Leg Cramps

( Charley's horse, Muscle spasm,  मांसपेशियों में ऐंठन )

Leg cramps, or Charley horses, are a common problem that affects the feet, calves, and thigh muscles. They involve sudden, painful, and involuntary contractions of a leg muscle. They often occur while a person is sleeping or resting. T

Introduction

A leg cramp is an episode of sudden pain in the muscles of the leg caused by an involuntary contracting (shortening) of the leg muscle. Most leg cramps occur in the calf muscles and, less commonly, in the feet and thighs. Cramps can last from a few seconds up to 10 minutes. Thigh muscle cramps tend to last the longest.

Leg cramps involve sudden, painful, and involuntary contractions of a leg muscle, causing pain and discomfort in the feet, calves, and thigh muscles

They often occur while a person is sleeping or resting. They can be gone in a few seconds, but the average duration is 9 minutes. They can leave tenderness in the muscle for up to 24 hours after.

In most cases, there is no identifiable reason why they happen, and they are harmless. Sometimes, however, they can indicate an underlying disorder, such as diabetes or peripheral artery disease. 

What is the difference between a cramp and spasm?

Muscle spasm occurs when a muscle involuntarily contracts, and then relaxes. This often occurs suddenly and can be painful. A muscle cramp is similar to a spasm, but cramp lasts longer than a spasm and is often a very forcible contraction.

Causes

• Pregnancy
• Nerve Disfunction
• Dehydration
• Older age
• Decrease blood flow
• Shorten tendons
• Muscle overuse
• Muscle fatigue
• Shorten leg muscle
• Kidney Failure
• Peripheral artery disease
• Serious blood clot
• Sitting or standing for long period

• Sleeping with the foot stretched out and the calf muscles shortened may trigger night cramps.

• Diabetes Mellitus : High blood sugar level. Can Type 2 diabetes cause leg cramps?

Leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. If diabetes damages nerves in your arms or legs, it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This condition can be a direct result of long-term high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) in those who have diabetes. 

• Dehydration : Or inadequate intake of water. Dehydration can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Examples include heat, excessive activity, insufficient fluid consumption, excessive sweating or medication side effects.
• A dangerous loss of body fluid caused by illness, sweating or inadequate intake.
• Lack of salt :  Depleted levels of potassium and sodium (salt). lack of salt and accompanying 

• High Cholesterol
• Depleted carbohydrate levels.
• Pregnancy. :Due to hormonal imbalance.
• Cold : It is a precipitating factor.
• Tense or stiff muscles.
• Vitamin deficiency also cause cramps : Vitamin E and vitamin B 12. 
• Cobalamin, or vitamin B 12, is a vitamin that people can find in animal and dairy food . People who have a vitamin B 12 deficiency can sometimes experience muscle cramps all over the body
• Hypothyroidism
• Magnesium Deficiency
• Leg cramps at night.

• Poor blood circulation also causes cramps : Not enough blood getting to your muscles.
• Ageing : Cramps in senior citizens : What causes leg cramps at night in seniors? Afferent fibers influence the generation of motor discharges and disturbance of sensory input may contribute to the muscle cramps. Age related loss of motor neurons which is more pronounced in the leg than the arms, is common in later life and may contribute to a propensity to a leg cramps in older people.   Why do leg cramps get worse with age?
  

  Warding Off Muscle Cramps As We Age As we get older, our muscles get weaker and the nerves undergo some decay. This makes us more prone to muscle cramps.

• Straining or overuse of muscle.
• Compression of back.
• • Low levels of electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, or calcium.
• • Certain medicines.
• Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle strain or simply holding a position for a prolonged period can cause a muscle cramp. In many cases, however, the cause isn't known. Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition, such as: Inadequate blood supply.

Leg Cramps in Pregnancy

Between your over loaded mind and your bulging belly you probably have enough trouble with leg cramps, cramping your sleeping style. Unfortunately, these painful spasms that radiate up  and down your calves and occur most often at night are very common among the expected set in the second and third trimesters.

no one is quite sure what causes leg cramps. Various theories blame fatigue from carrying pregnancy weight, compression of blood vessels in the legs, and possibly diet, (an excess of phosphorus and a shortage of calcium or magnesium). You might well blame hormones too

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome is a sleep disorder that causes sudden, intense urges to move your legs. Sufferers describe having sensations of itching, burning, aching, and tugging at their legs. Anyone can develop restless legs syndrome but the likelihood of developing it increases as you age. There is also a strong genetic link, meaning if someone in your family has it your chance of getting it is higher. The other factors and medical conditions that are typically linked to restless leg syndrome are:

• Iron deficiency
• Nerve damage
• Depression
• Parkinson’s disease
• Kidney disease
• Certain medications
• Pregnancy : Avoid certain moves. Some mom to be find that pointing (or extending) their toes can lead to cramps their calves. If that the case with you (and it probably won't be if you're a regular at the barre). Flex your feet instead, turning your toes up towards your face. Full sit up or double leg lifts pull on abdomen, so they're probably not a good idea when you've got a baby on board. Also avoid any activity that requires "bridging" bending over backwards ) or other contortions or that involves deep flexion or extension of joints (such as  deep knee bends), jumping, bouncing, sudden change in direction or jerky motions.

Excessive Exercise

Another cause of calf pain at night is excessive exercise. The constant beating on your leg muscles can cause tendonitis, muscle injury, and soreness. This doesn’t just apply to athletes but anyone who overuses their lower leg muscles. Most of these problems can be solved with rest and simple at home remedies like ice.

Poor Standing or Sitting Posture

Your calf pain can be due to poor standing or sitting posture. If you cross your legs or point your toes pointed this can lead to calf pain and cramping. Poor standing and sitting posture can lead to other parts of your body compensating for your poor posture and nerve pain. It’s important to sit and stand with your shoulders back. Standing for long periods on hard surfaces, like concrete, can also take a toll on your body.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease is when the vessels in your lower legs become hardened and damaged. The blood vessels become narrow and even blocked causing a decrease in blood flow. This leads to pain and cramping. In some cases, resting helps relieve the pain, but in other severe cases medical treatment is necessary.

Risk Factors

Prevention

• Make sure that you stay hydrated – drink six to eight glasses of water each day. 
• Adjust how you sleep. 
• Shat Pavli : Walk 100 steps. Gently stretch your leg muscles before you go to sleep.
• Keep blankets and sheets loose around your feet so that your toes are not distorted.
• 
  
  
  

• When a leg cramps strike, straighten your leg right away and flex your ankle and toes slowly up towards your nose (don't point your toes). You can do this in bed, but you may find faster relief if you get up  and do it on your feet. This should soon ease the pain . Doing this several times with each leg before
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  turning it at night may even help ward off the  cramps later.

• Stretching exercises can also help stop cramps before they strike. Before you head to bed, stand about 2 feet away from a wall and put you palms flat against it. Lean forward, keeping your heel on the floor. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, than relax for 5. Repeat 3 times.

• To ease the daily load on your legs, put your feet up as often as you can, alternate periods of activity with periods of rest, and wear support hose during the day, Flex your feet periodically.

• Try standing on a cool surface, which can sometimes stop a spasm. An ice pack or a cool compress may also help.
• You can add
  
  
  massage or local heat for added relief if the pain has subsided. (do not massage or add heat if pain persist)

• Make sure you're drinking enough fluids.
• Eat a well
  
  
  balanced diet that includes plenty of calcium and magnesium, but also check if magnesium has to be added  before bed.

Really bad cramps can cause muscle soreness (like charley horse) that last a few days. That's nothing to worry about. But if the pain is severe and persists, contact your Practioner because there is a slight possibility that a blood clot may have developed in a vein, making medical treatment neccessary.

Diet

12 Foods That May Help with Muscle Cramps

• Avocado. Avocados are creamy, delicious fruits that are packed with nutrients that may help prevent muscle cramps. ...
• Watermelon. One possible cause of muscle cramps is dehydration. ...
• Coconut water. ...
• Sweet potato. ...
• Greek yogurt. ...
• Bone broth. ...
• Papaya. ...
• Beet greens.

Bananas: A Time-Tested Treatment

You probably know that bananas are a good source of potassium. But they'll also give you magnesium and calcium. That's three out of four nutrients you need to ease muscle cramps tucked under that yellow peel. No wonder bananas are a popular, quick choice for cramp relief.

Food sources for potassium include bananas, avocados, potatoes, dairy and fish. Foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, dried fruit and raw cocoa are particularly rich in magnesium. Magnesium can help prevent cramp because it is used for muscle contraction and relaxation

Avoid

Foods that can make cramps worse

• Canned foods. Canned foods can be high in salt, which causes more bloating and cramping. ...
• Beans. Normally healthy and rich in fiber and vitamins, beans can upset your stomach during your period. ...
• Candy. ...
• Fried foods. ...
• Milk and other dairy products. ...
• Fatty foods. ...
• Caffeine.

Treatment

Compression

Compress your calf with an elastic bandage or adjustable brace to support your muscle and reduce swelling. You can use compression during activities or while you’re resting. Make sure to tighten the compression on your leg enough to be effective without restricting blood flow.

Massage

Massage is a great way to relax your muscles to get ready for a restful night’s sleep. If you have nighttime calf pain take time each evening when you get into bed to massage your calf muscles. There are multiple massage techniques you can use, gentle long strokes or deep pressure. A massage roller ball can help you achieve either self massage technique to release tension in your calves.

Stretches and Exercise

When you are in pain, you want quick and effective treatments. Calf muscle stretches and calf exercises can provide relief and help prevent future pain. If your pain is due to cramping then gentle stretching can help. Start by standing at the side of your bed and lift your toes so that

they point towards your shin.

If your calf pain is from a muscle injury then exercise can strengthen the surrounding muscles and prevent reinjury. Just be sure to wait until the initial injury has healed before you begin exercising. Toe raises are an easy calf exercise that can be done at the side of your bed. Standing with flat feet, lift your heels off of the ground and then slowly lower them back down.

Calf Stretches

Calf Exercises

Hot and Cold Therapy

Hot and cold are two complementary therapies that can help you manage your calf pain. Cold from an ice pack or another source will constrict the blood vessels which reduces swelling. The cold also minimizes pain by interrupting the pain signal.
Grab a heating pad or warm towel to apply heat therapy. The warmth widens blood vessels which brings more blood flow to the area to speed up healing. We recommend using cold during the initial injury phase and then adding heat later on.

Sleep with the pillow between your knees

                         

                        

Alternating Hot and Cold therapy

Over the Counter Pain Killers

Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and naproxen are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) that reduce pain and swelling. 

Elevate the Leg

Elevating your leg is another home treatment for calf pain. Use a leg wedge pillow when you are sleeping or laying on the couch to lift your legs. The elevation will help with any swelling and take the pressure off of your lower back as well.

Long-Term Care

The best way to reduce calf pain at night is to adopt some lifestyle changes and focus on a long term solution. Below we’ll cover these long term treatments and how you can incorporate them into your lifestyle.

Lifestyle Changes

Since calf pain can be caused by so many different things the lifestyle changes you take on will depend upon the cause. However, there are some changes that apply to just about anyone, here they are.

• Exercise regularly
• Stretch to improve your range of motion
• Don’t smoke
• Allow your body to rest, especially when injured
• Manage your weight

Practice Good Posture

If you sit at a desk for work or are on your feet it doesn’t matter. Poor posture can impact your whole body and cause pain almost anywhere. When you have good posture your body is in proper alignment and you’ll feel better.

Treating Nocturnal Calf Pain

Calf pain can be caused by something as simple as leg cramps or as complex as a blood clot. Mild calf pain cases can typically be treated at home but more serious situations will need medical intervention. If you are experiencing new calf pain talk to your doctor to determine the cause and to find the best treatment for your situation.

Home Remedy

What home remedy is good for leg cramps at night?

You can try the following at home to try to relieve a cramp:

• Massage your leg. Rubbing the affected muscle may help it relax. ...
• Stretch. If the cramp is in your calf, straighten your leg. ...
• Walk on your heels. ...
• Apply heat. ...
• Drink pickle juice. ...
• Take an over-the-counter painkiller if your leg is sore after.

How do you stop leg cramps in the morning?

Some simple things you might keep you from getting cramps:

1. Stretch during the day and before bed. Focus on your calf and foot muscles.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Move around during the day to exercise your feet and legs.
4. Wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
5. Sleep under loose covers, especially if you sleep on your back.

Treatment

Prevention

Treatment

How are muscle spasms (muscle cramps) treated?

1. Stretch the affected area.
2. Massage the affected area with your hands or a massage roller.
3. Stand up and walk around.
4. Apply heat or ice. Put an ice pack together or apply a heating pad, or take a nice warm bath.
5. Take painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Drink Water
Dehydration often plays a part in muscle cramps, so drinking enough water throughout the day can help keep them at bay. Drinking fluids while you have a cramp helps the muscles contract and relax. When you keep hydrated, your muscle cells also stay hydrated and are less irritable or uncomfortable.

Does salt help with cramps?

Intravenous saline can reverse heat cramping, and more salt in the diet and in sports drinks can help prevent heat cramping. For heat cramping, the solution is saline.

What is the best way to treat leg cramps?

If you have a cramp, these actions may provide relief:

1. Stretch and massage. Stretch the cramped muscle and gently rub it to help it relax. For a calf cramp, put your weight on your cramped leg and bend your knee slightly. ...
2. Apply heat or cold. Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscles.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for regulating your body's functioning. It's involved in more than 300 of your body's biochemical processes, including muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Magnesium is a widely used remedy for leg cramps.

Vitamin B 12 complex 

Vitamin B 12  complex may be useful in some patients with nocturnal leg cramps.

Is it good to take vitamin B 12 tablets?

When taken at appropriate doses, vitamin B-12 supplements are generally considered safe. While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine.

Vitamin E

Does vitamin E helps in leg cramps?

Vitamin E at a dose of 400 international units daily.

For night cramps

What vitamin is good for leg cramps at night?

A significant body of research has found that increasing your magnesium intake can help with the frequency of night time leg cramps, especially for pregnant women. Health experts recommend getting at least 300 milligrams of magnesium each day.

Leg cramp stretch during pregnancy

Muscle relaxant medications may be used over the short-term in certain situations to relax muscle cramps due to an injury or other temporary event. These medications include cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal).

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