pregnancy, blood vessels and nerve endings in the legs are subject to increased pressure, and blood flow in the lower extremities worsens. Result: swelling and painful cramps in the legs at night.

The legs can also cramp severely for the following reasons:

Lack of vitamins and minerals. The reason is very common. And if you often experience nighttime cramps in the calf muscles, you should consult a doctor and start taking the vitamin and mineral complexes prescribed by him as soon as possible;
Inflammatory processes;
Hypothermia;
Increased load on the calves. This is especially true for athletes who regularly experience calf muscle cramps at night;
Presence of hidden injury;
Diseases of the nervous system, stress. Also one of the most common reasons why legs cramp at night;
Thyroid problems;
Diabetes;
Varicose veins

Now you know why your legs cramp at night and before bed. All that remains is to find out what can be done about the illness.

Emergency help

If you have nighttime leg cramps, you may not be able to sleep with them. Because usually the pain is really severe. If you feel a spasm coming through your muscles, get out of bed and straighten up. It is best to stand on a cool floor, rather than on a soft rug or carpet. The blood supply to the legs will accelerate, causing the muscles to tone again.

If a spasm has already cramped your legs, grab your toes with your hand and pull them towards you and up. Prolonged leg cramps at night, the causes of which are similar to any other, can last even more than 30 minutes.

Even if an attack of pain is incredibly acute, it is possible and necessary to get rid of it immediately. Pinch the sore muscles for a few minutes. After this, the sore leg should be kept elevated on a pillow or folded blanket. If your hands cramp at night, the emergency methods are the same.

Effective treatments

Before treating cramps that occur when falling asleep and during sleep, you need to determine the causes of the disease. Have you identified the reasons? Then begin treatment and neutralization.

If you suffer from calf muscle cramps or your arms cramp at night due to a lack of vitamins and/or minerals, purchase a special vitamin complex at the pharmacy. A doctor should recommend it and choose the duration of the course.

When taking fortified products, reinforce their effect with daily foot baths. Regardless of how often you experience cramps, this pleasant procedure will be of maximum benefit to your legs. Add sea salt to the water. In water, muscles have particularly strong sensitivity. Therefore, you should lightly pinch the skin: both the foot and fingers should undergo this treatment.

Thyme can restore healthy sleep without cramps. Pour a few tablespoons of herbs into a glass of boiling water. Leave for two hours and take three times a day.

If cramps when falling asleep or during sleep occur due to varicose veins or swelling of the leg, you need to immediately contact a specialist. There is a danger of thrombophlebitis. A phlebologist examines patients with varicose veins. Thrombophlebitis can lead to the formation of a blood clot. The latter can come off at any time and cause blockage of any vessel in the body. If you have varicose veins and experience convulsions when falling asleep and/or at night, such a tandem may indicate thrombophlebitis. It is impossible to do without emergency therapy.

Inflammation and tension in the leg muscles perfectly relieves linden blossom. Prepare a tincture from it: fill a jar with flowers and fill it with vodka. Leave for three weeks and take twice daily. If the illness occurs infrequently, drink one teaspoon of tincture, if regularly - one tablespoon of infusion.

Other popular traditional medicine methods:

Mix 1 teaspoon of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of dry mustard powder. Apply the mixture to your feet for 3 weeks;
Before going to bed, rub lemon on your feet. The juice should be absorbed into the skin, after which you need to wear socks all night. Duration of therapy – 2 weeks;
If you suffer from leg cramps at night, enrich your diet with honey;
With the prior consent of your doctor, you can take decoctions of valerian, dill, hawthorn, barberry, walnut, and birch buds.

The causes of the disease must be determined by a specialist. The doctor will tell you the best treatment options.

Preventive measures

If you do not want to suffer from leg cramps, take care to prevent the disease. Pay special attention to what shoes you wear. Uncomfortable shoes or boots can cause many health problems.. And this includes cramps due to excess stress on the feet when walking.

Do not sharply increase the load on your legs. We are talking not only about regular walking, but also about jogging and playing sports. The body of most people is very resilient, but in any case, it is worth increasing the load on it gradually. If, for example, you begin to train in the gym much more often and more actively than before, you will provoke disruptions in your heart rate and legs.

With leg muscle exercises, you can effectively improve blood circulation. However, overdoing it can make the problem worse. This is especially important for those who suffer from varicose veins. For varicose veins, you should choose preventive contrast baths. Seed, valerian and mint - brew these herbs and add to warm water.

Doctors suggest giving up sugar and coffee as a preventative measure.. If you already know what to do for cramps, try avoiding these foods, at least temporarily. For the period of treatment of the disease. Include foods rich in calcium in your diet. Please note that your body always needs calcium, regardless of whether you have cramps at night or not.

The diet should be enriched with vitamins, especially B6. It can be found in bananas, buckwheat, and beef. Magnesium is obtained from prunes, cereals, herbs and vegetables. The already mentioned calcium is found in large quantities in cottage cheese, cheese and other dairy products. Please note that many foods can retain calcium in the body rather than remove it. Let's say honey. Bee nectar has an amazing composition that slows down the removal of any useful microelements and vitamins from the body. Do not dissolve honey in hot tea or milk. High temperatures can kill most of the beneficial qualities of sweetness. Eat one spoon of honey daily.

Fish and seafood contain a lot of vitamin D. Please note that consuming them is useful not only to prevent leg cramps at night and in the morning, but also to have a good figure.

Is it possible to take vitamins for prevention? Yes. But only the safest drugs and no more than 2 weeks in a row. Read the information on the packaging of the complex. An excess of magnesium, iron and other trace elements can lead to serious intestinal problems. If you suspect that your body is lacking vitamins, it is best to consult a doctor and get the appropriate tests.

By doing morning exercises, you prevent the risk of cramps in the legs. After waking up, get on the floor and walk in one place for a minute or two. Rock from your toes to your heels and back. This way you will improve blood circulation disturbed by sleep. Morning exercises are performed barefoot. In addition, they should be performed after a working day. Just 5 minutes of exercise a day that involves your toes will help get your blood flowing.

Seizures are an unpleasant phenomenon that ruins the lives of millions of people around the world. You can endure them, putting up with the pain that occurs regularly. Or you can neutralize the causes of spasms - without any financial costs and enormous physical effort.

Every person knows what a cramp is. Involuntary contraction of muscles, most often the legs, 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.

Contents [Show]

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:

dehydration;
hypothermia;
physical overload;
endocrine diseases;
severe intoxication of the body.

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:

painkillers only reduce the intensity of the pain syndrome and can relieve discomfort after the cramp has already passed;
venotonic drugs that eliminate blood stagnation in the legs and improve metabolic processes in the muscles;
multivitamin preparations, especially those with potassium and magnesium.

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.

Most often, Panangin or its analogue Asparkam is prescribed. They contain magnesium and potassium aspartate in an easily digestible form. These drugs are well tolerated at any age.
"Calcium D3 Nycomed" helps to compensate for the lack of calcium in the muscles. In addition, it contains vitamin D, which helps in the absorption of magnesium and calcium.
Magne B6 contains magnesium and pyridoxine. This combination is necessary, since vitamin B6 improves the absorption of magnesium.
The body also needs vitamin E for normal muscle function. It is best to take multivitamin complexes “Complivit”, “Vitrum” and others to compensate for its deficiency.

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.

Detralex is most often used for seizures caused by varicose veins. It increases the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and prevents blood stagnation.
"Venarus" has a similar effect. The drug improves metabolic processes in tissues and prevents venous stagnation.
“Troxerutin” are tablets that have been used for this pathology for many years. They prevent blood clots, tone veins, and relieve heaviness in the legs and cramps.
"Diosmin" effectively helps prevent night cramps in the legs due to poor circulation.
"Venoflebin" is prescribed for the same purpose. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels and is effective for thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.

"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.

Doctors insist on the need to find out the causes of seizures and prescribe comprehensive treatment as soon as the symptom manifests itself, without waiting for the problem to worsen.

For successful treatment, drugs from the pharmacy, traditional methods and nutritional recommendations from a nutritionist are quickly prescribed.

We’ll talk about the cause and treatment of night cramps today.

Why does my legs cramp?

The causes of cramping pain may be hidden in various diseases or pathological changes in the body.

Doctors consider the following diseases and factors to be the most common causes of night cramps:

diabetes;
lack of minerals and vitamins;
hypothermia;
malfunction of the thyroid gland;
flat feet;
varicose veins;
dehydration;
injuries;
inflammatory neurological and other diseases;

Causes of night cramps Leg spasm in the calf

When the calf muscle contracts in a cramp, it cannot relax.
Possible reasons:

hypothyroidism– insufficient productivity of hormones (thyroid gland malfunction);
daytime overvoltage limbs leads to leg cramps at night;
dehydration from taking medications, pills, heat.

Spasm of toes

This may be due to:

lack of calcium;
poor blood supply;
hypothermia;
taking certain medications.

Leg cramps at night during pregnancy

Almost all pregnant women experience muscle cramps.

There are several reasons for this:

imbalance of microelements;
toxicosis;
lack of nutrients due to the formation of the child’s body in the womb;
low levels of calcium, sodium, potassium;
lack of B vitamins;
low glucose levels;
varicose veins;
disruption of plasma circulation.

Leg cramps at night in older people

thrombosis;
loss of fluid between tendons and bones (tendons decrease in size);
weakening of muscle tissue;
diabetes;
diuretics, neurotics, blood pressure-lowering medications;
overheating, heat, uncomfortable position while resting.

What to do about night cramps

There are several instructions from doctors on what to do if you suddenly have a muscle spasm.

Sometimes people feel the possible onset of a cramp - at this moment they need to try to relax the limb as much as possible.
When a spasm has already occurred, you should pull your toes upward towards you, then slightly release the tension and repeat the movement. After this, you need to get on your feet and walk.
The cramp goes away if you stand on the cool floor with bare feet.
You can try to relieve spasms by lightly massaging the muscle; warming ointment will help enhance the effect.
One of the effective methods for relieving spasms is tingling the affected limb with a sharp object.
To do this, you can use a needle or pin.

It is important to know! When the muscle releases the spasm, you need to raise both legs and lie in this position for 10-15 minutes. This action will help improve circulation, thereby preventing the recurrence of cramps.

Methods for relieving leg cramps at night are effective when the causes of the pathology do not have serious changes in the body, but therapeutic therapy with the use of tablets, ointments and other medications is often required.

hemorrhoidal attacks;
painful symptoms;
convulsions;
feeling of heaviness in the legs;
venous insufficiency;
trophic disorder;

Each tablet contains: diosmin and hesperidin.

Taking the drug: venous insufficiency - 1 tablet, twice a day during meals (noon, evening), acute hemorrhoids - the first four days, 6 pieces of the drug daily, the next three days, 4 tablets.

Contraindications include individual intolerance.

The tablets do not affect the attentiveness of drivers when driving and do not inhibit the psychomotor reaction.

Regular use relieves convulsive symptoms associated with chronic venous insufficiency in the legs. Detrolex (tablets) is recognized as the best drug for the treatment of leg cramps at night

The price for 60 capsules is 1400 rubles.

– it relieves not only painful symptoms, but also hits due to the appearance of these manifestations. After completing a two-month course of treatment, you can forget about cramps for a long time.

This drug in tablets is the best angioprotector of natural origin, which is recommended for the treatment of varicose veins.

The tablets have a fairly wide spectrum of action, their use is recommended for:

According to doctors, the drug helps prevent limb cramps at night at any stage of the venous pathological process, if they occur for this reason.
insufficiency in the lymphatic system;
According to doctors, the drug helps prevent limb cramps at night
aggravated hemorrhoids;
varicose veins of any stage;

The product has the quality of rapid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Excretion from the body occurs naturally through bile, feces, and urine.

Diosmin effectively strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

impaired blood flow.

Venoflebin Venoflebin granular tablets help with leg cramps at night, which occur due to varicose veins.

Among the contraindications, individual susceptibility to the active components of the drug is noted.

Side effects include allergies due to overdose. The price of 30 g packaging is 320 rubles.

A venotonic drug with angioprotective and venotonic effects. Reduces venous distension, improves blood flow, increasing the tone of the vascular walls.

Indicated for use in acute hemorrhoids, venous insufficiency of the extremities, relieves heaviness in the legs and muscle spasms.

The substances of the drug are eliminated from the body naturally through the digestive organs and kidneys.

It is important to know! The drug Venarus is approved for the treatment of varicose veins during pregnancy as studies have not shown any side effects.

It is prohibited to take the medicine during breastfeeding.

The duration of the course of treatment is determined by a specialist. The price of tablets is from 800 to 1100 rubles (depending on the individual quantity).

The drug is recommended for the effective treatment of thrombosis, hemorrhoids, and venous pathology.

Troxerutin
Pharmacology		Method of administration
Angioprotector with mutagenic, embryotoxic effect. Relieves inflammatory processes, has vitamin-rich activity. The active substances are excreted from the body by the kidneys and liver without penetrating into the bloodstream.	It is prescribed for patients with varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, phlebitis, as well as for pain caused by injury, dislocations, sprains, and muscle spasms.	Determined by the attending physician. The basic regimen indicates taking one tablet twice a day with meals. The drugs are washed down with water, in their entirety (without chewing). The usual course for relieving painful symptoms is 20 days, the entire treatment process lasts up to 45 days.

The price of the drug is 270-290 rubles.

The price of the drug is 280-300 rubles.

Treatment of night cramps of the lower extremities, eliminating the causes with Troxerutin tablets

What measures should you take to reduce the likelihood of seizures?
Shoes to wear should be chosen with maximum comfort.
Do not do heavy physical activity on your limbs.
Avoid sweets and caffeine.
The diet should be fortified (predominance of vitamin D, B6).
Quit nicotine addiction.
Take baths in the evenings with the addition of essential oils: mint, valerian, horsetail.

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

Sleep in socks.

Useful videos about the causes of leg cramps and how to deal with them

Useful video about how to treat leg cramps at night and their causes:

And another useful video about the treatment of seizures, what medications in tablets can help:

We hope this article was useful to you and our tips will help you in treating leg cramps! Be healthy!

Almost all people at least once in their lives have experienced spasmodic phenomena in the legs, when painful uncontrolled muscle contraction occurs. Leg cramps at night usually occur suddenly, significantly limiting a person's mobility. In such situations, many people wonder what to do if their legs cramp at night.

The muscles of the calves and fingers are most susceptible to spasms. There are many causes of leg cramps at night, depending on which treatment is selected in each specific case. Symptoms most often occur during sleep.

Spasms in the lower legs can cause completely different reasons. Types of night cramps

Regardless of the type and manifestation, spasms are the body’s reaction to any irritants internally or externally. The following classification of seizures is common:

tonic (muscles are fixed in an incorrect position for a fairly long period of time - from 4 minutes or more, control of the limb is blocked, and movements bring significant pain);
clonic (short-term muscle cramps in the legs, during which specific muscle groups are pulled back).

In other sources, spasms are divided into:

localized (convulsive manifestation is observed in a specific muscle, and the pain is fixed in this place, other muscles are not affected);
generalized (the entire muscular system of the limb is affected, usually a manifestation of some serious disease).

Note! If convulsions become protracted or occur frequently, it can be assumed that there are serious disruptions in the functioning of the body. Leg cramps often occur at night in older people, the origin of which lies in the age of the patient.

What makes your legs cramp?

Among the main conditions that can cause leg spasms at night are the following conditions:

dehydration of the body (necessary electrolytes and ions come out with water);
increased sweating;
motor impulses are formed in the brain (occurs in a stroke condition, with damage to the nervous system or poisoning with alcohol-containing products);
local oxygen starvation (in this case, blood circulation in localized vessels is greatly impaired);
high temperatures (occurs with overheating, illness or sunstroke);
osteochondrosis (if the functioning of the joints is impaired, individual nerve endings may not work properly, causing the muscles to reflexively contract);
hypokalemia (can be observed with long-term use of diuretics or hormonal drugs);
neuralgia (myositis, vertebral hernia, radiculitis, poliomyelitis, sclerosis);
hypomagnesmia (can develop when using drugs that interfere with the normal absorption of magnesium ions);
stressful situations (stress can cause calcium deficiency);
diets with a high protein content (proteins block the absorption of calcium);
pregnancy (leg cramps during pregnancy are a common occurrence, as the fetus puts pressure on the blood vessels and nerve endings in women).

Cramps can be symptoms of various diseases, including serious complications of pregnancy

The causes of cramps at night can also be conditions associated with increased brain impulses (with epilepsy, psychosis, skull or brain injuries), and a reduced amount of ATP (with heart failure, varicose veins, diabetes mellitus).

First aid for muscle cramps

If spasms occur, the condition can be quickly alleviated, pain and discomfort can be relieved. To do this you can:

walk on a cold surface;
lie down or sit down, stretch your leg with spasm and pull your foot towards you;
do a calf massage;
take an aspirin tablet to normalize local blood circulation and relieve tone;
you can prick the affected area with a needle (especially if the spasm is observed in the calves; it is better to have the procedure performed by a specialist).

You can also do light leg exercises and roll your toes and feet with your hands to improve blood flow. You can bend and straighten your leg until the attack disappears.

Advice! If the place where the person sleeps is cold, after relieving the attack, it is recommended to wear warm socks or knee socks.

Leg cramps during pregnancy at night are a common and common occurrence and are not dangerous.

Treatment options for seizures

Before selecting therapy, you should accurately identify the reason why your legs cramp at night. Typically, treatment takes into account the nature of the underlying disease. Often, as a concomitant treatment, diet adjustments are prescribed so that it contains more vitamins. A person who has leg spasms especially needs vitamins B, D and E, which can be obtained through mineral tablets.

Cramps appear due to insufficient blood circulation in the muscles, especially during physical stress. Drug treatment.

Medicines that specifically act against seizures have not yet been developed. Moreover, if there is a disease that causes cramps in the calves, therapy is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease.

Vitamin-mineral complexes can have a targeted effect on a symptom such as cramps, since cramps are a common sign of vitamin deficiencies, when there is a lack of microelements. Magnesium preparations (for example, Mydocalm, Natur Calm, Magnerota, Solgar with magnesium citrate and Baclofen) can prevent the occurrence of night cramps.

Among the vitamin and mineral complexes, Complivit, Alphabet, Calcium D3 Nycomed and Magne-B6 have proven themselves well. It is also useful for children to take them as a preventive measure when there is a lack of nutrients.

Note. To relieve pain, you can use Finalgon ointment. The medicine will quickly relieve unpleasant symptoms.

Treating seizures at home

You can relieve muscle twitching by following these recommendations:

Taking foot baths with a contrasting temperature, or rubbing (pouring) the skin of the feet with hot and cold water immediately before bed. This procedure will help improve blood microcirculation in the legs. You can improve the effect of taking foot baths by using herbal decoctions instead of ordinary water - horsetail, peppermint or mint, valerian.
Eating more legumes, grains, herbs, dried fruits, vegetables, bran, fish liver (especially cod), avocados, cottage cheese and dairy products. This must be especially taken into account when correcting a child’s nutrition.
Performing a set of gymnastic movements - walking in the morning on your toes, on your heels, on the inner and outer parts of your feet, wiggling your toes and squats. This will help improve muscle condition and reduce the frequency of cramps.

This is the basic principle of how to treat leg cramps at night.

Treatment of seizures is carried out depending on the underlying disease. Thermal procedures, local massage, a clear work and rest schedule have a positive effect. Treatment with folk remedies.

Some alternative medicines are effective in reducing seizures and the frequency of their occurrence. Treatment with folk remedies is aimed at relieving symptoms. It is better to carry out therapy on the recommendation of the attending physician.

You can apply a warm honey compress to the calf area for 30 minutes and wrap your leg. At the end of the time, the honey is washed off with water. The recipe helps a lot with cramps in a child.

You can lubricate the soles of your feet before going to bed with concentrated squeezed lemon juice and do not rinse off. The course of application of this rubbing is 7-14 days.

For varicose veins in old age, you can rub the painful vessels twice a day with diluted apple cider vinegar at the rate of 2 tablespoons of acid per glass of clean water. The course of application is 30 days.

To prevent cramps from occurring at night, you can apply an ointment made from yolk, a teaspoon of turpentine and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar while you sleep. In the morning you can wash off the remaining product. Similarly, you can use natural mustard powder without additives or flavor enhancers.

Vaseline ointment can help with cramps. To prepare it, you need to mix part of the celandine juice with 2 parts of the base. The mixture is applied directly when spasms occur for medicinal purposes.

The herb cinquefoil has proven itself well in the treatment of calf cramps. Add 4 tablespoons of herb to a liter of boiling water. The mixture is simmered over low heat for 5 minutes, cooled, and filtered. The decoction is drunk in several doses per day. You can also brew the herb in a glass of milk (a pinch of herb is added to the glass). Milk is drunk hot three times a day. The cramp will disappear quickly.

Exercises for night cramps

There is a set of exercises, using which you can reduce the frequency of spasms and their pain. The following movements help if your leg is cramped:

In a lying position, the legs are extended and the feet are simultaneously pulled back.
While lying down, you can twist your legs forward and backward several times, imitating riding a bicycle.
The arms are extended along the body. Alternately, in a tense position, the legs rise up. During the exercise, you need to hold your leg with your hands and pull it towards you.
Alternately rise on your toes and lower yourself several times (effective if you have cramps during pregnancy).
Lying or sitting, you can rotate and bend your feet in different directions.

To bring the calf muscles into a more stretched state, it is useful to lift the toes on some ledge (for example, books), and, holding onto a table or chair, perform the combination:

press your heels to the floor for a few seconds;
bring your socks together, spread your heels and also press them to the floor;
spread your toes, bring your heels together and repeat the action.

Advice! If you feel that a cramp is about to occur, you can immediately pull your toes toward you to relieve it. During seizures, you can alleviate the symptom by moving your leg back and resting your toes on the floor (you need to create pressure on the foot from your own weight). This is the principle of how to get rid of leg cramps at night quickly and easily.

Regular simple exercises will help avoid discomfort in the legs at nightPreventive measures

To minimize the risk of developing pain when leg cramps occur, the following measures should be taken:

do not overload your legs (for people over 40 years old);
reduce consumption of coffee, sweets and carbonated water;
stop smoking (a common reason for leg cramps);
enrich the food you eat with calcium and magnesium;
do gymnastics and rubbing (if there are no varicose veins);
warm your feet while sleeping;
take contrasting foot baths every day in the evening;
minimize stressful situations (relevant for those over 50).

Cramps are an unpleasant and painful phenomenon that can disrupt normal sleep. By doing simple exercises and adjusting your diet, you can get rid of the disease. If you have frequent cramps that are difficult to suppress with simple actions, you should consult a doctor, since night cramps can be a manifestation of serious illnesses. Usually the cause and treatment of leg cramps at night are inseparable - the second depends on the first. Leg cramps are common during pregnancy.

Leg cramps at night are short-term painful spasms, often in the calf muscles, during sleep at rest or when moving.

Leg cramps at night

Cramps in the leg at night occur in most people (about 90%), and occur at least once a year in a third of adults. They are observed from early childhood to old age.

The nighttime leg cramps discussed in this article are not related to epilepsy. Read the article: Epileptic seizures.

More often, cramps in the leg muscles occur during critical age periods, there are reasons for this:

at the age of 4-7 years - during the period of increased growth and motor activity;
12-14 years - during age-related changes in the body;
in athletes 5-35 years old - due to intense muscle work;
in young women 18–43 years old - during a period of increased need for microelements;
Leg cramps are especially common in pregnant women
- at 20 weeks, 25 weeks, 31 weeks, 34-35 weeks;
- peak frequency at 38-39-40 weeks of pregnancy;
over 50 years of age - due to osteoporosis (decreased bone density);
60 years and older occurs in almost everyone.

Crumpy

The medical term “Crampy” from the English word “crampi, cramp” is translated as cramp, spasm.

Cramps are periodic painful cramps in the calf muscles., occurring spontaneously or provoked by movement, most often caused by a lack of calcium, magnesium, and potassium in the body.

Painful muscle spasms

Leg cramps - everyone knows what they are

Describe leg cramps: unexpectedly at night, during sleep or when moving, there is severe pain, spasm and tension in the calves, forcing you to wake up, shake your leg or knead the lower leg area and foot. The muscle is tense, dense, the foot is extended, the toes are drawn together. Feels hot due to pain in cramped leg. The spasm does not last long and goes away on its own or with rubbing after 5-60 seconds.

Cramps are not accompanied by loss of consciousness. Such leg cramps are not considered epileptic seizures. But they need treatment, especially frequent ones, as they reduce the quality of life and indicate problems in the body.

Crumpy should be distinguished from myoclonic spasms.

Calf cramps causes

The main causes of leg cramps

1. The most common leg cramps are in healthy people:

They may occur as a result of unusually intense physical activity.
In athletes due to muscle work.
Against the background of stress due to prolonged muscle tension.
They become more frequent during critical age periods (reasons: growth, restructuring of the body, increased loss of microelements).
In the pool during cooling and intense muscle work during swimming.

2. Neurological diseases as causes of leg cramps

Idiopathic or familial cramps.
Radiculopathy and vertebral hernia as a manifestation of osteochondrosis (accompanied by pain in the back).
Osteochondrosis and leg cramps
Neuropathy due to trauma, nerve compression, tumor.
Infectious and allergic polyneuropathy.
Polio.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Progressive spinal amyotrophies.
Multiple sclerosis.
Myogenic spasms (local or diffuse myositis; Becker muscular dystrophy).
Myotonic disorders (congenital myotonia).
Parkinsonism.

3. Disturbances in the metabolism of microelements in the body

· Deficiency of magnesium, calcium and vitamin D, potassium.

Causes leading to impaired metabolism of calcium, magnesium, potassium:

Leg cramps during pregnancy

Pregnancy.
Electrolyte disturbances due to dehydration with vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating.
Hypothyroidism is hypofunction of the thyroid gland.
Hyperparathyroidism is an overfunction of the parathyroid glands.
Tetany is a disorder of calcium metabolism.
Uremia is intoxication of the body with metabolites of nitrogen metabolism in renal failure.
Liver diseases (cirrhosis, liver failure).
Gastrectomy is a condition after removal of the stomach.
Alcohol abuse.
Special diets, fasting.

4. Diseases as common causes of leg cramps

Diabetes
Varicose veins of the extremities
Metabolic liver disorders
Kidney diseases
Thyroid diseases
Damage to the parathyroid glands
Vascular atherosclerosis
Alcoholism and nicotine addiction
Tumors of any etiology
Orthopedic pathology: flat feet, developmental anomalies of the limbs, osteochodropathies, bone fractures.
High heels cause leg cramps

5. Situationally determined causes of leg cramps at night:

Tight and uncomfortable shoes,

high heel,

staying in an unusual position for a long time,

leg cramps in a cast.

6. Side effects of medications (iatrogenic):

Diacarb, Triampur, Vincristine, Salbutamol, Nifidipine, Proserin, Penicillamine, aminocaproic acid and others
After drinking alcohol
After hemodialysis
Against the background of intoxication (insecticides, strychnine and others)

Which leg cramps do not require treatment?

A cramp can cramp any part of the left or right limb - thigh, foot, fingers, and there can even be pain in the groin. But more often a spasm of the calf muscles occurs and manifests itself as acute pain in the lower leg.

For infrequent, not intense muscle spasms, therapy is not required.

Which seizures are considered infrequent: 1-2 times a month. We count the number of painful spasms over 6 months and divide by 6.

For example, in January there were 3 episodes of leg cramps, in February - 0, in March - 4, in April - 1, in May - 1, in June - 0. We calculate the average: (3+0+4+1+1+ 0):6=1.5 times in 1 month.

The cause of pain in the legs at night can also be being in an uncomfortable position, when the vessels are compressed, the blood flow in the muscle is reduced, and ischemia occurs. Feels like “pins and needles” (synonyms: tingling, numbness, paresthesia) and pain.

Help consists of changing body position, relaxing muscles, and massaging the painful area of the leg.

My legs are cramping, what should I do?

Leg cramps can occur when you are tired.

Such physiological pain syndromes go away on their own after rest and sleep. Sometimes a few days of rest may be required.

If there are frequent, recurring leg cramps, the causes of these conditions should be identified.

The mechanism of leg cramps in various diseases

1. Leg cramps appear as a result of increased excitability of spinal cord neurons, peripheral motor neurons or the membrane (sarcolemma) of the muscle cell.

The cause of muscle spasm is an unstable short-term depolarization of the axons (nerve cell extensions) of the motor nerves, which send frequent volleys of nerve impulses through the neuromuscular synapses (the areas where the nerve and muscle connect).
Such frequent pathological impulses lead to the occurrence myokymia(sharp spontaneous contractions of individual muscle bundles), tetany with calcium and potassium deficiency, pseudohypoparathyroidism.

Tetany is a clinical syndrome in the form of convulsive attacks that occur due to a violation of calcium metabolism in the body.

The word “tetany” comes from the ancient Greek word “τέτανος”, meaning tension, cramp, numbness, muscle spasm.

2. While maintaining normal innervation, a mechanism for disrupting the process of muscle relaxation is possible. The muscle is painfully tense, contracted, and cannot relax despite attempts.

This condition is observed in congenital myotonia. Myotonia congenita is a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder., with a long tonic muscle spasm appearing after the initial voluntary movements.
For liver pathology(McArdle's disease and some other glycogen diseases) painful muscle spasm is caused by a lack of energy to relax the contracted muscle.

3. Let's figure out why healthy people experience leg cramps.

Majority healthy people(up to 90%) occasionally experience leg cramps at night. Almost everyone knows spasms in the muscles of the left or right leg, feet, and toes that occur after unusually intense physical activity.

Leg cramps are provoked by changes in body position during sleep or movement. But most often, painful tension in the legs occurs during sleep without provocation.
The muscles are tense, tight, painful, and improvement occurs after shaking, stretching or vigorously rubbing the painful area of the legs.

Severe spasms can damage parts of the muscle fibers, resulting in soreness in the spasmed muscle groups for several days.

Hypothesis of the mechanism of occurrence of leg cramps at night in healthy people

Pathogenetic treatment aimed at the mechanism of seizures

Reduces the frequency of leg cramps medications:

Quinine 300 mg,
Diphenhydramine (diphenhydramine) 50 mg per dose,
Procainamide 5000 – 1000 mg.

Treatment can be one-time or course. The course of treatment and prevention of leg cramps is indicated for 3-7 days, depending on the severity of pain symptoms.

5. Leg cramps in athletes

Leg cramps during exercise

Every athlete periodically experiences muscle cramps, the cause of which is prolonged physical activity, overwork and profuse sweating.

Athletes are advised to have a sufficient amount of fluid and salt to replenish losses due to intense sweating.

Crumpy is

Repeated frequent leg cramps at night and during physical activity often occur due to a deficiency in the body of calcium (synonyms: hypocalcemia, tetany) and magnesium (hypomagnesemia).

At the same time, the total level of calcium in the body may be reduced or normal, but the level of ionized calcium may decrease sharply during hyperventilation due to fear and anxiety, especially in neurotic individuals.

Idiopathic malignant pseudotetany

Malignant pseudotetany has been described, when movement in any muscle causes muscle spasm.
The disease is hereditary, as familial cases have been described.

From becoming Cryptogenic epilepsy Find out what the word "idiopathic" means.

Illusory spasm

In case of peripheral nerve disease, as well as against the background of complete health, muscle spasms may be felt. But when you feel the muscles are not tense, they are relaxed. This subjective symptomatology of apparent muscle spasm is called illusory spasm.

The therapeutic psychotherapeutic effect for relieving such illusory spasms is to conduct additional examination methods - electroneuromyography(ENMG). ENMG registers high-amplitude discharges of action potentials only during true spasm, and with illusory spasm, no deviations are detected.

Radiculopathy

For osteochondrosis of the spine due to a decrease in height or the presence of a herniated intervertebral disc, compression of the roots and vessels emerging from the narrowed intervertebral foramen occurs (radiculoischemia).

Narrowing of the intervertebral foramen is the cause of polyradiculopathy

Radiculopathy manifests itself as irritating pain along the root, painful muscle spasms in the limbs.

Leg cramps due to vertebral hernia are also associated with impaired blood flow and pinched roots. They are more persistent in nature.

Leg cramps may intensify due to stress, cooling, or physical exertion. The seasonal nature of exacerbations is typical: in spring and autumn. Men who engage in physical labor, obesity, and depression are more likely to suffer.

Such muscle cramps at night, associated with radicular syndrome, are periodic during exacerbation of chronic back pain.
If cramps in the limbs at night are associated with osteochondrosis, then help lies in the comprehensive treatment of the underlying degenerative-dystrophic process.

A quick help for leg cramps is warming, rubbing, movement, light massage.

Why is the pain worse at night?

Pain syndrome intensifies at night due to factors:

There are no distractions during the day; concentration only on the pain syndrome.
“Night is the kingdom of the vagus,” that is, at night, parasympathetic innervation predominates and pain is more intense, hyperpathic in nature.
With a decrease in active movements at rest, blood stagnates in the muscles, the level of metabolism decreases, and the pain intensifies.

Leg cramps what to do

Anticipation of the onset of leg cramps, when the muscle just begins to tense, helps prevent a full-blown painful spasm. You need to relax, change your position, you can stand up or slowly stretch and rub your leg.

First aid for leg cramps

Do not panic. Stand up on feet. You can shake your leg. Walk around.
Prick the tense area with your nails in several places.
Raise your foot and pull your toe towards you.
Relax your legs. Rub the muscles of the back of the shin from bottom to top.
A technique that allows you to eliminate a cramp in the leg: grab the toes with both hands, slowly pull the foot toward you with force, stretching the muscle.

Leg cramps what to do

For leg cramps, you can use warming ointments:

Espol, Efkamon, Viprosal, Capsicam, Larkspur, Golden Root balm, Bom-benge, Bengay, Finolgon, Fastum gel, Apizatron, Nicoflex, multicomponent ointment from Thailand, ointment with bee venom, ointment with snake venom and other products available in the medicine cabinet Houses.
After the contracted muscle has relaxed, you need to lie down, preferably with your legs raised at an angle of 30 degrees using a cushion placed under your knees.
For muscle spasms in athletes those forced to fall from pain are assisted by a doctor or teammates: lying on his back, the athlete raises both legs up, and assistants pull the foot, bringing it into a flexion position. This lengthens, stretches and relaxes the calf muscle.
Leg cramps in athletes

If there is no effect from stretching, you can squeeze the tense muscles with your hands, pinch, prick with your nails, shake the limb, rub or massage.

Afterwards, take a comfortable position, for example, placing a cushion of blanket under your leg for complete relaxation and better blood flow.

Leg cramps treatment for various diseases

We have identified a wide range of different diseases that can cause painful muscle spasms. After reading this article, you will be able to identify a possible pathology and take action.

The most common cramps are not very painful, periodic, not frequent (1-2 times a month). Such conditions are not cause for concern and do not require special treatment.

Which doctor should I contact for leg cramps?

For more frequent and painful episodes or worsening spasms, find a specialist. To do this, you must first contact see a pediatrician, if we are talking about children under 18 years of age, or therapist. After conducting a screening survey and examination, the local doctor will give the necessary recommendations and referrals for tests and to specialists.
For diseases of the nervous system, he will refer you to neurologist.
If the seizures are unprovoked, you should contact epileptologist and conduct an EEG to exclude the diagnosis of epilepsy.
In case of pathology of the musculoskeletal system - to orthopedist.
For liver disorders - endocrinologist, gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist.
For kidney pathologies - to nephrologist, you should first conduct a general urine test, a general blood test, a urine sample according to Zimnitsky and Nechiporenko, a biochemical blood test, an ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder.
For varicose veins of the lower extremities, get a referral to a phlebologist, vascular surgeon or to a surgeon, and an ultrasound examination of the vessels of the extremities is also required.
If a tumor is suspected, consultation is required oncologist, performing a general blood test.
In case of pathology of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, obesity) - to endocrinologist, blood sugar testing and other biochemical tests.

What to do for leg cramps in different situations

For calcium, magnesium, potassium deficiency
You should include in your diet foods that contain missing microelements: dried apricots, nuts, raisins, grapes, bran.

What vitamins are needed for leg cramps?

Drug treatment with calcium preparations: Calcemin Advance, Calcium D3-Nycomed, Complivit Calcium D3, Calcium Sandoz Forte; biological supplements from the pharmacy chain: Mountain calcium, Sea calcium.

Magnesium preparations: Magnerot, Magne B6, Magnelis B6, Complivit magnesium, Magnesium plus.

Potassium preparations: Asparkam, Panangin, Potassium orotate, Potassium normin, Potassium - magnesium - asparaginate (contains potassium and magnesium)

It is better to take for leg cramps in pregnant, nursing mothers and menopause:

Elevit, Materna, 1 tablet 1 time per day for a long time (1-3 years).

Diet for leg cramps

Products with a high content of the missing elements calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin D.

Products containing magnesium:

dill, lettuce, green onions, parsley, seaweed, bran, buckwheat, oats, rye, millet, legumes, dried apricots, prunes, figs, dates.

Products containing calcium:

fermented milk products (cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt), sesame seeds, cabbage, nuts.

Products containing vitamin D:

fish, egg yolks, dairy products, butter.

Vitamin D is also formed in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. By sunbathing in the sun, you get vitamin D.

Foods rich in potassium:

Meat, fish, jacket potatoes (potato skins), bananas, avocados.

Causes of pathological loss of microelements K, Na, Ca

Some medications remove microelements: sorbents (Enterosgel, Smecta), antacids used to treat heartburn (Maalox, Almagel, baking soda), diuretics (diacarb, triampur).
During times of stress the hormone cortisol is formed, which reduces absorption in the intestine and excess excretion of calcium in the urine.
In special diets with an increased amount of protein, reduced carbohydrates. Metabolism is reorganized to produce energy not from glucose, but from fats. A large number of ketone bodies are formed, which increase the excretion of calcium in the urine.
During pregnancy 2 times more microelements are required for fetal growth and development. This need should be compensated for by additional subsidies of vitamins for pregnant women.
Increased sweating in athletes potassium loss increases.
With a lack of sun Residents of northern countries sunbathe little. There is a deficiency of vitamin D, which promotes the absorption of calcium in the intestines. A lack of vitamin D is manifested by calcium deficiency conditions: rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.

Shoes for leg cramps

Incorrectly chosen shoes can lead to increased leg cramps. Shoes should be comfortable, comfortable, in which your feet don’t hurt or get tired by the end of the day.

The choice of heels is so important for women: stable, no higher than 5 centimeters, preferably 3-4 cm high.

When changing heel heights, after wearing low heels for several weeks and deciding to show off in high heels, the leg muscles are under unusual tension all day. In such a situation, the risk of leg cramps increases significantly.

5. How to get rid of cramps due to varicose veins

Local treatment: foot contrast baths or showers train vascular tone, relieving congestion, swelling, pain and heaviness in the legs.

Method of performing a foot contrast shower for leg cramps:

After a hygienic shower before bed, direct the shower to your feet and slowly (up to 20-30 seconds at a time) turn the tap to the hot side until the temperature is tolerable.
Then, also slowly (up to 20-30 seconds) turn the tap to the cold side to a temperature that can be safely tolerated.
We repeat this 5 times in each direction.
We finish with hot or warm water.
Rub dry with a towel.
We repeat 2-4 contrast showers per week, in courses of 1 procedure every 1-6 months.

How to conduct coniferous-sea baths

At the pharmacy we buy sea salt and pine extract.

Forms of release of pine extract: in liquid form, in dry form, in briquettes; as well as a ready-made mixture of sea salt for baths with pine needle extract.

For baths, flavored mixtures can also be used: bath salts with the addition of extracts of medicinal plants, aromas, and oils.

Pour the mixture into a large bathtub (200 liters) at the rate of 100-150 grams of salt per bath. The water temperature should be comfortable for you (approximately 36-38 degrees C). Immerse yourself in a salt bath for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with water.

How to give a pine-sea bath to children under 1 year old

If a pine-sea bath is performed for an infant, then we recommend

The volume of water in a baby bath is 30 liters,
calculation of sea salt 2 tablespoons,
1 dessert spoon of pine extract,
water temperature 37.5-38 degrees C,
Bathing duration is 10-20 minutes.

After a bath, the child should be rinsed with clean water. Wrap in a towel.

In a large bath for children under 1 year of age, increase the amount of water and salt with pine concentrate by 3 times:

100 liters of water, 5-6 tablespoons of sea salt, 2-3 tablespoons of dry or liquid pine concentrate.

Since the bath is used for external use, a slight deficiency or excess of soluble substances will slightly affect the result (a spoon more or less does not matter).

You can use pine-sea foot baths

In a bowl of water with a volume of about 10 liters, dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of pine concentrate.

Baths for leg cramps

There are always instructions on the packages, there may be variations. Follow the instructions.

What to do to prevent cramps in the legs and arms

1. Contrasting foot or shared showers

2. Coniferous-sea general or foot baths

3. Foot massage

Massage elements: stroking movements from bottom to top of the legs and circular movements; rubbing with palms and the edge of the palm, sawing; kneading deep muscle groups along the muscles; vibration, tapping with the edge of the palm, fists, fingertips; acupressure. You can use electric massagers.

4. Physical therapy for leg cramps

Sitting, bend your legs and pull your toes towards you for 8-12 seconds, stretching the calf muscle. Repeat 3-6 times with a break of 5-10 seconds.
Standing, we rise on our tiptoes, stretch our arms up, and breathe deeply. Then lower your heels to the floor. Repeat 3-6 times with a break of 5-10 seconds.
Standing, bend your torso and reach your toes with your hands, without lifting your heels from the floor, stretching your calf muscles. Repeat 3-6 times with a break of 5-10 seconds.

5. Avoid prolonged sedentary work.

You should take breaks to exercise. You can at least just get up and walk around, warm up.

During heavy physical work, when you have to stand on your feet for a long time, find an opportunity to rest for 5-10 minutes: sit down or take a lying position with your legs elevated.

6. Treatment of cramps and heaviness in the legs with varicose veins

For varicose veins of the lower extremities, compression stockings and positional treatment are recommended.

Lying on a flat surface with your legs raised 20-30 degrees using a pillow, rest for 10-30 minutes.
This allows you to relieve heaviness and blood stagnation in the distal parts of the legs.
After such an unloading technique, we put on special compression knitted stockings.
You can use an elastic bandage, wind it loosely in a spiral from bottom to top.

It is important to avoid high heels and uncomfortable, ill-fitting shoes.

7. Leg cramps during pregnancy

Causes of leg cramps in pregnant women

Increased need for microelements due to the growth and development of the fetus.
Additional pressure from the enlarged uterus on the vessels in the pelvis and nerve roots to the lower extremities. This impedes blood supply, causes hypoxia, spasm and paresthesia.

Muscle spasms during pregnancy can occur in the lower leg, foot, thigh, or fingers.

Measures to eliminate muscle spasms in pregnant women:

Warm relaxing bath with medicinal sedative plants (mint, lemon balm, peony root, hops).

Rational nutrition during pregnancy with the necessary content of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and microelements.

Among the necessary foods for a pregnant woman: dairy products, fish, meat, vegetables and fruits, herbs, seafood. With a slight decrease in salt, to prevent fluid retention and edema during pregnancy. Balanced nutrition in terms of calories to avoid pathological weight gain.

Comfortable low-heeled shoes and maternity clothing that reduces vascular compression.

A comfortable psychological climate and avoidance of stress are important. Listening to soothing music relieves overall stress.

Continue to engage in creativity and what you love within reasonable limits.

Get enough rest and sleep.

Prevention of infections.

Prevention of exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Supervision by qualified doctors during planning and throughout pregnancy.

This entire set of measures reduces or completely eliminates seizures in pregnant women.

So, after reading this article, you have become an expert on nighttime leg cramps. Now you know the common and rare causes of muscle spasms: neurological, metabolic, endocrine, vascular and others.

We learned that typical cramps occur in pregnant women, athletes, children and the elderly.

Know how to provide first aid for painful spasms; What are effective preventive measures: diet, shoes, exercise, lifestyle.

We learned about drugs for the treatment of cramps in the limbs. Which doctor should you consult when your legs often cramp?

Brief information for your attention video Cramps in pregnant women

Cramps at night what to do. Seizures: causes and treatment

Why does my legs cramp?

Causes of night cramps

Leg spasm in calf

Spasm of toes

Leg cramps at night during pregnancy

Leg cramps at night in older people

What to do about night cramps

Tablets for leg cramps

Detralex

Diosmin

Venoflebin

Venarus

Troxerutin

Troxevasin

What measures should you take to reduce the likelihood of seizures?

Useful videos about the causes of leg cramps and how to deal with them

My leg cramped!

Other reasons why leg cramps include:

Emergency help for leg cramps

Leg cramps: prevention and treatment

If your legs cramp at night: causes and treatment

Get ready to exercise: gymnastics against leg cramps

What is a cramp and what are the reasons for its occurrence?

What to do if a cramp suddenly appears

Why do night cramps occur?

Leg cramps during pregnancy

Diagnosis of convulsive syndrome

Drug treatment

Folk remedies for the treatment of leg cramps

Diet for leg cramps

Leg cramps and how to deal with them (video)

Preventing leg cramps

The legs can also cramp severely for the following reasons:

Emergency help

Effective treatments

Preventive measures

Mechanism of seizures

What causes spasms

How to treat leg cramps

Drugs used for seizures

Do I need painkillers?

Why do we need vitamin supplements?

Venotonic drugs

"Asparkam": application

"Magnerot": instructions

Use of "Troxerutin"

Diosmin tablets

The drug "Quinidine"

Anticonvulsants

Sleep in socks.

Leg cramps at night are short-term painful spasms, often in the calf muscles, during sleep at rest or when moving.

More often, cramps in the leg muscles occur during critical age periods, there are reasons for this:

Crumpy

Leg cramps - everyone knows what they are

The main causes of leg cramps

Which leg cramps do not require treatment?

The mechanism of leg cramps in various diseases

3. Let's figure out why healthy people experience leg cramps.

Hypothesis of the mechanism of occurrence of leg cramps at night in healthy people

5. Leg cramps in athletes

Crumpy is

Illusory spasm

Radiculopathy

Why is the pain worse at night?

Leg cramps what to do

First aid for leg cramps

For leg cramps, you can use warming ointments:

Leg cramps treatment for various diseases

Which doctor should I contact for leg cramps?

What to do for leg cramps in different situations

Diet for leg cramps

Causes of pathological loss of microelements K, Na, Ca

Shoes for leg cramps

5. How to get rid of cramps due to varicose veins

Method of performing a foot contrast shower for leg cramps:

How to conduct coniferous-sea baths

How to give a pine-sea bath to children under 1 year old

You can use pine-sea foot baths

What to do to prevent cramps in the legs and arms