Archive for October, 2009
Painful Leg Cramps, What Can I do?
October 14th, 2009
As the name suggests, nocturnal leg cramps occur at night while sleeping or resting, and the cramps aggravate with age.
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Read more about the various causes and treatment methods of night leg cramps in greater detail.
Also called charley horse, with this cramping the commonly affected areas of the body are the calf, foot and the thigh. Although referred to as nocturnal leg cramps, they can occur at any time of the day or night.
Night leg cramps are not chronic and may last for about 10 minutes with possible soreness after they are gone.
These cramps are not gender specific and they might affect both men and women equally and apart from people who are more than 50 years of age, small children are also affected at times.
Some Remedies For Nocturnal Leg Cramps
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water, indulging in stretching exercises, wearing shoes which give proper support and maintaining a proper posture while sleeping, are some of the preventive measures that can be followed in order to reduce the frequency of nocturnal spasms.
Causes Of Nocturnal Leg Cramps
There are no such definite causes of nighttime leg cramps, however, based on assumptions and possibilities, there are some cases that have been linked with these cramps. These include overuse or overexertion of muscles, sitting in the same place for a long period of time or sitting in an improper posture and dehydration. Being dehydrated is considered as one of the causes of cramps generally, as there is not enough water for transporting vitamins, minerals and other substances throughout the body.
Leg cramps while sleeping have been found to be common among expecting mothers and elderly, probably due to poor blood circulation in their limbs. People with a sedentary lifestyle are also vulnerable to leg cramps and they become prone to this disease if they do not maintain enough consumption of water for the body to remain hydrated. Nocturnal leg cramps have also been found common among people who have deficiencies of calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, endocrine disorders and medications such as contraceptive pills (birth control pills) have also been hold responsible for the occurrence of leg cramping at night.
How To Treat Night Leg Cramps?
It has been found that people suffering from leg cramps and spasms increased the level of potassium in their diet and seemed to have reduced the frequency of cramps. Some examples of potassium rich foods are bananas, apricots, nectarines, dates, grapes or raisins, beans, the cabbage/broccoli family of vegetables, oranges, grapefruit and its juice, pork, lamb, potatoes and corn, saltwater fish (like tuna), tomatoes and tomato juice.
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Pain from leg cramps, that might occur suddenly, after getting up from the bed, can be relieved by applying a hot compress and massaging the cramped muscles. Even soaking the affected leg in warm water reduces the pain to a great extent.
Another cure for leg cramps is the exercise of holding your toes to stretch your calf muscle. Pull them towards your knee and extend the leg straight out. This is an effective exercise which can be followed before going to bed and after waking up. While you are doing this exercise, you will feel the effect in the back of your calf muscles. Stretching the legs and Achilles tendons on a regular basis shows major improvements in leg cramps treatment.
The calves, when toned and well stretched, are less prone to developing cramps. For this, exercises such as ‘toe-ups’ and ‘wall stretches’ are helpful.
Being aware of such cramp treatments, comes in handy at times when there are less chances of getting any medical aid
However, in serious cases, where the pain becomes unbearable, a doctor should be the first point of contact. He is the one who can pinpoint the causes and provide the right remedy.
By Rajib Singha
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Posted in Night leg Cramps | 
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Leg Cramps in Bed
October 6th, 2009
Picture this scenario. You are settling down for a good night’s rest after having had a rather busy day and you are lookng forward to waking up again in the morning refreshed and raring to go. And what happens? You are woken up in the middle of the night with a darned leg cramp and boy, is it painful!
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Sudden and forceful contractions of the leg muscles can cause leg cramps, which occur mainly during nighttime. Let us know more about leg cramps in bed
It is the contraction of muscles, which enables the physical movement of human beings.
But a sudden and involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles can cause cramps.
Such cramps may be accompanied by severe pain too. The most common among muscle cramps are leg cramps, which are also known as ‘charley horse cramps’.
Leg cramps are caused by the sudden and forceful contraction of leg muscles, especially those in the calf, the hamstring and the quadriceps.
Sometimes, even the small muscles in the feet can also cause cramps. Leg cramps are common among the aged and pregnant women, but young people may also experience this condition.
Leg Cramps in Bed
Generally, leg cramps occur when you rest, especially during the night. Such leg cramps are also called night leg cramps. In most cases, the contraction of calf muscles is the reason for cramps, but the thigh or feet muscles can also cause cramps. Leg cramps in bed may last for a few seconds to a few minutes, but in some cases, it may last even longer. The intensity of the pain also varies and in most cases, it is severe enough to wake the person up. Even if the cramp ends, the muscle may remain sore for some time. Most people experience occasional leg cramps, but for some people, especially, the aged, this problem can be more frequent.
What Causes Leg Cramps in Bed?
There is no precise medical cause for leg cramps in bed. According to research, cramps are caused when the muscles, which are in a shortened position, are stimulated to contract. This theory explains the relation between the sleeping position and the contraction of leg muscles. Most people sleep with their legs slightly bent and the knees pointing downwards. In this position, the calf muscles are in a shortened form and any contraction can lead to cramps.
There are many other contributing factors to leg cramps in bed, which can include some physical conditions. Night leg cramps may be due to dehydration, overexertion of muscles, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, excess alcohol consumption, some nerve disorder, etc. Prolonged sitting or lying down in the same position may restrict the blood flow through the concerned muscles and cause leg cramps.
People with low levels of certain minerals, like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium, leg cramps can be frequent. Use of some specific medications can also be the cause of leg cramps in some people. Drugs may also worsen the situation for those who are already affected by frequent leg cramps. Narrowing of the arteries of the legs, leads to poor blood circulation to the legs and can cause cramps. There are many other common conditions, which can be the reasons for leg cramps in bed.
How to Prevent Leg Cramps in Bed?
The most common treatment for leg cramps in bed is stretching exercises. Though researchers have a different opinion regarding the efficacy of this method, many people find it beneficial in preventing leg cramps to a large extent. Regular stretching of leg muscles, especially those in the calf, is effective.
In case of leg cramps in bed, you have to be careful about the sleeping posture. Though, there is no scientific evidence to prove the same, expert opinion is that a proper posture, that prevents the shortening of calf muscles, can be of much help in reducing the occurrence of leg cramps. If you like to sleep on your back, then prop your feet up with the help of a pillow. When sleeping on your front side, try to hang your feet over the end of the bed. Make sure that the blankets are loose and do not force the toes and feet to point downwards during sleep. Check whether any current medication is causing these muscle cramps. Warm showers before bed time can help to some extent.
Remedies
> For a list of natural remedies for night leg cramps click here
In case of leg cramps in bed, try some stretching. Gently massage the area and if there is persistent muscle discomfort, you can have a mild painkiller. Quinine tablets are also effective, but it can cause side effects in some people, especially pregnant women. Try this medicine, only after consulting your doctor. However, exercises are the best way to get rid of leg cramps in bed.
By Sonia Nair
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