home Calculators Leg cramps during sleep: current causes and treatment. Causes and treatment of calf muscle cramps. At night, calf muscle cramps: reasons why the leg cramps in the calf muscles at night

Leg cramps during sleep: current causes and treatment. Causes and treatment of calf muscle cramps. At night, calf muscle cramps: reasons why the leg cramps in the calf muscles at night

Cramps can occur in any part of the body where there are muscles. But in this article we will discuss why the calf muscles cramp at night or during the day, as well as the causes, treatment and prevention of this condition.

First, a little theory so that everyone understands how and why painful muscle spasms develop. Muscles have two states: relaxed and contracted. A cramp is the transition of a muscle to a contracted state. Muscles are relaxed when all their fibers are stretched. When a muscle performs work, calcium enters the muscle cells and sodium leaves the cell, which causes the fibers to contract, the muscle tightens and does its job. This is not a problem in the short term when the muscle is doing what it is supposed to do. But when a muscle remains contracted without doing any work, sharp and intense pain occurs.

Why do my calf muscles cramp at night?

Before learning about the treatment for calf cramps at night, let's talk about their causes. The main mechanism of convulsive syndrome is a decrease in the supply of oxygen to tissues. When muscle work outpaces blood flow and oxygen supply, muscles contract. This does not occur in normal leg conditions, even with significant strain. But if the blood supply to the leg muscles is compromised, namely by the buildup of cholesterol plaques in the arteries, the muscles will cramp.

Calf cramps during exercise or walking are called claudication, which indicates the presence of peripheral arterial disease. But this condition is usually typical during active times of the day. Sometimes, while yawning or stretching, abdominal muscle spasms may develop! During sleep, the muscles do not perform any work.

Why do the calf muscles of the legs cramp at night? Basically, the cause of calf muscle cramps at night is an imbalance in the body.

An imbalance can manifest itself due to a violation of water-electrolyte balance with heavy sweating due to overheating, high body temperature, and uncontrolled use of diuretics.

Why do my legs cramp at night? Consequences

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night with sudden, very severe cramps in your calf muscles. This pain is so intense that you scream and cry.
Your screams wake up a loved one who is nearby.
Cramps in the feet and legs at night can completely disturb your sleep and cause insomnia.
The next morning you will wake up with nagging pain in your legs, which will disrupt your ability to work and your mood, possibly for the whole day.

This is how patients describe their symptoms when seeking medical help. 50% of the adult population experienced such unpleasant sensations. let's discuss calf muscle cramps at night, causes and treatment this condition in more detail.

There are often no obvious causes of night cramps in the calf muscles. Painful contractions in the legs, feet, and toes may appear and disappear suddenly with slight muscle tension. Here are the main complaints presented by patients suffering from leg cramps at night: involuntary spasms in the muscles of the lower legs, occurring throughout the entire lower leg, including the foot, sudden, acute, sometimes lasting several minutes, often occurring during night sleep.

Medicine is still not entirely clear why the calves cramp at night. Therefore, such muscle spasms are often called idiopathic. This means that the patient has no apparent reason for the occurrence of such a condition. However, the most common known causes for chronic leg cramps are:

It's important to know if you suffer from any of these risk factors for calf cramps. Then it will be much easier to cure the disease.

If you have no reason to develop cramps in the legs, then you need to take a slightly different path. Unfortunately, there is currently no definitive treatment for muscle spasms in the legs. In the past, patients were offered various vitamin complexes, eating bananas, etc., but all these recommendations turned out to be ineffective. Previously used quinine is now banned due to its high toxicity compared to the benefits it brings.

Why do calf muscle cramps become more frequent at the age of 50?

In old age, metabolic changes begin due to a decrease in hormonal levels. This leads to calcium being “washed out” from bone structures and muscle cells. Calcium is an element responsible for the contractile stability of muscles. Naturally, with its intracellular deficiency, the risk of convulsive spasms sharply increases. Therefore, nighttime leg cramps in the elderly, causes, and treatment have one goal: restoring calcium balance. How to do this, read on.

Calf muscle cramps at night - causes and treatment

We have already discussed the causes of muscle spasms. No specific therapy has yet been found for this condition, but there are several ways to cope with seizures; however, as always, be sure to discuss them with your doctor:

Do light exercise before bed (such as a few minutes on a treadmill or stationary bike)
Stretching exercises and massage before bed
Avoid diuretics (as well as caffeine and alcohol, which cause dehydration)
Use magnesium supplements (but be careful not to overdo it, as magnesium can be toxic if overdosed)
Vitamin B12 (if you suffer from a lack of this vitamin in your body)
You can try muscle relaxants (Mydocalm)
Drugs that affect neuropathic pain (eg, gabapentin)
Calcium channel blockers (often used to treat hypertension and migraines). However, these drugs can cause hypotension and other undesirable effects.
To correct fluid and electrolyte imbalances, drink enough water during intense physical activity. Calcium can be replenished by taking calcium and magnesium supplements. But if you prefer natural remedies, then light sesame oil is best for you. Sesame oil contains the highest amount of calcium of any product known to us. Don't you like butter? Then eat more cottage cheese and other dairy products!

Quick relief for leg cramps

But if your calves are cramping, what should you do at that moment? Get up and walk around barefoot. If this doesn't help, put your feet in very hot water, just don't get burned, please; or warm your feet in any other way. Typically, thermal procedures relieve cramps in the calf muscles quite quickly. There is no need to prick the muscles with needles, as some healers advise. This won't help! Drink hot tea or milk, wrap your feet warmly and try to keep them lower.

If the cause of leg cramps at night is over 50, then avoid raising your legs. This disrupts the normal arterial blood supply to the muscles and spasms may occur. You can pour mustard into your socks, which will warm the soles and relieve spasms in the foot muscles.

Most patients usually do not have other medical conditions that could cause calf cramps. But if you experience frequent seizures, still consult a doctor to do at least the most minimal research for your own peace of mind. Even a simple blood pressure check and blood test may be enough to determine whether you have risk factors, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes or electrolyte imbalances.

You and I now know a lot about how calf muscle cramps occur at night, their causes and treatment are many. Now let's take a break and watch a funny cartoon about a resourceful vacuum cleaner from my favorite film studio!

Hello, dear readers! In the article we discuss cramps in the calf muscles - causes, treatment, prevention.

Cramps in the calf muscles

Most people have at least once experienced the “cramped leg” condition; they are familiar with the pain of a sudden cramp. Some people experience this condition more often than others. At such moments, the muscles experience an involuntary, prolonged contraction, which is accompanied by severe pain.

It happens that in a state between cramps, the calf muscle or foot muscle cannot completely relax and the muscle pain does not go away for several days.

Such a cramp can occur not only while awake, but also at night during sleep.

To prevent such conditions or quickly eliminate them, it is important to know about first aid, causes, and treatment.

Causes of cramps in the calf muscles

Treatment of cramps in the leg muscles is based on the causes of their occurrence, so first we will discuss why the muscles cramp. The main causes of seizures are:

wearing uncomfortable shoes and/or clothes;

hypothermia;

disturbance of nerve impulse conduction and/or blood circulation;

changes in metabolic processes in the body in general or in the muscle in particular.

Excessive strain on the calf muscle

Often the cause of leg muscle cramps can be an unusual load for them. The calf muscle is involved in all types of vertical movement, sports and outdoor activities - walking, swimming, skiing, squats, volleyball, running, jumping, etc.

A long walk or an episode of intense physical activity combined with a habitual sedentary lifestyle can trigger a cramp.

Cramping during exercise can be a result of dehydration. Excessive sweating leads to loss of potassium and calcium through sweat.

Calf muscle strain

If, after unusual physical activity, the aching pain in the muscle does not go away for several days, then we can talk about a mild strain of the calf muscle.

When the calf muscle is severely stretched, acute pain immediately occurs, which significantly intensifies after the action that caused it is repeated. In this case, you need to contact a traumatologist who will prescribe conservative treatment for the sprain.

Calf muscle rupture

A rupture of the calf muscle, its tendon or ligaments is always accompanied by a characteristic sound, similar to a cracking or clicking sound. The rupture is followed by acute pain and loss of the ability to move the foot and stand on the leg. This condition requires urgent surgical traumatological care.

Uncomfortable shoes and clothes

High heels or uncomfortable shoe lasts that force the foot to remain in an unnatural position for a long time can provoke cramps.

If your legs cramp after wearing just such a pair of shoes, stop wearing them - this will eliminate the cause of the spasms.

It happens that your legs cramp due to temporary pinching of blood vessels by uncomfortable clothing: too tight elastic on socks, tight jeans, etc. Wear comfortable clothes that do not compress the body.

Hypothermia of the feet

Cold weather conditions, wet shoes from rain or snow can also cause involuntary muscle spasms.

Often cramps in legs when swimming in cold water of a pool or other body of water. Cold leads to spasm of arterial, venous and lymphatic vessels, which in turn complicates and slows down all metabolic processes in tissues.

Poor blood circulation to the leg muscles

Such disorders are caused by changes in the structure of the skeleton:

injury,
joint dislocation,
flat feet,
congenital dysplasia,
birth trauma, etc.

In these cases, the leg joints are not in the correct physiological position. The altered position of the bones causes the incorrect position of the muscles and the vessels and nerves that feed them, which are attached to the bone base.

In more complex cases, the cause of disruption of nerve impulse transmission may be:

traumatic brain injury;
spinal injury;
diseases of the central nervous system;
congenital anomalies.

Such cases are considered individually at an appointment with a neurologist, who will select effective treatment.

Causes of blood flow disturbances may also include:

varicose veins of the legs;
inferior vena cava syndrome;
chronic disorders of venous outflow caused by frostbite, thrombosis, polyneuropathy, atherosclerosis, etc.

Pressure

Pressing the calf muscle is also effective. Feel the muscle that is cramped. It will feel very dense to the touch. Press firmly on it with your thumbs, clasping your leg with your hands in a ring. Press, hold for a few seconds, release the pressure, then press again. A series of such movements will relieve the spasm.

Kneading

You can also stretch the muscle. This should be done with force, and not “stroking”. Grasp the calf with both hands, as if you want to pinch the calf muscle, from the outside or from the inside. Using pressing movements, massage the lower leg up and down until the spasm goes away.

Any of these manipulations effectively relieves cramps in the calf muscle.

Treatment of seizures with folk remedies

It is often suggested to prick the leg with a needle to create a stronger pain sensation “to switch” the nervous system. You can also “beat” a cramped muscle with the edge of your palm, but it is better to apply pinpoint pressure or knead the muscle.

Massage of calf muscles

After the spasm passes and the pain subsides, massage your legs. Massage stimulates blood circulation, promotes the removal of metabolic waste from tissues, and relaxes muscles.

It is useful to lie down for a while with your legs elevated to improve venous outflow or give your leg a little physical activity to “get the blood going.”

Warm your feet, dress warmly, wrap your feet in a blanket, take a hot foot bath.

Medicine for leg cramps

In the medicinal treatment of frequent severe seizures, doctors use magnesium and potassium preparations, and for special indications - anticonvulsants.

Do not use anti-seizure medications unless prescribed by a doctor.

Now you know about the causes and treatment of calf cramps and can easily cope with them. Good health and good health to you. Click on the social network buttons and share useful information with your friends.

Sometimes a person may feel sudden muscle spasms that cause severe pain. Some people experience convulsions on a daily basis. Home remedies can help cope with this phenomenon. But in order to prevent recurrence of seizures, it is important to completely change your lifestyle. Let's take a closer look at what calf muscle cramps are, why they appear, and what to do when they make themselves felt.

Symptoms and types of seizures

Cramps in the calves have the following symptoms:

During tonic-clonic spasms, the person suddenly loses consciousness and the pupils become dilated. The convulsions last 10 seconds, the skeleton is tense, the eyes roll up. Then, for another 40 seconds, the muscles of the torso sharply contract and relax. At the end of the attack, the person falls asleep or feels briefly stunned. You may also experience bloody foam coming from the mouth, excessive salivation, and tongue biting;
Myoclonic spasms affect the entire skeleton, facial muscles or fingers. Most often they affect children and adolescents. During an attack, a person may be injured by falling;
With partial convulsive seizures, a person does not lose consciousness. During such cramps, the calves, hands and face cramp. A person feels pain and severe tension in the muscles.

Factors that cause seizures

If you have experienced calf cramps at least once, it is important to visit a neurologist, as they can indicate various serious and not so serious diseases.

The main causes of seizures:

Lack of vitamin D, magnesium and calcium;
Hypothermia of the legs or whole body;
Stressful situations;
Getting injured;
Inflammation in the body;
Varicose veins;
Neurological problems;
Thyroid diseases;
Diabetes.

In addition to the listed factors, there are also such reasons for the development of seizures as too much excitement, stressful situations, and disturbances in electrolyte metabolism.

Having experienced the symptoms of seizures, you should immediately consult a doctor to determine the exact causes of this defect in the body.

An experienced specialist will find out why convulsions occur and promptly prescribe correct and effective treatment.

Muscle spasms in children

You can drink thyme infusion for 30 days. A tablespoon of herb should be poured with a glass of boiling water. Leave for a couple of hours and strain. Drink 15 grams three times a day;
After a month of taking thyme infusion, you can drink linden blossom tincture. Fill a glass jar with linden flowers and fill it with vodka. Leave for 21 days, shaking occasionally. When the tincture is ready, you need to strain and drink a teaspoon twice a day. Before going to bed, you need to drink another 15 grams of infusion;
To rub your feet, you can prepare this warming rub. Mix camphor oil with grated garlic in a 1:2 ratio. Let it brew for at least ten days. The garlic should be removed and the resulting product should be rubbed onto the calves as needed;
Mix barley (20 grams) with oats (10 grams), peeled acorns (30 grams) and rye (30 grams). Then add chicory root (15 grams) and dandelions (15 grams). The resulting herbal mixture is prepared like natural coffee. Honey is added to the drink instead of sugar. Tasty and healthy!

Identifying the causes of seizures

To diagnose serious diseases that cause cramps in your calves, it is enough to check your blood pressure and take a blood test. In serious cases, the doctor may order a full examination of all organs, which will accurately tell why seizures occur.

Treating seizures

Having determined why calf muscle cramps occur, it is important to begin treatment. It is necessary not only to train the calf muscles, but also to eliminate the causes that cause convulsions.

Treatment for calf muscle cramps:

If the cause of seizures is impaired mineral metabolism, treatment will consist of changing the diet. That is, the patient should consume more foods rich in vitamins and minerals. In serious situations, the doctor is forced to resort to introducing special drugs into the body;
If the cause of seizures is varicose veins, it is important to treat the vessels of the venous bed;
If the cause of seizures is epilepsy, anticonvulsant medications are taken. For example, a doctor may prescribe a course of phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproic acid or lamotrigine;
If the body does not receive enough oxygen to relieve the spasm, you need to saturate the blood with oxygen by inhaling it through a special mask;
If spasms are caused by brain developmental defects, anticonvulsants are used;
If the patient has suffered due to meningitis, antibacterial therapy is carried out to prevent the development of seizures;
To cope with febrile vascular spasms, it is necessary to take an antipyretic drug, which will lower high body temperature and normalize breathing;
When dehydrated, convulsions are eliminated by infusion of fluid through the veins. It is important to normalize the volume of circulating blood;
In some situations, an experienced specialist resorts to acupuncture to relieve leg spasms. During this procedure, all needles must be carefully cleaned, and the doctor must know how and where to inject with a needle.

Treatment and prevention of calf muscle cramps also include special massages that warm up the muscles and increase blood flow in them. To strengthen your leg muscles, it is useful to do gymnastics.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional medications that contain calcium and vitamin D.

Preventive measures

To prevent the recurrence of calf muscle cramps, it is important to carry out prevention, which consists of the following:

Change your menu. Eat fresh fruits and greens. To enrich the body with calcium, it is useful to enjoy cottage cheese, cheese, other dairy products, and almonds. To replenish the loss of magnesium, walnuts, legumes and buckwheat are recommended for consumption. Potassium can be found in dried fruits, dried apricots, seeds, beets and garlic;
In addition to a proper and balanced diet, you can drink a vitamin-mineral complex;
In order to prevent leg cramps, special exercises are recommended on the doctor’s recommendation;
To relieve pain and discomfort in the legs, you can resort to massage, which you can do yourself or visit a massage therapist;
It is beneficial to walk on your heels for a couple of minutes every day.

Leg cramps are not dangerous. But, if spasms are repeated systematically, they can signal some serious illness. In this case, why convulsive attacks occur, the doctor must figure out.

Now you know why cramps occur in the calves, what they are and how they are treated.

The main thing is to promptly seek help from experienced specialists in order to alleviate the condition and begin proper treatment, which will help prevent further recurrent seizures.

A sharp, spastic contraction of muscles that cannot be controlled by conscious will is a cramp. They can occur in any group of striated muscles. Cramps of the calf muscles occur in people of any age, gender, regardless of occupation.

Causes and pathogenesis

The patient feels a cramp as a painful contraction of a muscle group, which makes movement in this area impossible. A spasm of the calf muscle occurs in both men and women, children, adolescents, and less often in elderly people.

The causes of the condition of convulsive muscle contraction may be the following:

insufficient levels of calcium and potassium in the blood serum;
insufficient amount of liquid blood;
the use of medications that remove microelements from the body;
administration of blood and plasma products;
alcoholic liver damage;
varicose veins;
thrombophlebitis;
hyperthermia;
pregnancy;
diabetes;
smoking, especially long-term;
violation of the formation of the correct arch of the foot;
intoxication;
poisoning;
poisonous insect bites;
pathology of the central nervous system;
injuries.

The pathogenesis of the development of calf muscle cramps depends on the cause that caused them. A common point that contributes to the appearance of a painful spasm is a violation of nerve conduction in the innervation zone.

Low blood calcium leads to insufficient transmission of electrical impulses at neuromuscular synapses. Calcium is a natural signal transmission speed enhancer. Insufficient calcification of blood serum leads to leaching of calcium from the skeletal bones. Thinning bone tissue makes normal muscle forces in that part of the body excessive in relation to it.

Dehydration is a dangerous condition for any age and gender. In childhood, an insufficient amount of fluid in the body leads to disturbances in nerve conduction not only in the striated muscles of the skeleton, but also in the heart. Often, dehydration in young children quickly leads to death because the heart cannot cope with the thickened blood. For an adult, blood clotting does not quickly lead to tragedy. However, a small amount of the liquid part of the blood - plasma, makes the heart work harder, and the blood stagnates in the lower part of the body. Swelling appears, which may be accompanied by cramps of the calf muscles.

Uncontrolled and thoughtless use of diuretic (diuretic) medications, which, along with excess fluid, remove potassium and calcium, often leads to the appearance of cramps in the calf muscles. A special role in the occurrence of seizures is played by an insufficient amount of magnesium not only in the blood plasma, but deposited in the tissues of the body.

Magnesium may be excreted from the body when taking diuretics or may not be sufficiently absorbed from food. This occurs during treatment with coating and antacid drugs. To avoid such a result, microelements should be administered in parallel to compensate for losses.

It is for this reason that we must remember that self-medication is unacceptable. Only a doctor should prescribe any medications!

Alcoholic destruction of the liver contributes to disruption of hematopoiesis and blood destruction, blood circulation through the main vessels. These disorders lead to insufficient blood supply to the lower part of the body, which increases congestion and nerve conduction disorders.

During pregnancy, calcium deficiency is especially pronounced. Pregnant women often complain of discomfort caused by cramps in the calf muscles. Also, in the last stages of pregnancy, blood supply disturbances appear, which contributes to spasms of muscle groups.

Diabetes mellitus leads to persistent impairment of peripheral blood supply, especially to the lower extremities. Impaired absorption of nutrients from the blood in diabetes mellitus leads to irreversible consequences for the vascular wall and nerve endings. The lower extremities may lose sensation, leading to periodic cramps in the calf muscles.

Regular intake of nicotine into the blood poisons the body, and the action occurs at the level of the small vascular network of capillaries. Often, experienced smokers complain of cramping pain in the calf muscles. This is due to the loss of elasticity of the vascular wall, increased permeability, and impaired nutrition of the calf muscle tissue.

Injuries and flat feet physically prevent the normal flow of blood into muscle tissue. Constant muscle tension or vascular spasm, compression of nerve fibers lead to cramps in the calf muscles. They may occur periodically or bother the patient at night.

Intoxication, poisoning do not always lead to nervous or vascular disorders. However, some toxic substances have a predominant nerve-paralytic effect or spastic effect. This can be expressed at the level of cramps in any muscle group, including the calf.

Diseases of the central nervous system can result in blocking the transmission of nerve signals in muscle fibers. These pathologies can be of tumor origin, which affect certain brain structures responsible for movement. This may be a stroke or ischemia of structures that coordinate the blood supply or innervation of muscle groups.

Other reasons or a combination of them include many factors such as:

temperature changes, for example, taking a contrast shower or bath;
excessive body weight;
stress, including physical;
staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

All of the above reasons and their combinations lead to cramps in the calf muscles. The nocturnal form of manifestation of the pathology is often encountered.

Symptoms

It is customary to distinguish several clinical forms of convulsive contraction of muscle structures: spastic, clonic, tonic, partial, alcoholic, myoclonic. The form of manifestation depends on the cause of the seizure, the level of the disorder, and the muscle group affected by the seizure changes.

Common subjective symptoms for any seizure are:

When a cramp occurs, the patient feels a sharp pain. It is acute, spastic in nature, some describe the sensation as being pulled by a foreign pressing object from the outside. Skin sensitivity is impaired. A feeling of numbness sets in, and the ability to make conscious movements of the limb is temporarily lost.

Movement of the legs in this condition is difficult. Patients have impaired gait, there may be a lack of coordination, and instability in a standing position. They take a forced body position until the moment when the convulsive sensation goes away.

Extraneous sensations are present in most patients. These may be chaotic spasms, crawling, tingling or tingling sensations. Such manifestations are not always pleasant; they can be quite strong and cause discomfort after the seizure attack has passed.

Often such symptoms of seizures accompany the course of epilepsy of various forms. The spasm can be so strong that the patient loses consciousness from the pain, faints, and involuntary urination and bowel movements may occur.

Cramps often occur at night. This is due to the fact that at night, brain control weakens, muscles relax, and accumulated metabolic products irritate the fibers of the nervous network. After a cramp, a feeling of pain remains, often quite strong. For some patients, the pain after the attack is much more noticeable than the spasm itself. The muscles hurt after the convulsive spasm disappears because pathological decay products accumulate in them, blood stagnates, and the muscles do not receive sufficient nutrition.

Treatment

Help should begin with a thorough search for the cause and analysis of the frequency of attacks, connections with provoking factors, and concomitant diseases. If convulsions occur, first aid must be provided:

Treatment should further include rationalization of diet. Inclusion in its composition of products rich in microelements necessary for the normal functioning of neuromuscular synapses. These are vegetables, fruits, seaweed, nuts, pectin products. It is especially important to introduce a sufficient amount of meat, liver, buckwheat, dairy and fermented milk products into the diet.

Physical activity must be brought into line with the needs and capabilities of the body. If they are deficient, increased attention should be paid to this issue; if there is excessive training or physical labor, the intensity should be reduced to reasonable limits. Bringing your weight back to normal levels will also relieve stress on your calf muscles.

Pregnant women should pay special attention to the intake of calcium and magnesium from food. It is necessary to eat cottage cheese, cheese, dairy products, nuts, bananas, fish, raisins, dried apricots, and at the same time limit carbohydrates, sweets, and salty foods.

It is imperative to compensate for the lack of microelements potassium, calcium, magnesium through vitamin-mineral complexes that contain a balanced composition. These drugs are designed in such a way that the amount of vitamins and microelements promotes maximum absorption and is in a bioavailable form for integration into metabolic processes.

Treatment of convulsive tendencies necessarily involves the treatment of underlying diseases in which seizures are a secondary symptom. It is imperative to carry out therapy under the supervision of an endocrinologist in the presence of diabetes mellitus. A consultation with a surgeon will help determine varicose veins or thrombophlebitis. In case of these diseases, it is strictly forbidden to perform massage to relax muscles cramped. It is better to bandage the leg with an elastic bandage to apply the correct pressure on the venous wall and normalize blood flow.

Symptoms and types of seizures

Cramps in the calves have the following symptoms:

During tonic-clonic spasms, the person suddenly loses consciousness and the pupils become dilated. The convulsions last 10 seconds, the skeleton is tense, the eyes roll up. Then, for another 40 seconds, the muscles of the torso sharply contract and relax. At the end of the attack, the person falls asleep or feels briefly stunned. You may also experience bloody foam coming from the mouth, excessive salivation, and tongue biting;
Myoclonic spasms affect the entire skeleton, facial muscles or fingers. Most often they affect children and adolescents. During an attack, a person may be injured by falling;
With partial convulsive seizures, a person does not lose consciousness. During such cramps, the calves, hands and face cramp. A person feels pain and severe tension in the muscles.

Factors that cause seizures

If you have experienced calf cramps at least once, it is important to visit a neurologist, as they can indicate various serious and not so serious diseases.

The main causes of seizures:

Lack of vitamin D, magnesium and calcium;
Hypothermia of the legs or whole body;
Stressful situations;
Getting injured;
Inflammation in the body;
Varicose veins;
Neurological problems;
Thyroid diseases;
Diabetes.

In addition to the listed factors, there are also such reasons for the development of seizures as too much excitement, stressful situations, and disturbances in electrolyte metabolism.

Having experienced the symptoms of seizures, you should immediately consult a doctor to determine the exact causes of this defect in the body.

An experienced specialist will find out why convulsions occur and promptly prescribe correct and effective treatment.

Muscle spasms in children

To determine why calf cramps occur in children, it is important to visit a pediatrician. The appearance of seizures is caused by symptoms of calcium and vitamin D deficiency, the development of serious diseases or epilepsy.

Often cramps in the calves during sleep. In case of a cramp, it is necessary to rub the child’s leg with warming ointment. The baby should stand on his toes. Children's diet must necessarily consist of cottage cheese, hard cheeses, dried apricots, and raisins. The doctor should tell you what to do in the future if seizures recur. He can also prescribe treatment.

How to act to help yourself

When your calves cramp, the question arises, what to do? First of all, it is important to perform the following activities:

Ignoring the pain, you need to slowly pull the toes of the pinched foot toward you;
Feel or scratch the stiff muscles and rub your leg with strong movements;
You can also apply a warm mustard plaster to the cramping area or direct a hot shower onto your leg, which your skin can tolerate.

After providing first aid to yourself during an attack of calf muscle spasm, it is important to call a doctor. The specialist must determine why the convulsion occurred by carefully examining and interviewing the patient.

Night cramps

If your legs cramp at night, a person becomes scared, and he begins to panic and think about what to do in such a situation. First you need to calm down! Then try to stand up and walk barefoot on the floor. If the spasm does not go away, you can put your feet in a bowl of hot water or treat them with warming ointment and put on warm socks. Heat will quickly relieve the cramp. Additionally, you can drink hot tea or milk. When you go to bed, be sure to place your feet below head level.

Traditional medicine and night leg cramps

To get rid of night cramps in the calf muscles, you can use the following traditional medicine recipes:

Identifying the causes of seizures

To diagnose serious diseases that cause cramps in your calves, it is enough to check your blood pressure and take a blood test. In serious cases, the doctor may order a full examination of all organs, which will accurately tell why seizures occur.

Treating seizures

Having determined why calf muscle cramps occur, it is important to begin treatment. It is necessary not only to train the calf muscles, but also to eliminate the causes that cause convulsions.

Treatment for calf muscle cramps:

If the cause of seizures is impaired mineral metabolism, treatment will consist of changing the diet. That is, the patient should consume more foods rich in vitamins and minerals. In serious situations, the doctor is forced to resort to introducing special drugs into the body;
If the cause of seizures is varicose veins, it is important to treat the vessels of the venous bed;
If the cause of seizures is epilepsy, anticonvulsants are taken. For example, a doctor may prescribe a course of phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproic acid or lamotrigine;
If the body does not receive enough oxygen to relieve the spasm, you need to saturate the blood with oxygen by inhaling it through a special mask;
If spasms are caused by brain developmental defects, anticonvulsants are used;
If the patient has suffered due to meningitis, antibacterial therapy is carried out to prevent the development of seizures;
To cope with febrile vascular spasms, it is necessary to take an antipyretic drug, which will lower high body temperature and normalize breathing;
When dehydrated, convulsions are eliminated by infusion of fluid through the veins. It is important to normalize the volume of circulating blood;
In some situations, an experienced specialist resorts to acupuncture to relieve leg spasms. During this procedure, all needles must be carefully cleaned, and the doctor must know how and where to inject with a needle.

Treatment and prevention of calf muscle cramps also include special massages that warm up the muscles and increase blood flow in them. To strengthen your leg muscles, it is useful to do gymnastics.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional medications that contain calcium and vitamin D.

Preventive measures

To prevent the recurrence of calf muscle cramps, it is important to carry out prevention, which consists of the following:

Change your menu. Eat fresh fruits and greens. To enrich the body with calcium, it is useful to enjoy cottage cheese, cheese, other dairy products, and almonds. To replenish the loss of magnesium, walnuts, legumes and buckwheat are recommended for consumption. Potassium can be found in dried fruits, dried apricots, seeds, beets and garlic;
In addition to a proper and balanced diet, you can drink a vitamin-mineral complex;
In order to prevent leg cramps, special exercises are recommended on the doctor’s recommendation;
To relieve pain and discomfort in the legs, you can resort to massage, which you can do yourself or visit a massage therapist;
It is beneficial to walk on your heels for a couple of minutes every day.

Leg cramps are not dangerous. But, if spasms are repeated systematically, they can signal some serious illness. In this case, why convulsive attacks occur, the doctor must figure out.

There are several versions causes of cramps in the calf muscle or in the thigh muscle. Western neurologists put forward their theory, according to which it is a protective mechanism of the body. A person may think that he is able to jog at a distance of, for example, 10 kilometers. But the part of the brain that is responsible for motor activity “claims” that this person cannot run more than 5 kilometers. As a result, after the 5 kilometers set by the brain, even if a person believes that he has enough strength to run further, the brain sends a signal through the nervous system, ordering the muscle to contract. And as a result - calf muscle cramp.

Another version partially complements the first. It is based on the fact that nerve impulses entering the calf muscles do not always pass smoothly; sometimes they seem to “stumble.” This may occur due to a lack of micronutrient salts (potassium, sodium) in the body. Since these substances are responsible for the passage of impulses, and if there is not the required amount of them, the impulse lacks “current”.

The disappearance of microelements from the body is a rhetorical question. The modern world offers so much incomprehensible food that it is simply difficult to find something useful there. Salts are washed out of the body along with the exiting fluid, for example, sweat. Pregnant women are more likely to experience cramps due to a lack of microelements, since everything useful is spent on the life support of the fetus.

Another version is based on the fact that cause of calf muscle cramp a banal circulatory disorder. That is, blood goes down the legs through the arteries, and should go up through the veins. But due to the predominantly sedentary lifestyle and work of modern man, this does not happen; there is not enough push for the “pump” that would drive the blood through the veins. This can also lead to varicose veins. If you don’t stretch your stiff legs in time, the result is still the same - convulsions.

If your legs cramp not often, literally once every couple of months, then this is not a reason to worry and stop at clinics. This may be simple fatigue and here you just need to give your legs a rest, for example, raise them above your head. But if this starts to happen more often, then you should think about it and run to the doctor. Because it could be a sign of a disease. By the way, you shouldn’t pay attention to the cramps that happen in cold water. They only carry the danger of drowning (which should not be forgotten), but are not a sign of disease. This occurs due to vasospasm with a sharp change in temperature, disruption of blood flow and convulsions.

Treatment of calf muscle cramps

Coping with what's coming calf muscle cramp possible in different ways. A pin can also help if you stick it into the contracted muscle. Just remember that the needle may not be sterile, and there is a risk of piercing a large vessel. Throwing your legs up on the wall and just relaxing will also help. But this technique will not work with a severe cramp, because it is difficult to relax with severe pain. And it’s not so easy to do this during the day, in an office environment, for example. A simple massage may be a more effective method, because the most important thing is to warm up the “problem” muscle when a cramp occurs. It is also helpful to do stretching exercises.

When advancing calf muscle cramps the most important thing is to restore normal blood circulation in the problem area as soon as possible and not to panic. And try to do something to “let go of the leg.”

Night cramps of the calf muscles - the causes of this phenomenon are often hidden in irritation of the nerve roots as a result of the natural aging of the vertebral bodies. In themselves, such convulsions are not dangerous, however, if they are repeated regularly and for no reason, then you need to think about it, since this may indicate certain diseases. A visit to the doctor can help you understand the reasons for calf cramps at night.

Calf muscle cramp at night- This is an uncommon phenomenon, but it can bring significant discomfort to a person. This often happens to older people and pregnant women. You can tell that a cramp is approaching by severe pain in the calf and muscle. Subsequent muscle contractions are also painful and unpleasant, and they can appear in the calf itself and also spread to the foot. During a cramp, it is problematic to touch the leg, since piercing pain occurs anywhere. In healthy people, this phenomenon is often provoked by keeping the leg in the same position for a long time; after some time, spasms begin. Such cramps are not dangerous; as a rule, they are not frequent and pass quickly if you rub your leg. And if they occur frequently, for no particular reason, then the body may be susceptible to some serious disease. The most dangerous are convulsions in water.

What are the reasons for calf muscle cramps?

The main causes of calf muscle cramps are as follows::

The response of the human nervous system to prolonged uncomfortable posture.

In addition, seizures may indicate more serious diseases, such as pathologies of brain development, hypoxia, inflammation of the meninges, brain tumors, febrile conditions, epilepsy, late toxicosis during pregnancy, drug poisoning, metabolic disorders, calcium and magnesium deficiency (for example , during heavy physical activity, calcium is removed from the body along with sweat), rapid temperature changes (immersion in cold water). Human heredity also plays a significant role, that is, if parents often had convulsions, then children can also be subject to similar spasms.

How can you eliminate calf muscle cramps at night? Treatment of muscle spasms.

Treatment for calf cramps will depend on the cause.. Infrequent, mild spasms may not be treated at all; you just need to rub your leg and everything will go away. Sometimes acupuncture can be used to help with severe cramps, but it is preferable to have this procedure performed by a specialist who knows the correct points on the body to insert the needle. If spasms occur frequently and are very painful, you should be examined. Initially, they pay attention to the circulatory system, since in the case of narrowed or clogged vessels that create a deficiency of muscle oxygen, the problem must be eliminated.

If cramps occur due to a lack of calcium, then initially you need to drink a vitamin complex, and also more often consume foods that contain this trace element (milk, vegetables, oatmeal, liver and fruits). If spasms do not go away, it is recommended to undergo an in-depth neuropathological examination. In this case, the doctor may prescribe the following drugs: Quinine, Baclofen or Diazepam. To treat cramps, massage is also used to promote blood circulation in the calf muscle and improve oxygen supply.

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The majority of people practically never experience muscle cramps, but there are people who are systematically bothered by this problem. You need to understand that the muscle hurts for a reason. Calf muscle cramps can be cured, but changing your lifestyle will help get rid of the disease completely and prevent further cramps from occurring.

During a calf muscle cramp, the patient's leg muscle begins to sharply contract.

The muscle begins to contract due to the fact that lactic acid accumulates in the muscle due to heaviness and fatigue. In addition, there is a failure of blood circulation in the lower extremities, and nerve dysfunction occurs, which begins when sitting or lying in an uncomfortable position.

The reasons for the development of calf muscle cramps can be very different. Some of them that can occur in people of any age group are listed below:

1 Small volume of oxygen masses entering the limbs, or in other words - hypoxia.
2 Any defect in the development of the brain.
3 Neuroinfectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, etc.).
4 Lack of glucose and nutrients, calcium, magnesium in the blood.
5 Injury to the child during childbirth.
6 Injury to the brain, skull.
7 Brain cancer or benign brain tumor.
8 Epileptic seizures.
9 High body temperature.
10 Difficult childbearing, gestosis.
11 Poisoning of the body with medications.
12 Disrupted process of salt and fluid exchange in the body.

It has also been established that the reasons that cause cramps in the calf muscles may be hidden in a person’s exposure to very bright light or very loud sounds. The calf muscle can also cramp due to a hereditary predisposition. The risk of development is higher in those people who have a relative who has experienced calf muscle cramps.

Types of pain

Seizures are divided into three types:

1 Tonic-clonic.
2 Myoclonic.
3 Partial.

If cramps in the calf muscles occur at night, this phenomenon is mistakenly called spasms - this is a pathological condition referred to in medicine as “myoclonus”. During this attack, a spasm occurs, but it does not provoke fainting. Scientists have proven that “myoclonus” develops due to negative changes that have occurred in the extrapyramidal region of the brain and due to a decrease in calcium levels in the blood. Cramps at night, occurring at least once every 30 days, are a herald of the development of the disease. For example, if cramps systematically occur at night in women, this may indicate the development of varicose veins or calcium deficiency.

When cramps develop while your legs are in cold water, this indicates that vasoconstriction or strain is occurring as a result of the muscles being exposed to very cold temperatures. Often the legs cramp from cold water in people who lack calcium, or in people with any pathologies of the spine. Leg muscles can cramp due to excessive physical activity. During sports, a person sweats and loses potassium and calcium, resulting in cramps in the calf muscles. The spasm can also occur during the night's rest. This happens due to the fact that a person lies in an uncomfortable position, and when changing position, the muscle suddenly tenses, which ultimately leads to a spasm of this muscle group.

Treatment of the disease

And there was pain in the calf muscles? Cramps and pain may be symptoms of varicose veins. Typically, cramps are not the only symptom of varicose veins; they are accompanied by other phenomena:

pain;
swelling;
disturbance of blood flow in the veins of the lower extremities.

A needle injection into the muscle that has cramped is very helpful for spasms. But only a person who knows a lot about this matter can give an injection. The needle is injected into special points, and not just anywhere. Doctors do not advise injecting the muscle yourself, as in this case there is a risk of getting an infection through the injection, which will provoke the development of a serious complication, an infectious disease. In addition, by injecting yourself, you can damage the nerves and blood vessels that are located on the lower extremities close to the skin.

The main reason why the disease occurs is stagnation of blood in the lower extremities, as well as a violation of the metabolic process of calcium and sodium that occurs in muscle tissue.

Muscles become excited when there is a deficiency of potassium ions. A person experiences a feeling of weakness in the calf muscles, general fatigue of the body, and as a result, cramps develop, the muscles twitch, and the feet contract spasmodically. Development usually manifests itself during the period of night rest. This happens due to the fact that during sleep the limbs remain motionless or in an awkward position for a long time, as a result of which venous blood flow is disrupted and convulsions occur. Doctors recommend taking prophylaxis - this will prevent new seizures from appearing. It is very good to do therapeutic massage of the lower extremities, as it warms up the muscles and improves blood flow. Physical exercise helps prevent the development of seizures. In addition, your diet should be adjusted. The diet should include:

fermented milk products;
fruit products;
vegetable products;
oat porridge.

You cannot deprive your body of vitamins and nutrients. You should drink vitamin D and calcium. These elements normalize the level of calcium in the blood, which reduces the likelihood of developing cramps in the calf muscles. The development of seizures can be a signal of the presence of a serious pathology, therefore, as soon as the first symptoms are detected, you should consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and, if necessary, prescribe the correct therapy.

First aid

A mild cramp can be relieved by massaging the calf muscle. You need to carefully rub the muscle, this will increase blood flow, and the pain should stop. You can very quickly relieve symptoms by pulling your big toe towards you. You can also relieve pain by carefully and slowly shifting from foot to foot. Severe and prolonged cramps are more difficult to remove. In this case, a hot heating pad applied to the muscle can help. If symptoms persist, you should call an ambulance.

Symptom manifestation in pregnant women and children

The development of cramps in the calf muscles can develop in a woman carrying a child. This happens in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, since during this period the woman’s weight increases and the load on her legs increases. In addition, in a pregnant woman, the balance of micro- and macroelements is disturbed, which also provokes pain in the calf muscles. All this leads to venous congestion in the legs, and the woman may experience pain both at night and during the day. In addition, during pregnancy, the function of the parathyroid glands, which are responsible for regulating calcium in the blood, decreases. Naturally, because of this, the ratio of magnesium and calcium is disrupted - convulsions occur. A pregnant woman may suffer from pain due to the fact that she does not have enough glucose in her body. A woman must eat right. It is recommended to include in the daily menu:

If a child systematically experiences cramps in the calf muscles at night, you should visit a pediatrician as soon as possible. Seizures in children may indicate a lack of vitamin D and calcium in the body. It is important to consult a doctor, as they may be a symptom of the development of a serious disease such as epilepsy. You can notice seizures in a child during sleep. They arise spontaneously. As first aid, you can try rubbing the leg with a special warming ointment and asking the baby to stand on his toes and toes. It is good for the child to step from foot to foot. The baby's diet should be balanced. Every day your child should be given:

dried apricot;
hard cheeses;
raisin;
curd products.

If a child experiences a cramp in the calf muscle, this is a sign that it is necessary to see a doctor. Timely and correct treatment will help avoid the development of negative consequences and health problems. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, since, as already mentioned, a seizure can be a symptom of the development of a dangerous pathology. The only correct solution is a visit to a practicing specialist who can correctly determine the causes of the problem and prescribe the necessary treatment.