Why cramps legs: what is the reason and what to do?

Muscle spasms are caused by involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles and are a common symptom of dehydration, fatigue, insufficient blood flow, or nerve compression. Muscle fatigue due to poor fitness or heavy exercise is a common cause of nighttime cramps, especially in women.

Other reasons may be lack of mobility and physical activity, vascular disorders. Both cases lead to a decrease in blood flow to the muscles.

Important! Decreased electrolyte levels in the blood can also be a common cause of leg cramps. In very rare cases, muscle spasms can be caused by kidney problems. Diabetes mellitus can be accompanied by cramps in the arms, calves, and even the feet.

Spasms can occur in one muscle or in a group of muscles, and are accompanied by pain and palpable hardness in the muscle tissue. What else could be causing seizures? They can also occur with severe dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes in the blood, which can even lead to shock or coma and are life-threatening.

Possible symptoms

  • Burning sensation
  • Masses at the muscle level that cause cramps
  • Severe and sharp muscle pain
  • muscle weakness
  • muscle twitching

Other symptoms may also be noted, which, in combination with cramps at night and the causes of their occurrence, can indicate serious health problems:

  • Extremely cold fingers
  • Fatigue
  • Leg pain and swelling
  • Difficulty walking
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Pallor
  • tingling sensation
  • Tachycardia

Causes of spasms

  • Insufficient preparation of muscles for training
  • Crick
  • Exhaustion and fatigue (prolonged physical activity without the use of water and electrolytes)
  • Damage to the musculoskeletal system
  • Standing or sitting in one position for too long
  • Prolonged use of the same muscle groups (writer's cramps, which appear on the thumb and the next two or at the level of the hand due to frequent and much pissing)

If we talk about diseases and dysfunctions that may be accompanied by seizures and why they occur in men and women:

When do you need to see a doctor?

If the muscles hurt a lot, while accompanied by the following symptoms, the answer to the question of what to do is to go to the doctor:

  • dark urine
  • High temperature (more than 38 degrees)
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Change of consciousness, fainting.

How to eliminate nighttime leg cramps?

For those who suffer from cramps at night and do not know what to do, some simple procedures will be useful. They will help relieve pain and eliminate spasms.

  1. To get rid of calf spasm at night, stretch your leg and point your toes towards the knee. You can also independently grab your fingers and pull them towards the knee.
  2. Get up and walk around, shake your leg hard, then go back to bed and put a pillow under your outstretched leg.
  3. First aid for leg cramps is self-massage of the painful area in circular motions to improve muscle tone.
  4. Take a hot bath or shower, apply a heating pad or a heated pillow for at least 10 minutes to get rid of cramps.
  5. Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day to help your body absorb vitamins and minerals.
  6. Stretch every evening. One way is to lean forward about 50 cm from the wall, keeping your toes up. Crawl your hands down the wall. At this time, the muscles of the legs will be well stretched and the cramps will eventually disappear completely, unless, of course, the causes of their occurrence are serious diseases that require special treatment in men and women.
  7. Keep your muscles toned by swimming and other water sports.
  8. Wear appropriate footwear and stay away from high heels if cramping is a frequent occurrence.
  9. Make sure your body has optimal levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins E and A.
  10. Include bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, melons, and citrus fruits in your diet.

See your doctor to determine the cause of the seizures. In most cases, stretching, physical activity, and a healthy diet will help relieve muscle spasms.

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