Many often experience cramps in the legs at night. However, not everyone considers it necessary to consult a doctor. Some believe that the main cause of ailment is fatigue, uncomfortable sleep or tight shoes. And they are not mistaken, as the violation of blood supply is the main factor of the disease, which can be associated with various diseases.
Why does my legs cramp at night?
The most common causes of nocturnal seizures:
- Diseases of the peripheral nervous system, the consequence of which is damage to the nerve cells and the violation of their functions.
- Seizures can occur as a side effect in response to taking medications. Provoke spasm of muscles steroid hormones, diuretics and drugs that have iron in their composition.
- An ailment often worries pregnant women. Why does their leg cramp at night? Due to increased pressure on the nerve endings and vessels from the growing uterus, resulting in worse blood flow. Also, during pregnancy, the volume of blood increases, as a result of which there is swelling in the tissues, which can provoke cramps.
The most serious causes of seizures are:
- diabetes ;
- inflammatory diseases;
- presence of hidden injuries;
- thyroid disease.
In this case, an appeal to an endocrinologist and a neurologist will help determine the diagnosis. As a rule, after the beginning of treatment of the disease, symptoms in the form of seizures disappear.
It happens that the legs are cramping at night because of a deficiency of trace elements. An unpleasant symptom can be nosy because of a lack of such substances:
- magnesium, necessary for transmission to the muscles of nerve impulses;
- calcium, a partner of magnesium;
- vitamin D , which assists in the assimilation of these two elements.
Often the situation is aggravated by factors leading to a shortage of substances. These include:
- stress, provoking loss of calcium;
- Pregnancy, in which the need for elements is increased;
- protein diets that interfere with the absorption of calcium;
- loss of moisture by the body, because so often in the summer reduces the cramp of calf feet at night;
- the use of products that excrete calcium (caffeine, sweet, alcohol).
Leg cramps at night - treatment
The fight against seizures, which are systematic and accompanied by pain, should only be carried out after consultation with the doctor. After all, this pathology can be a sign of a serious illness.
If the answer to the question why cramps in the legs appear at night, became a lack of trace elements, the doctor recommends that you give up coffee and alcohol and include in your diet:
- buckwheat;
- cottage cheese;
- sesame;
- peanut;
- prune;
- oatmeal;
- bananas.
- In the evening, it is recommended that you stretch your toes on yourself and in the prone position, spinning your feet, imitating cycling.
- In the morning and in the evening it is advised to treat the feet with lemon juice to prevent the appearance of seizures.
- Apply compresses that help to relieve pain. A spoonful of herbs: calendula (flowers), rhubarb, clover red, mistletoe is poured with a liter of boiling water and put on a water bath for ten minutes. After half an hour, filter and moisten the gauze with the product. Apply a compress to the harassing site for five hours.
- Against seizures, it is recommended to lubricate the feet with oil with a laurel leaf. A glass of sunflower oil (unrefined) is poured into 50 grams of laurel leaves. Close the container with a lid and leave for two weeks. Rubbing with oil after filtering a sore spot.
- To fight nightly cramps, you should drink an infusion of peeled onions, which is easy to prepare, fill the onion peel (a small spoon) with boiling water (a glass) and leave to infuse overnight.