How to get rid of seizures using folk remedies. Anticonvulsants for the legs - an effective treatment

Leg cramps are very serious problem, which is realized only by those who themselves have encountered this illness. A person may wake up at night from an attack of severe pain in the limbs, and be wary of swimming long distances, since there is a risk that the leg may cramp in the water. To prevent leg cramps, you need to know the cause of their occurrence, and treatment folk remedies will help relieve symptoms of the disease and reduce painful sensations.

Why do leg cramps occur?

• One of common reasons the occurrence of leg cramps is physical fatigue. Work associated with constant movement, long walks, sports, after which muscle pain occurs and the leg cramps.
• The opposite factor that influences the occurrence of painful attacks is sedentary lifestyle life. Sedentary work and lack of physical activity cause blood stagnation and muscle weakness.
• Lack of water leads to dehydration, useful minerals and salts do not enter the body in the required quantities. Deficiency of calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins E and group B has a very negative effect on muscles. Fluid loss occurs in the summer heat, during intense training or visiting a bathhouse. The habit of regularly drinking water will replenish the lack of essential microelements.
• Treatment of some diseases requires the use of diuretics and can lead to the loss of valuable microelements that are washed out of the body.
• Emotional overstrain, fatigue, stress aggravate the body's condition.
• Blood viscosity significantly impairs the functioning of organs and systems; blood does not bring enough useful components and oxygen to the muscles.
• Stressful situations provoke the release of adrenaline into the blood, the body reacts with breathing and involuntary muscle contraction, and convulsions often occur.
• An increase in muscle contractions can be provoked by a lack of adenositrifosphoric acid in the body.
• Febrile seizures appear in the background elevated temperature caused by infectious or inflammatory diseases.
• Unpleasant leg cramps can occur due to a number of diseases: problems at work thyroid gland, hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis, neurosis. These diseases are associated with disorders hormonal balance, damage to blood vessels and nerve endings, which leads to muscle weakness and vulnerabilities. After treatment for these diseases, seizures usually no longer occur.
• Painful sensations can arise unfoundedly even in healthy people. An attack can be long-term or short-term and affect one or a group of muscles.

Exercises for leg cramps at home

Exercise and massage are very effective methods which relieve muscle tension.

First exercise

Place your feet shoulder-width apart, stand on your heels, raising your toes up, stay in this position for five seconds and lower yourself onto your toes. Warm up for five minutes.

Second exercise

Stand on your toes, raising yourself as high as possible and sharply lower onto your heels with a slight impact. Repeat 20 times. The blow should not be strong, but sensitive.

Third exercise

Place a beam one meter long and seven centimeters high on the floor. Stand on the beam with your fingers so that your heels hang freely, slowly move from one edge to the other several times.

Massage against cramps

Massage is one of the first and wonderful current methods help with leg cramps. Muscles can be massaged using various folk remedies, ointments, infusions and medications, which relieve pain and spasms.

When performing a massage, blood flow increases, a sufficient amount of oxygen is supplied and useful elements. Lactic acid, which accumulates in the muscles, breaks down faster and is eliminated from the body. Massage not only relieves cramps, but also prevents the occurrence of a new attack.

You can rub honey or essential oils, which have a warming effect, are very good result gives the use of clove, cinnamon and.

Treatment of leg cramps with folk remedies

Very often the cause of cramps is a lack of potassium. At home, this element can be replenished by adding fresh apricots, dried apricots, bananas, baked potatoes, avocados, and dates to your diet.

• Lemon juice.

Rub the soles of your feet with lemon juice. It is better to rub the juice before bed for two weeks. After the juice is completely absorbed, you can put on socks and go to bed.

• Wormwood.

- Wormwood seeds 1 tbsp. l.

— Olive oil 200 gr.

Pour wormwood into a glass container and pour. Leave the product for eight hours. Take two drops with sugar.

• Garlic for leg cramps.

— Ten cloves of garlic.

— Unrefined sunflower oil 200 gr.

Peel the garlic, chop and place in a glass container. Pour and leave the medicine in a cool place for 24 hours. Drink a teaspoon with lemon juice three times a day. The course of taking the folk remedy is three months.

• Adonis in spring.

— Adonis flowers 1 tbsp. l.

— Water 150 ml.

Pour boiling water over Adonis in a thermos and set aside to let the product steep. After three hours you can drink the infusion, a tablespoon three times a day for ten days.

Folk remedies for muscle massage

• Bay oil

— Laurel leaf 50 gr.

- Cup sunflower oil unrefined.

Into the dark glass jar place Bay leaf, pour in and leave the product in a dark place for twelve days. Rub into muscles for cramps.

• Infusion of yarrow and thyme.

— Thyme 10 gr.

— Yarrow 20 gr.

— Vodka 200 gr.

Place thyme and yarrow in a glass jar, add vodka. Leave to infuse in a cool, dark place, stirring the product regularly.

Use the infusion to rub the leg muscles during cramps, then wrap them in a warm scarf. The medicine relieves pain and relieves spasms.

• Ointment for leg cramps with celandine

— Celandine juice 100 gr.

- A tube of Vaseline.

You can prepare a folk remedy at home that relieves the symptoms of leg cramps. You need to collect celandine with roots, leaves and flowers. Rinse, chop and squeeze out the juice. Mix juice and Vaseline, apply to feet every evening for twenty days, using massage movements.

Herbal baths

To treat leg cramps, before going to bed it is very useful to take foot baths with herbs that have anticonvulsant properties. Such herbs include alfalfa, horsetail, valerian, elderberry, and mint.

- 100 grams of grass

- Liter of water.

Pour boiling water over the herb and let simmer for five minutes. Pour the broth into a basin, dilute with a liter clean water. Take baths while massaging the leg muscles.

• Birch leaves for muscle cramps

In a basin, pour boiling water over 2 large handfuls of birch leaves. Wait until the water temperature becomes acceptable, then dip your feet in the infusion.

Birch leaves have an anticonvulsant effect, so they can be used for treatment even at night, stuffing your pajamas with fresh or dry leaves.

First aid for leg cramps

• What to do if you have a cramp in your calves - you need to grab your thumb or all your fingers and pull them towards you. If you can’t reach it, then help yourself with a long towel or a robe belt. If you don’t find anything at hand, simply stand on your toes with the entire weight of your body with a strong arch of the foot upward. This manipulation usually immediately helps to relieve a severe cramp. Then begin to stretch your calf muscles.
• Apply a regular magnet to the reduced area. Sometimes even a minute is enough to let go.
• Take a little salt on the tip of a knife, put it on your tongue and hold it without swallowing.
• Take off your shoes and stand barefoot on the floor or grass.
• Warm up the leg by massaging the muscles from the tips of the toes, moving up to the knee. You can rub, pat and pinch your leg.
• Place your cramping leg under the shower and water it very warm water.
• Lie on the floor, place a cushion under your knees and lie down for a while.
• Take a warm foot bath, gradually adding hot water.

Prevention measures

These simple tips will help you get rid of frequent leg cramps:

• It is necessary to wear comfortable shoes when coming home from work to give your feet a rest.
• Protect extremities from cold, especially if present.
• At overweight the body needs to get rid of it. Overweight give heavy load on your feet.
• The diet should contain foods that contain potassium, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins. You need to eat hard cheese, beans, greens, fatty sea fish, cottage cheese.
• Drink enough water, up to two liters per day. You can drink water with lemon juice and honey.

Pills, vitamins, gymnastics and folk remedies - all this is actively used not only for immediate elimination discomfort, but also for their further prevention.

general information

The pills help very well with leg cramps. But before presenting them to your attention, we should tell you a little about the disease itself.

Seizures can plague a person at any age. However, they most often occur in elderly or middle-aged people.

With such a deviation, a person may experience painful spasms in the muscle tissue of the lower extremities (for example, the calf muscle). As a rule, these sensations are symptoms of an underlying disease or are idiopathic signs.

What to do?

Medicines for leg cramps should only be prescribed experienced specialists. After all, before taking this or that pill, it is necessary to correctly diagnose and identify the real reason such a deviation.

Most of the causes of muscle spasms have long been studied. modern medicine. They are easy to correct and also quickly treated.

If you regularly suffer from discomfort in lower limbs, then you should definitely consult your doctor.

Nature of pain

So in what cases should you use drugs for leg cramps, and in what cases can you get by with banal gymnastics? To answer this question, you need to undergo a medical examination.

Currently, there are tonic spasms of muscle tissue, which are characterized by prolonged muscle tension, and clonic, that is, short-term contractions that alternate with periods of relaxation.

Leg cramps fall into the first category. As a rule, they are characterized by unpleasant sensations in the feet and calf muscles. In this case, an acute and painful feeling occurs, lasting from 3 to 5 minutes.

Also, during convulsions, petrification of body parts is observed, which goes away only after the muscles relax.

Reasons for appearance

The wrong medicine for leg cramps can only temporarily eliminate the symptoms. Therefore, before starting treatment for this disease, the cause of its occurrence should be identified.

Leg cramps can occur due to:

• Lack of vitamins and microelements (for example, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin D), which are responsible for transmitting nerve impulses to the muscles.
• Dehydration of the body. At heavy sweating a significant part of the microelements is lost, which ensures the healthy functioning of all muscle tissue.
• Physical activity. Excessive exercise can lead to muscle strain and malfunction muscles, which will contribute to the appearance of cramps.
• Temperature changes. Hypothermia very often causes a sharp contraction of the muscles of the limbs, as well as the appearance of cramps in them.

• Illnesses. The most serious reasons for such a deviation may be hidden injuries, damage to the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, neurological diseases, inflammatory processes, etc.
• Stress. With emotional shock, there is a very strong load on the human body, including nerve endings, which are responsible for contractions of muscle tissue.

Medicine for leg cramps

Cramps in the legs, in particular in the calf muscles, go away quite quickly on their own and do not require any special treatment. In most cases, patients get by with a massage of the lower extremities, as well as contrast shower or gymnastics. At the same time, the standard medicine It is not advisable to take it for leg cramps. This is due to the fact that the pain will go away faster than the drug takes effect.

However, very often such painful sensations continue long time. In these cases, patients still have to take pills for muscle cramps.

According to experts, such remedies do not eliminate the cramps themselves, but make them painless.

So which medications are most effective for muscle spasms? Their list will be presented to your attention right now.

Quinine tablets

Such tablets for leg cramps should not be used during pregnancy. The drug "Quinine" is prescribed only in extreme cases. This is because it has many side effects.

The drug "Quinine" is used only when the pain of the seizures is so great that it prevents normal image life.

What remedies help with leg cramps? Potassium tablets can solve your problem quite quickly. After all, a deficiency of this element in the human body very often leads to night cramps, especially in the lower extremities.

If such tablets for cramps in the legs and arms do not help, then experts recommend consuming more products which are rich in potassium. For example, good natural sources of this element are:

• dates, nectarines, apricots, bananas, grapes and raisins;
• broccoli, White cabbage, as well as other representatives of this family;
• grapefruits and oranges;
• pork, sea ​​fish and lamb.

Magnesium preparations for leg cramps are often prescribed to pregnant women. This is due to the fact that such representatives of the fair sex quickly deplete the reserves of the mentioned element, and, as is known, it is this element that contributes to normal operation body and fetal development.

Magnesium preparations for leg cramps can be purchased at any pharmacy. As a rule, these include various vitamin complexes, intended specifically for pregnant women, as well as dietary supplements.

Drugs that block calcium absorption

This remedy for leg cramps prevents calcium from entering the walls. blood vessels, as well as inside different types cells.

Despite the fact that the main purpose of this medicine is the fight against high blood pressure, it is very often used to eliminate nighttime muscle spasms.

To determine the dosage, as well as to obtain a prescription, you must visit your doctor.

Non-drug methods

As mentioned above, tablets effectively help against leg cramps only if they were selected correctly and used in a strict dosage. However, there are other ways to get rid of the discomfort that occurs in the lower extremities. We'll look at which ones right now.

Hot compress

If pharmaceutical medicine for leg cramps (tablets, capsules, vitamins, dietary supplements) does not help, then you can use hot compress. To do this, use either a bottle filled with water or an electric heating pad. It is placed directly on the muscles and held for about 10-15 minutes. At the same time, the muscles completely relax and the cramp goes away.

After warming up the muscles, a cooling effect occurs, which subsequently eliminates the cramp.

Drinking water

Sometimes leg cramps can appear due to lack of water in the body. Therefore, you need to make sure that you drink enough fluids throughout the day.

According to experts, representatives of the fairer sex should drink approximately 2.2 liters of water per day, and men - at least 3 liters.

How can you tell whether you are drinking enough fluids or not? To do this, you need to look at the clarity of your urine. Light-colored urine indicates that there is no disorder in your body. If it is dark yellow or even brownish in color, then you should drink more fluid.

By the way, if you have leg cramps, you should avoid consuming alcoholic drinks. This is due not only to the fact that alcohol takes water from the body, but also to the fact that it itself contributes to the appearance of muscle spasms.

Folk remedies for seizures

We talked above about which pills for leg cramps help best. However, it should be noted that supporters alternative medicine try to avoid taking medicines. They prefer to solve the problem using natural and proven means.

soap bar

During cramps, place regular toilet soap under the area of ​​your leg where the cramp occurs. You can also apply soapy water to your skin. After waiting a few seconds, you will immediately notice that the painful cramp has passed.

Cow's milk

According to reviews, use cow's milk during spasms it can both help and cause harm. Theoretically, such a product removes excess calcium from the body, helping with night cramps. On the other hand, it contains high concentrations phosphorus. Entering the body, such an element can contribute to the occurrence of even greater convulsions.

Primrose oil

Primrose oil is used for various diseases: from eczema and acne to heart disease and higher level cholesterol. Perhaps this remedy will also help you with seizures caused by blocked blood vessels.

Brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast improves circulation in the lower extremities. This happens due to the fact that they contain a large number of B vitamins.

It should be noted that some specialists prescribe brewer's yeast very often. Although clinical researches They do not give a clear answer whether they help with seizures or not. Try using them one dessert spoon a day and observe how you feel.

Gymnastics

To eliminate and also prevent further occurrence of leg cramps, doctors recommend doing exercises regularly. Exercises should be aimed at stretching the calf muscles, gluteal muscles, etc.

In order for the results of gymnastics to be noticeable and you will never be bothered by leg cramps again, it is recommended to do it 4-5 times a week for 6-12 months.

If exercises do not help, then most likely you have some kind of serious illness, the treatment of which requires medical intervention. In this case, you should consult a doctor and undergo a full examination.

Treatment of seizures with folk remedies." width="300" height="132" />

Almost every person has probably at least once in his life encountered an unpleasant phenomenon - muscle cramps. For example, it happened to me that my leg cramped when I swam in the lake. Not far from the house where I live, there is a lake of spring origin and therefore the water in it is quite cool, which can easily lead to cramps.

For some people, sleep is interrupted at night by pain in a spasmodic leg, while others experience cramps at high temperature. Often, overworked legs during the day due to long walking or, conversely, long standing, make themselves felt at night. If seizures are a consequence of some disease, for example, diabetes, then they can be repeated frequently or last more than 1 hour, then you should definitely consult a doctor (if a seizure occurs in a child, it is better to call a doctor immediately). But it is also important to learn how to help yourself if a cramp occurs unexpectedly and causes severe pain. What to do if you have a cramp?

Massage and first aid for cramps

Usually a cramp begins unexpectedly, and the main thing here is to relax the muscle in time. A simple massage or simple exercises. Most convenient way To return a muscle to its original state is to stretch it. If you have a cramp calf muscle, then pull your foot towards you or grab your toes with both hands and try to straighten your leg as much as possible. A pin prick into the muscle above the cramp can help a lot - sensitivity is usually lost there. If you know that your legs often cramp when swimming, then pin a safety pin to your swimsuit. When a cramp occurs, without panicking, prick yourself in the muscle, taking in more air before doing so if you are at depth, or pull your leg towards you.
If cramps await you in your sleep, then lower your legs from the bed onto the cold floor, straightening your body and placing your feet together, slowly stand up so that blood circulation is restored. When the blood flows to the legs, shake the sore muscle, grabbing it with your palm, pat it, stroke it, moving from the very ends of the fingers towards the heel, and then to the knee. Now lie down in bed, raise your legs higher than your body (at an angle of 60 degrees) and lie there for a few minutes.
Some people find it helps to vigorously rub the cramped limb to warm it up. You can also squeeze the cramped muscle tightly, applying pressure index finger to the very center of this muscle, where it protrudes most. Hold your finger on this point for about 15-20 seconds, while simultaneously doing deep breaths. When there is a cramp in the calf muscle, you can press not only on its center, but also on the very middle of the popliteal fossa, but this acupressure Contraindicated for pregnant women.
If you have a cramp in a muscle in your upper body, such as your arm, use your healthy hand to squeeze the middle upper lip, holding it between the index and thumb for 30 seconds, and if your leg is cramped, then also squeeze in the middle lower lip. You can simply bite the desired lip with your teeth. The pressure should be pronounced, but not cause sharp pain.
If you were standing or walking and your leg cramped, then lean on any wall with both hands and move your sore leg back so that the sole of your foot is completely on the floor. The toe of the foot should point directly at the wall, and the heel should strive to fall to the ground.

If, after the cramped leg muscle has released, and the pain in it does not go away, you can bandage it from the foot to the knee with an elastic bandage.

To prevent cramps during the day, spend the morning the following exercises. Before you get out of bed, stretch your legs straight and pull your feet towards you and hold them in this position for at least 10 seconds, relax. Repeat this exercise several times. Then turn over on your tummy and slowly lift one leg up first, calmly return it to its original position. Then do the same movement, but do it with the other leg. Do 10-15 repetitions with each leg. Then stand on the floor barefoot, cross your legs (you can switch your legs in a sitting position), placing the bulk of your body weight on the outer edges. Now bend your toes and hold them like this while counting to ten. Then slowly rise up onto your toes and then sharply lower your body onto your heels. Do each exercise 5 times or more.

Treatment of seizures with folk remedies

Helps relax muscles if they are cramped, herbal tea based on chamomile or comfrey. You can brew one of these herbs or mix them equally. One third teaspoon of herb or herbal mixture pour a cup of boiling water, let it brew for 10-15 minutes and drink.
Pour 1 tablespoon of the herb called crow's feet one glass of boiling water and leave for 1 hour, wrapped in a towel, or initially brewed in a thermos. Drink one third of a glass of pre-heated infusion, before meals, three times a day.
Take 1 tablespoon of linden (flowers), pour 300 ml of boiling water, infuse, strain. Drink this entire portion at night, mixing linden decoction with natural honey(1 teaspoon of honey per glass of broth).
Pour one heaped tablespoon of common thyme herb into one glass of boiling water, let it sit and strain. Drink one tablespoon before meals three times a day. You can also prepare a tincture of thyme by pouring a tablespoon of the herb (without a slide) with 100 alcohol. Let the thyme brew for 8 days and after straining, drink 15 drops before meals three times a day.
Take 2 teaspoons of crushed dry yarrow herb and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain and sweeten to taste with honey. Take the infusion in a 200 ml glass three times a day. This remedy helps well to protect muscles from cramping when they are associated with female diseases.
When treating seizures in a child, let him drink one teaspoon of dill juice (a freshly squeezed portion of the juice must be prepared anew each time). Three times a day after meals, mix dill juice with milk and honey. This is absolutely safe remedy can be used by both children and adults.
Pour 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds into a glass of boiling water. Drink one third of a glass three times a day.

External folk remedies for combating seizures

Essential oils can help you with cramps.
Heat water in a saucepan, add 1-2 drops of lavender, marjoram or ginger oil. Place a cotton cloth on the surface of the water, and when it is saturated with water and oil, squeeze it out lightly and apply the compress to the sore spot.
Take cinquefoil - 4 tablespoons and boil it in 600 ml of water, then let it brew for 3 hours and strain. Use a warm decoction to prepare compresses for cramps in the calf muscles of the legs.
When a muscle cramp in an arm or leg occurs, rub the affected area with mustard oil - this will increase blood circulation and have an analgesic effect.
For leg cramps, spend 10 warm foot baths with tansy infusion, taking them daily or every other day. Infuse a tablespoon of tansy flower baskets in a thermos for 2-3 hours, pouring a glass of boiling water. Then pour the infusion into a basin or bucket of warm water and immerse your feet in it for 15 minutes.
Traditional healers It is recommended to apply medicinal dressings made from crushed table salt nettle herbs. If you don't have fresh nettles, pour boiling water over the dry herb for a few seconds, just enough to cover the nettles, and sprinkle in a handful of salt. Mix everything well, put the paste on a cloth and apply it to the sore spot.
The most popular folk recipe with frequent cramps in the legs, rubbing of the soles occurs lemon juice, which has a vascular strengthening effect. Therefore, a course of lemon treatment will help you if the causes of cramps are poor blood circulation, varicose veins or atherosclerosis. In the mornings and evenings, wipe your feet with fresh lemon juice. After the procedure, do not wipe your feet, wait until the juice dries on the skin, and only then put on socks. The duration of such treatment should be 2 weeks.
If a muscle in your foot is cramped, place it under the stream as quickly as possible. warm water, and you can also hold it in a basin with a salt solution (1-2 tablespoons of salt per foot bath). At the same time, you can use acupressure, recommended for cramps in the lower extremities.
Relaxes muscles too hot bath with the addition of ginger and baking soda. Pour two-thirds of a cup of baking soda and one-quarter of a cup of ginger into a filled bathtub of water, stir the contents and soak in the bath for 10-15 minutes.
Birch preparations are considered anticonvulsants, so take a steam bath with a birch broom or apply steamed birch leaves to the places that most often cramp.

Proper nutrition

Cramps can be caused by metabolic disorders in the body and a lack of certain important elements, for example such as calcium or magnesium. Therefore, to prevent such unpleasant conditions It is important to eat right, balancing your daily menu in such a way that necessary elements sufficiently nourished your cells.
It is imperative to supply the body with a sufficient amount of fluid so that the cells are cleansed and fully absorbed. nutrients. To avoid swelling, which can impair blood circulation and metabolic processes, consume a small amount of salt - about 5-6 grams per day, which is equal to one or two small pinches, but do not give it up completely (of course, unless you are on a salt-free diet as recommended by a doctor).
If you lack calcium, then consume daily either cottage cheese or some kind of hard cheese, as well as beans and bleached leafy vegetables and just a variety of greens, which contain a lot of calcium and other beneficial microelements.
Before going to bed, it is useful to drink a cup of warm, unboiled milk. During dinner, eat garlic, which contains useful silicon, helping muscles relax.
Very often doctors recommend using it as a calcium supplement. eggshells. If you can buy quail eggs, which, in addition to calcium, contain a lot of magnesium and selenium, then make yourself a powder from them. If this is not possible, use regular white chicken shells. Just before pounding them in a mortar, bake them on a baking sheet in the oven or in a cast iron frying pan (in order to protect yourself from salmonellosis). Add the powder to your food in the morning - cottage cheese or porridge, adhering to the dosage - no more than 1.5 g - 3 g per day (the norm depends on age), this is approximately the tip of a knife.
It is also very useful to eat any vegetables and fruits, mainly in fresh, as well as porridges cooked from whole grains - they contain potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc, which are necessary for our muscles. Don't forget that for better absorption calcium should be consumed separately from iron supplements, so instead of buckwheat porridge with milk, prefer just buckwheat with a small piece butter, and drink milk as an afternoon snack or before bed (do not mix it with other products).

Psychological nature of seizures

Doctors and psychologists note that cramps are more common in people who are tense and tight internally. Typically, such people feverishly and frantically grasp at any opportunity to gain support in life, having a weak inner core and experiencing constant fears. This is especially noticeable in people of the “melancholic” type, who perceive the world rather pessimistically. It is known that cramps in this type of people are more likely to occur in cold, dry weather when the wind blows. In such weather, dress warmly, and if you experience cramps more often at night, cover yourself with a warm blanket.
You can use the auto-training technique - train yourself every morning after waking up, and also before going to bed, while lying in bed, to pronounce the following self-hypnosis formula. “I'm relaxed and calm. My mind is at peace. My muscles are relaxed. I feel good and calm. There is peace and tranquility in my soul. The tension leaves my body, thoughts and soul.” Say it 20 times in one session.
In order not to lose count, you can use a rope with 20 knots tied on it instead of a rosary. Before pronouncing the phrase, take a comfortable position, relax all your muscles, take several deep and calm breaths and exhalations. When conducting self-hypnosis sessions, you can imagine yourself sitting in a pleasant place, for example, on the bank of a smoothly flowing river or a wonderful lake with clear water.

More than 75% of people suffer from leg cramps. They are often accompanied severe pain. And when the legs cramp at night, it deprives a person of proper sleep.
Muscle cramps can occur at any age, but are more common in middle-aged and older adults.

In some cases, leg cramps are a symptom of diseases such as atherosclerosis (intermittent claudication), diabetes, varicose veins veins, cirrhosis of the liver, damage to the thyroid gland and others. Therefore, if you experience persistent and severe muscle cramps, you should consult a doctor.

What is the cause of seizures?

Let's figure out what is the cause of cramps, what causes the muscle to be in a state of continuous contraction?
At rest, a muscle cell is electrically charged. This is achieved by the fact that there is a lot of potassium inside the cell, and more sodium outside. The difference between potassium and sodium ions is maintained by the work of cellular pumps that pump out sodium and absorb potassium. Thanks to the electrical charge, the muscle cell can contract.

Under the influence of nerve impulses, the cell quickly discharges, and calcium rushes into it.

Calcium is the element that makes the cell do the work for which it is designed. The muscle cell contracts. The release of calcium into the cell is accompanied by the entry of sodium and the release of potassium. While there is a lot of calcium in the cell cavity, it is in a state of spasm.

Relaxation (recharging) of the cell occurs due to:
- release of calcium from it using calcium pumps;
-scooping out sodium and pumping in potassium using sodium-potassium pumps.
Cellular pumps take up to 40% of the energy produced by the cell!

Most often, leg cramps are observed in “practically healthy individuals” against the background of heavy physical activity, muscle fatigue, in overweight people, under stress, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Are you terribly tormented by cramps at night, your legs cramp so much that you can’t move from the pain? Sometimes it begins after childbirth, and cramps may plague you for several years. Should you stretch a little in your sleep and immediately a severe pain shoots through your legs?

Regardless of type physical exercise, seizures can occur in anyone. If you don't know how to deal with them and how to prevent them, then your exercise may end there. Probably every person has encountered the problem of sudden muscle cramps at least once in their life. Someone has these unpleasant problems are isolated in nature - in such situations it is very easy to find a logical explanation for what happened and forget about it. And someone with enviable consistency suffers from this painful problem. If you belong to last group, it’s time to look not only for a solution to the problem, but also for the reasons for its occurrence.

The phenomenon of seizures is quite well studied by medicine, which means that the solution to the problem does not seem to be something supernatural. But you still have to work hard. To cope with leg cramps, there are various recommendations: some advise rubbing the disturbing areas with your hands, others - pricking them with a pin, and others - making hot and cold compresses.

Folk tips for leg cramps:

If you get goosebumps (cramps) in your leg, prick it with a needle and the leg will go away. But of course without piercing the skin.
Squeeze a little lemon juice to cover the soles of your feet. After spreading, wait a little for absorption, then put on socks and sleep.
Take asparkam when cramps begin. This inexpensive tablets contain much-needed calcium and magnesium.
In the old days, when convulsions began, they remembered the name of their father.

Pull the toes of the cramped leg towards you three times, but do it through the pain, then the pain will go away.
When your leg cramps, stand barefoot on the cold floor, the colder the better, the pain will go away.

If cramps do not go away within a week, before going to bed, lubricate your feet with lemon until completely dry.
AND folk recipe. Its essence is this: take natural corks from wine bottles and string them on a fishing line, that is, make something like a necklace and wear it during convulsions.
If you love coffee - which helps not to develop diabetes mellitus- To prevent calcium from being removed from the body, drink coffee with milk or cream. 4-5 cups per day are considered normal coffee consumption. After 50 years, green tea is beneficial.

Cramps happen if your shoes have an uncomfortable last - change your shoes to comfortable ones, preferably without high heels
Birch preparations are considered anticonvulsants.

For muscle cramps, myositis, polyarthritis, use celandine ointment ( fresh juice) 2 parts to 4 parts petroleum jelly or take powder from celandine herb and petroleum jelly (1:1).
Mustard oil. When cramping your arms or legs, you should rub the sore spots with mustard oil.

To maintain the necessary level of potassium in the body, which helps strengthen muscles, you should eat as many foods rich in this element as possible. The best choice- bananas. Other potassium-rich foods include apricots, potatoes, cantaloupe and spinach.

Increase your vitamin C levels. Increase your vitamin C intake as it helps prevent muscle cramps. It is recommended to take a vitamin capsule twice a day, 1000 mg in the morning and 1000 mg in the evening.

Attention. Taking more than 1.2 grams of vitamin C per day may cause diarrhea in some people.
Recipe for decoction for seizures: 1 tbsp. l. pour the crushed roots of the capitula officinalis into a glass of water and boil for 20 minutes. Strain, take 1-2 tbsp. l. 4 times a day before meals for a month. A peculiar “side” effect of this treatment is recovery nervous system, absence of headaches and dizziness, elimination primary signs hypertension. That is, this is a kind of prevention against many diseases and, of course, against seizures.

If the problem persists, contact a specialist. The cause of frequent seizures may be a secretly developing inflammatory process, neurological problems, bad condition veins and even a brain tumor. Don't delay your visit to the doctor - the sooner you identify the problem, the better your chances of coping with it.

fast? What reasons contribute to their appearance? It turns out that night cramps are provoked by flat feet, stress, excessive physical exercise in muscles, for example during sports.

Leg cramps are associated with disturbances in the circulatory system, a lack of oxygen and calcium in the body, and the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. But most of all, the occurrence of night cramps in the legs is promoted by a deficiency in the body of magnesium, which is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle cells.

How to get rid of leg cramps at home

Cramps occur especially often in the summer, since the body loses a lot of magnesium through increased sweating. It’s not in vain that when coming from vacation, especially from hot countries or from the sea coast, even young and healthy people suddenly experience debilitating night cramps in the calves.

The body also loses a lot of magnesium during stress. Daily requirement in magnesium for an adult is about 300 mg and is covered with a balanced diet.

Almonds, pumpkin seeds, soy products are rich in magnesium, buckwheat, green vegetables (especially broccoli), apples, bananas, grapefruits. A lot of magnesium is contained in whole grain products, bran, wheat germ, as well as milk and cocoa.

If leg cramps bother you too often at night, you can take magnesium tablets for 4-6 weeks. To compensate for the lack of calcium, you need to eat hard cheeses, cottage cheese, fish products, and beans.

To provide the body with magnesium, calcium, potassium, it is advisable to consume more greens, especially parsley, fresh fruits, dried apricots, raisins, lactic acid products.

How to get rid of leg cramps? To prevent lactic acid from accumulating in tense muscles, you need to drink more fluids. Before going to bed, it is good to drink tea with viburnum bark, chamomile and verbena flowers.

First aid for leg cramps

If you have not yet fallen asleep and feel that a cramp is beginning, you need to sit up in bed, lower your legs down and carefully stand up, not on a warm rug, but on a cool floor.

The body position should be as straight as possible, legs together. After a few minutes, blood circulation in the legs and normal leg muscle tone are restored.

You need to take a deep breath, then grab the toes of your cramped leg with both hands and, through the pain, forcefully pull them towards you and up, stretching the cramped muscle.

At the same time, you need to make rocking movements of the entire leg with your hands. When the muscle spasm subsides, it is good to gently massage the cramped muscle until it relaxes completely.

If the cramp in your legs is very severe and does not go away, try pricking the calf muscle with a pin in the place greatest numbness. Then begin to gently massage the calf and foot with stroking, stretching and patting movements in the direction from the tips of the fingers to the heel, from the heel to the knee.

Please watch the video: Leg cramps

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