What can you do if your leg cramps? Varicose veins of the lower extremities. Traditional methods of treatment

– a common phenomenon that almost everyone encounters. The disorder can be triggered by various factors, and in some cases, regular seizures indicate a pathological process occurring in the body. In view of this, you need to know what to do when your leg cramps and be able to use basic therapeutic methods.

Description of the violation

Cramp - what is it?

A cramp is an involuntary seizure that is accompanied by severe pain. The main types of seizures are clonic and tonic, the difference between which lies in the nature of the course and degree of intensity.

Clonic contractions are characterized by short duration and look like rapid contractions of individual muscles.

With tonic spasms, muscle tissue contracts without relaxing for several minutes. As a rule, this type of seizure is observed most often. In severe cases, the disorder can become generalized, that is, large muscle groups are affected, which leads to.

Violation can be triggered by various factors. Often the occurrence of seizures recurs at one time of day, most often at night. This indicates the presence of various disorders in the body.

The most painful cramp is considered to be in the calf muscle area. The phenomenon is accompanied by severe pain, a feeling of squeezing or stretching of the muscle, and impaired motor ability in the affected limb. Such cramps usually occur against the background of overexertion resulting from increased physical activity during the day.

The development of cramps at night is associated with strong muscle contraction, which is a kind of test of the body during sleep. However, timely relaxation does not occur, which is why the person experiences unpleasant sensations.

In general, a cramp is a sudden muscle contraction that occurs involuntarily and can have varying intensity, nature of manifestation, and regularity.

Reasons

The main reason why the leg cramps is a violation of biochemical or electrolyte blood parameters. A lack of certain microelements, including or, as well as vitamins of various groups, can provoke disorders muscle activity.

Possible causes of cramps:

Side effect of drugs. Many drugs have negative impact on the functioning of the digestive organs, and in particular on the absorption functions of the intestine. As a result, the absorption of microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the muscles of the limbs significantly deteriorates. In addition, when taking diuretic drugs, the removal of microelements from the body is significantly accelerated, which leads to acute deficiency and the development of seizures as one of the characteristic symptoms.
Pregnancy. While carrying a child, many women face the problem of muscle cramps. The cause of the disorder is also a lack of calcium in the body, which is associated with the body’s increased need for this element. Another provoking factor during pregnancy is inferior vena cava syndrome, in which blood circulation in the lower extremities is disrupted.
Excess protein. Consumption of food protein supplements, which are often used to increase muscle mass or in - one of the causes of blood disorders. In particular, protein negatively affects glucose concentrations, which can subsequently trigger ketosis. In turn, this disorder leads to the active removal of calcium from the body, which causes muscle activity to be disrupted and cramps to develop.
Stress. Psycho-emotional disorders are one of the reasons for the deterioration of calcium absorption. In stressful situations, the active production of the hormone cortisol occurs, which negatively affects the absorption of microelements. In view of this, leg cramps can also occur due to various hormonal disorders.
Lack of vitamin D. Biologically active substances from this group perform many functions. One of the most important is improving calcium absorption. vitamin absorption rate is significantly reduced, which leads to various disorders.

When a cramp occurs, it is very important to relax and try not to move. This significantly reduces pain. It is recommended to take as deep breaths as possible, as this helps to increase the concentration of oxygen in the blood, which has a positive effect on the condition of the muscle and promotes its relaxation.

If the cramp goes away painlessly, you can carefully stand on the floor with your legs together and your back straight. The foot of the affected leg must be slowly pulled towards you.

A slight stretch of the muscle leads to it being eliminated. Rubbing, pinching, and warming massage also have a positive effect on cramps.

After the spasm has passed, you need to put your legs so that they are above the level of your head. This promotes normal blood circulation and prevents recurrent cramps.

Due to a sudden change in temperature or hypothermia, convulsions often occur while swimming in pools or open water. If this happens, you must stop swimming.

When in deep water, it is very important not to panic and try to stay afloat. To do this, it is best to roll over on your back in the water. When swimming, it is recommended to always keep a small pin with you, which can be used to inject into the cramped muscle. This eliminates spasm and at the same time reduces the risk negative consequences cramps in the water.

When a leg cramps, everyone should know what to do to relieve a painful cramp, because 99% of all people experience this muscle condition. Women suffer from leg cramps much more often. During pregnancy, spasms of the calf muscle at rest appear at different intervals and indicate a lack of potassium and calcium in the blood and other reasons, which a gynecologist can determine.

There are many recommendations from doctors and traditional healers who explain what to do if your leg cramps. To prevent a seizure from recurring, you need to understand the reasons for its occurrence. Once they are clarified, you can choose recommendations that will really help.

Traditional medicine advises to check the functioning of the endocrine glands before treatment in order to exclude the development of diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease, and to compensate for the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body.

What to do if your leg cramps suddenly, at night, at rest? When a spasm begins, you need to relieve it as soon as possible. All methods are aimed at relaxing muscles, and sometimes they look ridiculous, but they help:

An injection with a sterile needle into the tight muscle, which should be done if the leg is cramped, helps relieve the spasm, which disappears instantly. Such advice was given back in the last century, and for last decades it didn't stop working.
Strong pinching of the muscle tissue will help relieve pain.
The attack will pass if the cramped leg is actively massaged. A vigorous massage in the area where the spasm is localized will increase blood circulation and trigger metabolic processes in the leg muscles.
If the attack drags on, lower your legs and stand on the cold floor. This will quickly relieve muscle tension.

After an attack, you need to put your feet on a pillow so that the blood flows out, and this will prevent a repeat spasm.

Pick up any metal object from the kitchen utensils and hold it in both hands. Elderly people suffering from leg pain associated with sudden seizures keep such objects near them so that they can easily reach them during an attack at night and relieve the condition. The method helps to quickly relieve pain spasms. This has been tested repeatedly and described by many people using this method.
The onset of cramps can be relieved by vigorously rubbing the problem area with a natural cork from a wine bottle or thermos.
When your calf cramps at night while lying down, you stretch your leg and grab your toes with your hands, which pull them towards you.
Rubbing a warming ointment onto the problem area will help stop the muscle tightening. The method will work if the spasm occurred after hypothermia.

Preventive measures

If a strong spasm appears on a regular basis, causing a cramp, what should you do? It is known that preventing the occurrence of a disease and its symptoms is much easier than stopping them. IN folk medicine Various means are recommended to prevent this phenomenon. Leg exercises help if the cramp is associated with varicose veins. To do this, you can perform the following exercises:

Before going to bed, without waiting for the onset of painful muscle spasms, do exercises for squeezing and unclenching the calf muscles. Do all exercises at least 8 times. Sitting on the bed, stretch your legs and tighten your feet so that your calves are tense. Relax your foot and calf muscles.
Actively clench and unclench your toes at least 20 times.
Rotate your feet in a circle left and right.

After gymnastics for tired legs, feet are lubricated lemon juice and let it dry. For, which is often the cause of muscle spasm, iodine treatment is used, applying a mesh of medicinal liquid to the calf muscles.

Muscle rubbing alcohol tinctures used to warm them and improve metabolic processes.

Many people use lilac tincture to treat their feet. To prepare, fill the container with lilac flowers, filling it tightly. Then pour vodka and place in a dark place. After 2 weeks they start using it. Before going to bed, it is recommended to rub the tincture on your feet before going to bed. This activity helps you fall asleep peacefully.

Alcohol tincture of golden mustache is a remedy that helps older people and anyone who suffers from muscle and joint pain. To prepare, take 9 knees of golden mustache grass, grind them, pour 0.5 liters of vodka in their raw form. Leave in a dark place for 2 weeks. The tincture is shaken every other day during preparation so that the nutrients are well dissolved in the alcohol-containing liquid.

Alternating hot and cold baths before bed is guaranteed to prevent an attack at night due to hypothermia. Hot foot baths in salt water are especially good. Salt is taken at the rate of 2 tbsp. spoons per 0.5 liters of hot water.

In folk medicine, everything that can warm the muscles and improve the condition of blood vessels is used. But it is necessary to eliminate the internal causes that cause such symptoms.

Representatives of official medicine claim that if your leg cramps at night, then the reason for the appearance of this symptom indicates:

Deficiency in the body minerals, especially potassium, calcium and magnesium. Regularly taking multivitamins helps you forget about foot pain for a long time.
Constriction may appear after taking such medicines, as adsorbents or antacids that interfere with the absorption of magnesium and calcium. These substances are removed from the body when taking synthetic diuretics, and the resulting deficiency becomes the cause of the disease.
If your leg cramps at night constantly while taking medicines, you need to consult a doctor so that he can adjust the treatment and recommend something to eliminate side effects.
If the reason is unclear to the doctor, he recommends having your thyroid gland examined and checked for diabetes. After a laboratory examination, treatment for the underlying cause is prescribed. Potassium, calcium and magnesium preparations, as well as a complex of vitamins, are added to complex therapy aimed at relieving the general symptoms of the disease.
Mineral and vitamin preparations are needed for the normal regulation of muscle activity and the transmission of signals by nerve impulses to all people. Therefore, to prevent and treat seizures, you need to use such complexes several times a year.
Cramps can occur as a result of stress. The hormone cortisol, produced in large quantities at this time, blocks the absorption of calcium in the intestines and stimulates its excretion by the kidneys. Using motherwort and valerian is calming nervous system and stabilizes metabolic processes. Taking B vitamins will improve the body's resistance to stress.

To prevent your legs from cramping after an overstressed day at work, you need to follow the rules that will help prevent their occurrence:

wear comfortable shoes;
do gymnastics for the legs and feet;
walk barefoot on stones;
Avoid drinking coffee and sugar to improve the absorption of vitamins and microelements.

If you have flat feet, these rules will help you maintain muscle tone and avoid nagging pain in your legs.

Proper diet

Including fruits high in potassium and magnesium in your daily diet will help improve metabolic processes in the body. You can eat:

apricots;
oranges,
bananas;
grape,
nectarine;
dates;
beans.

Pork and lamb are suitable for meat, and for vegetables, in this case, broccoli, potatoes and corn have a good effect on the body. The diet should include sea white fish.

Spicy herbs will help replenish the body with magnesium, such as:

dill;
parsley;
green onions.

It is enough to provide a healthy young body proper nutrition so that it works without interruptions and painful signals about a critical lack of nutrients, which causes cramping of the legs.

Pregnancy and seizures

Pregnant women often experience cramps in their limbs. At the end of the second and at the beginning of the third semester, they may encounter this phenomenon. During this period of time, the fetus has already reached significant weight and begins to compress the deep blood vessels. The reasons are:

Insufficient blood circulation is the main reason for the appearance of a symptom in which the legs cramp in women expecting the imminent birth of a baby.
If a woman does not take the vitamin-mineral complexes recommended to her, then she early stages pregnancy may experience a lack of magnesium, calcium, and vitamins, which she needs in double volume.
In winter, all people experience vitamin D deficiency, and pregnant women suffer the most from this. Calcium cannot be absorbed without this vitamin.
In summer, heavy sweating can cause cramps in women carrying a baby. The potassium needed by the body comes out with sweat, and its deficiency leads to muscle contraction.

What to do if your leg cramps during pregnancy? First relieve the spasm, and then tell your gynecologist about it.

Now it is easier for all patients, regardless of age, to find the cause of the spasms that tighten their legs and completely get rid of the cramps.

If something hurts, you need to see a doctor and describe your problem to him. Modern views examinations help not to suffer from pain, but to effectively get rid of it.

Two simple exercises for night cramps

Exercise No. 1 “Legs up”

Before going to bed, lying on the sofa or on the floor, lift your legs up the wall and hold it for 10-15 minutes. The same exercise can be used as first aid for cramps if your leg cramps at night. Another first aid option is to stand on a cold floor barefoot. Everything passes in a few seconds. (“Bulletin of Healthy Lifestyle” 2007 No. 13, p. 35)

The man suffered from leg cramps at night for many years. I tried everything, but to no avail. Until I read a simple recipe in a healthy lifestyle: before going to bed, lying on your back, raise your legs high up and hold them in this position for 2 minutes. Three days were enough for the night cramps to leave him forever. (HLS 2013 No. 8, p. 8)

Exercise No. 2 “Heels forward”

A woman treats cramps in the calf muscles this way: as soon as she feels them approaching, she lies on her back, stretches her legs, pulls her heels forward and her toes towards herself. This exercise helps quickly, everything goes away instantly. (2009 No. 2, p. 31).

While still in the army, the man suffered greatly from cramps in his leg muscles, especially at night and early in the morning. The foreman sent him to the medical unit several times, but the reason was never discovered. And after the army, until old age, his torment continued. More recently, he found a way to give himself first aid for seizures. As soon as you feel that your legs are starting to cramp, lie on your back and pull your heels forward and your toes toward you. And so on until the cramp disappears, usually it takes 8-10 seconds. (HLS 2006 No. 13, p. 32).

This exercise can be done not only during an attack, but also included in a complex of daily gymnastics for prevention. (2005 No. 3, p. 32).

First aid for seizures - metal treatment

If you apply a metal object to the cramped muscle, the cramp will immediately go away. Many people who have experienced the effectiveness of this method sleep with wrenches under their pillow. You don't even have to apply it wrenches to the calf muscle, but simply hold it in your hand: if your right leg is cramped, take a metal object in right hand, and if left leg, then in left hand.
(HLS 2012 No. 24, p. 31; 2010 No. 6, p. 32).

Cold floor and aspen wood

If your leg is cramping, then you need to stand with your bare feet on a hard, cold floor - after 1 minute everything will return to normal. (“Bulletin of Healthy Lifestyle” 2010, No. 24, p. 31, 2002, No. 18, p. 9).

Here is an example of treatment using this method: a woman heard in a program a recipe for seizures: stand on an unpainted wooden floor for 2 minutes. She just had severe cramps in her legs, especially at night. She began to stand on the floor as soon as she felt them approaching. After this, I noticed that the cramps in the calf muscles became less frequent and not so strong.

And then sawed birch logs were brought to the neighbor for the firebox. The patient asked for one block of wood wider so that two feet could fit, and she often put her feet on this stump when she sat on the sofa. This way she was able to cure the seizures completely. The treatment will be faster if you take an aspen log rather than a birch one. (2009 No. 10, p. 32).

A woman puts aspen logs at her feet for cramps and sleeps peacefully (2006, No. 4 p. 29, No. 5, p. 6)

The fastest and simple help for convulsions

If a muscle in your leg cramps at night, you simply need to bite the little finger of your hand so hard that you feel the pain. (2003 No. 12, p. 18)

Squats

The man had severe nighttime cramps in both legs above the knees. As soon as I turned the wrong way or touched my toes, my muscles would twist into a cord. The man stood up, walked around, and applied cold objects to his feet. The pain went away after 10-15 minutes.
One doctor told him that there was not enough potassium in the body, he needed to eat more dried apricots, bananas, etc. The patient did not do this, but began to do squats to prevent adenoma and prostatitis. After 2 weeks of exercise, he discovered that his muscle cramps had completely disappeared. (2008 No. 1, p. 10)

Exercises for night cramps of the calf muscles

Woman for a long time I couldn’t sleep at night because of cramps in my calf muscles, until I started doing exercises for my toes and feet before going to bed - I clenched and unclenched my fingers, moved them, twisted my feet. After a few days of exercise, everything got better, my legs no longer cramped at night (2005, No. 23, p. 24)

Massage for cramps - Kuznetsov iplicator

As prescribed by doctors, the man began taking furosemide, and it began to actively remove potassium from the body. Severe cramps and pain began at night. The man made himself a bandage like a Kuznetsov iplicator from pushpins and two pieces of oilcloth. And now at night, when the leg begins to cramp, he ties this needle bandage on the calf muscle with the help of laces sewn to the bandage, and continues to sleep. No longer experiences pain (2007 No. 17, p. 33)

The woman had arthrosis of the knee joint, and one day she decided to stomp on the Kuznetsov applicator to relieve the pain in her knee. And to my great surprise, I got rid of cramps. And they literally brought her to tears. At first they were only in the calf muscle, but over time they rose higher and higher. No treatment helped: neither massage, nor pills. And here is such an amazing result.
She began to stomp on the applicator every day, imitating walking, holding onto the back of a chair. Already on the third day I forgot about the cramps in my legs. They reminded themselves only six months later. Therefore, now he walks on the applicator every evening in order to prevent seizures and many other diseases. (“Bulletin of Healthy Lifestyle” 2004 No. 9, p. 27)

Treatment and prevention of night cramps.

This technique helps a woman get rid of cramps in her calf muscles: as soon as she approaches, she instantly throws her legs out of bed and presses her to the floor. The faster you do this and the colder the floor is, the faster the cramp will pass. It happens that a woman doesn’t even have time to open her eyes, but everything has already passed, and she falls back into bed. This ambulance with convulsions.
And the prevention is like this:
1. Walk for 40-90 minutes before going to bed, especially if you sat or stood a lot during the day. You can walk slowly, the main thing is continuously.
2. If the cause of cramps is varicose veins or thrombophlebitis, sleep with your legs elevated 20 cm.
3. Eat more calcium-containing foods. (2006 No. 19, p. 11)

Massage with Vietnamese balm “Star”

The man's legs often cramped. Treatment folk remedies didn't help. Once, during a severe calf cramp, not knowing what to do, he rubbed the muscle with Vietnamese balm “Asterisk”. This product is sold at any pharmacy. And after 2-3 minutes the pain began to go away. Since then he has been saved by this remedy. (2013 No. 17, p. 32).

If your leg cramps, rub the muscle with the Vietnamese “Star”. To forget about the disease for a long time, rub your feet with this balm for 10 days in a row. (2004 No. 24, p. 31, 2002, No. 24, p. 16).

Mattress with fern

The woman suffered from pain in her legs at night and often had cramps. She was advised to sleep on a fern mattress; she had a lot of ferns growing on her property. She mowed it, dried it, sewed a mattress from a linen tablecloth and began to sleep on it. All winter her legs did not bother her, and when the hay turned to dust, she again began to sleep on a regular mattress, and problems with her legs began again. Since then, she has been drying more ferns in the summer. (2013 No. 7, p. 3)

Stick massage for cramps

The man woke up every night from a severe cramp in his calf muscles; as soon as he turned on the other side, the muscles turned into stone nodules, riddled with pain. A colleague advised a Japanese folk method for treating cramps: take a stick with a diameter of 2-3 cm and a length of 30-30 cm. With this stick, apply 100 blows to the balls of the foot at the base of the toes 1-2 times a day.. The man used this method, but did not find any wooden stick, used a plastic one, and gradually forgot about the cramps. (2003 No. 7, p. 24)

Exercises for seizures with spinal osteochondrosis

If you have osteochondrosis, then one of its symptoms is morning cramps in the legs - when you have to get out of bed, the leg muscles cramp. These muscle contractions are very painful and often occur throughout the day.

What to do if your legs cramp? More often, people begin to pinch, prick, squeeze these muscles, or massage them ineptly. All these techniques are ineffective.
But there is a quick way to help yourself.

First aid for seizures caused by osteochondrosis

You need to lie on your side and rub your lower back and sacrum with your palm or fist intensively in all directions until warmth appears in the rubbed area and in your hand. After 1 minute the cramp will disappear.
What can I do to prevent cramps from appearing in the morning?
Without getting out of bed in the morning, lie on your back and do the following exercises against cramps:
1. Flexion and extension of the feet from 10 to 50 times, gradually increasing the number of repetitions
2. Bend your knees and turn them right and left slowly, without tension, from 5 to 30 times.
3. Bend your knees, raise your tach, lower it. 5-10 times.
4. Repeat exercise No. 1 again (2003 No. 3, p. 19)

Ice water

In a woman after a strong nervous stress I had an unbearable headache, and then the convulsions began. Doctors could not make a diagnosis for a long time, but then they identified hysterical neurosis and placed him in a clinic, where they gave injections, IVs, and gymnastics. But in the end I was discharged without any improvement.
Once a patient heard a woman’s story that after a traumatic brain injury she was able to recover by dousing ice water. I decided that this method would help her too. It was November. They brought her to the ice hole by the arms, because by that time she herself could hardly walk and was constantly falling. On the ice, she also constantly fell, especially after being doused, her whole body was covered in bruises. But 2 times a day, at 7 am and 7 pm, the patient was on the river. The suffering was rewarded - after 2 months the convulsive twitching disappeared. A year later, the functions of the left leg were restored; after 2 years, she stopped falling on her right leg. As a result, she became a youthful, energetic, healthy woman. (2009 No. 16, pp. 8-9)

Muscle cramp is a common painful condition in which a sudden, short-lasting sensation is felt. muscle tension, invariably accompanied by severe pain.

The leg cramps with sudden movement, hypothermia, due to a lack of various microelements in the body.

How can you help yourself and how to get rid of sharp pain from muscle spasms?

What to do if your leg cramps - possible causes of the problem

Muscle spasm, accompanied by an extremely unpleasant sensation, occurs for various reasons, which only a specialist can find out.

Thus, cramps in children are a consequence of birth trauma and calcium deficiency. Adults experience this unpleasant symptom due to lack of oxygen, as a result of injuries, tumors, brain malformations, epilepsy, meningitis, encephalitis, etc.

In addition, a cramp indicates a lack of glucose, magnesium, calcium, as well as a violation of water-salt metabolism. Muscle spasms are a common occurrence during pregnancy. Anyone who uses tranquilizers, antidepressants and too much coffee knows firsthand what a “leg cramp” is.

In particularly sensitive people, a spasm may occur from bright light or loud sound. Muscle spasms are also common at high temperatures.

Cramps are also felt when:

Varicose veins

Dehydration and loss of calcium

Constriction of blood vessels

Uncomfortable position

Diseases of the spine, etc.

What to do if your leg cramps - effective methods

First aid for cramps is massage. Its task is to relax the muscle as much as possible. Where do you need to start? First of all, the leg should be stretched. If your calf muscle is cramped, grab your toes with your hands and pull them towards you. A pin prick also helps.

If you experience cramps at night, lower both legs and place them on the floor. Then stand up slowly. In this way you can try to normalize blood circulation. Banal rubbing and clapping with your palm helps a lot. Make massage movements from the very tips of your fingers to the heel and knee. After the manipulations, lie down in bed and, slightly raising your leg, lie down.

In addition to the described steps to prevent cramps, rubbing the limb until it is completely warm helps. In this case, you can squeeze the muscle, pressing hard at the epicenter of the pain. index finger. Apply pressure for about 15 minutes, remembering to breathe deeply.

If a cramp catches you on the way, find a support and lean against it with both hands, and move your sore leg back so that your foot is completely on the floor. This will allow the muscle to stretch well.

If there is existing pain, even if the spasm has subsided, bandage your leg with an elastic bandage.

What to do if your leg cramps - folk remedies

Medicinal plants are widely used to treat seizures:

1. Brew crow’s feet as tea (1 tablespoon of herb per glass of water), let the product brew and drink a third of a glass 3 times a day.

2. Pour boiling water (300 ml) over a large spoon of linden flowers. Let the healing composition infuse. Then strain it, add honey to taste and drink it like bedtime tea.

3. Thyme - excellent remedy from cramps. Brew a large spoonful of the herb with a glass of boiling water, let it brew, strain and drink a little before meals (1 large spoonful at a time).

4. If the cause of cramps is female diseases, use yarrow infusion. Pour 2 tablespoons traditionally with a glass of boiling water, let the drug brew and take, filtered, 1 tablespoon three times a day. Don't forget to add honey to the warm mixture.

5. Convulsions in children are treated with fresh dill juice. For one-time use, a teaspoon of the product is enough. Mix dill juice with a small amount of milk and honey. Let your child drink it three times a day after meals.

6. Coriander is effective for cramps. Brew 1 small spoon of plant seeds with boiling water (1 glass) and, after steeping and straining, take a third of a glass 3 times a day.

What to do if your leg cramps - external remedies

Compresses

1. Essential oils. Boil the water. Add a couple of drops of lavender, marjoram or ginger oil. Place a cotton cloth on top of the water, wait until it is saturated with the healing solution, wring it out and apply it to the sore leg.

2. Cinquefoil. Pour 4 tablespoons of the herb with water (600 ml), place the container with the composition on the fire and boil for several minutes. Let the product brew and strain. Use the prepared decoction for medicinal compresses.

Warm baths

1. Pour boiling water (1 cup) over the tansy flowers (a large spoon) and let it brew. After straining, pour into a basin with warm water and put your feet there. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.

2. Dissolve a couple of large tablespoons of salt in a bowl of warm water and dip in medicinal composition legs for a few minutes.

3. Full hot water bath, throw in half a glass of soda and a quarter glass of ginger powder - a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Mix everything and take water procedures for 15 minutes.

Lemon rub

Lemon is an effective medicine against cramps if they are caused by poor circulation. Early in the morning, rub your feet and legs with freshly squeezed lemon. Do not dry your feet, wait until they dry and put on woolen socks. Carry out treatment for 2 weeks.

What to do if your leg cramps in the water

With the onset of summer, many people go on vacation to the sea. Low temperature water or sudden muscle strain can provoke a cramp in anyone. In such cases, even an experienced swimmer is at risk. In order to prevent cramps, enter the water gradually, allowing your body to get used to its temperature.

If during the swim you still feel that your leg or both legs are cramping, take the following measures:

Change your body position. If you swim on your back, turn over onto your chest and vice versa.

If you feel a nagging pain in your hand, clench your fist, sharply throw your hand to the side and unclench it. Do the exercise several times.

If your leg is cramped in the calf muscle area, pull your foot towards you, clasping it with both hands.

Thigh muscle cramp? Grab your leg from the outside (below the shin), lie on your back.

An old proven method - prick your numb leg with a sharp object. For example, with a pin. Experienced swimmers often prudently pin this item to their swimming trunks or swimsuit.

Try to attract people's attention, calm down and don't panic. Carry out all manipulations quickly and accurately.

Attention! Basic obedience will help you avoid unpleasant consequences. Do not swim behind the buoys, but, knowing that you have poor grip on the water, swim near the shore.

Nutrition for cramps

The reason for frequent muscle spasms is a lack of microelements necessary for the body such as magnesium and calcium. In order to get rid of discomfort associated with cramps, you should organize your diet so that all nutrients are supplied in sufficient quantities.

1. Observe drinking regime. Water helps cells cleanse themselves and fully absorb the substances entering the body with food.

2. To avoid swelling, which can impair circulation, eat limited amounts of salt. A couple of small pinches per day is enough.

3. If you have a calcium deficiency, eat cottage cheese, hard cheeses, beans, and greens. Use as a calcium supplement eggshells. Before chopping, fry it in the oven, placing it on a baking sheet. This will disinfect the product. Add shell powder to cottage cheese and porridge. Recommended dose - 1.5-3 g.

4. Eat garlic. It is rich in silicon, which helps muscles relax.

5. Let your table be rich in vegetables and fruits. Lean on porridges made from whole grains.

To get rid of muscle spasms, use the proven methods described above, and also try to avoid excessive physical activity. In addition, review your diet and give up bad habits.

Muscle spasm, as mentioned, can occur for various reasons. If cramps are your constant problem, only a qualified specialist will help solve it, based solely on the individual characteristics of your body.

A leg cramp is an involuntary sharp contraction (spasm) of one or an entire group of muscles.

Most often, spasms are localized in the calf, thigh muscles or affect the foot.

Soreness, numbness, and temporary loss of sensation may be present.

What to do if your legs cramp and how to cope with the disease? And what are the causes of this condition?

Often, involuntary spasms of the lower extremities indicate a deficiency of microelements, vitamins, or an existing complex disease of the nervous system.

There are different types of spasms.

According to the course, seizures are divided into two groups: tonic and clonic.

Tonic, characterized by prolonged muscle spasms (up to 7 minutes) without a period of relaxation. There is severe pain syndrome. They occur against a background of muscle overstrain and are typical for professional athletes and people with poor physical fitness who have endured long-term training.
Clonic- differ from tonic ones by a periodic change from spasm to relaxation. Characteristic of epileptic seizures, pathological processes of the pyramidal system of the brain or hyperkinesis. The latter include myoclonus, tremor, tic, chorea.

There are several main causes of leg cramps. They may be unrelated to each other or located in a complex.

According to the etiology of occurrence, involuntary contractions of the muscles of the lower extremities can be divided into:

Electrolyte imbalance.
Lack of blood circulation in the muscles.
Neurological pathologies.

Muscular weakness or myasthenia gravis is a progressive disease that leads to unpleasant consequences. The article contains detailed information about this disease and treatment methods.

Electrolyte imbalance

Develops against the background of an underlying disease or as side effect prescribed treatment (most often diuretics).

Due to the sudden and voluminous loss of fluid, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium compounds are washed out of the body along with urine.

This leads to disturbances in the conduction of electrical impulses traveling to the muscles along the nerve fibers.

Electrolyte imbalance can be caused by:

dehydration and volumetric blood loss;
infusion therapy;
decompensated diuretic therapy.

Circulatory failure

A lack of arterial blood or poor venous outflow can cause leg cramps.

With insufficient supply of arterial blood in the muscles, accumulation of incompletely oxidized products of cellular metabolism occurs.

With varicose veins, there is swelling, a feeling of heaviness and pain.

Violation of the outflow of venous blood leads to severe prolapse of the veins of the lower extremities. A tortuous pattern of dilated sections of veins is formed - a place of stagnation of blood.

Also, circulatory failure in the lower extremities can cause diabetes mellitus and flat feet.

Neurological pathologies

Pathologies of nerve impulses leading to involuntary spasms of the leg muscles can be caused by the following conditions and pathologies:

Intoxications.
Brain damage, such as a stroke.
Complications of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region.

Long wearing high heels contributes to improper distribution of the load, which leads to pain and involuntary spasms in the calves and ankle joints. In addition, with fractures of the lower extremities (in rare cases, even after their fusion), cramping the legs can be regarded as a protective mechanism of the musculoskeletal system.

Children, pregnant women and the elderly often experience leg cramps due to insufficiency of micro- or macroelements. Vitamin deficiency or excess may also be the cause.

Leg cramps in pregnant women

During pregnancy, the vitamins received by the mother are spent on the needs of the fetus, and the load on all organs and systems increases. Therefore, various kinds of problems often arise, including sudden spasms of the lower extremities.

Most often, a pregnant woman’s body lacks:

B vitamins;
calcium;
magnesium;
potassium

Due to the increase in the volume of the uterus, compression occurs internal organs and some large vessels, in particular the inferior vena cava.

Incorrectly selected shoes, especially walking in heels during pregnancy, are a provoking factor for the appearance of leg cramps. Shoes should be as comfortable and comfortable as possible; it is preferable to use orthopedic insoles. This will relieve the load on the articular-ligamentous apparatus.

Pregnant women should be careful about their own health. Pregnancy imposes many obligations, including the need to eat for two (in terms of rational consumption of calories and a complex of vitamins and various elements).

Leg cramps in children at night

Children under 6 years of age may experience convulsions due to intoxication of the body or severe hyperthermia.

Hyperthermic convulsions occur especially often in children of the first year of life. This is due to the imperfection of the nervous system.

One more distinctive feature seizures in children is an overdose of vitamin D, which can occur with its uncontrolled use.

Vitamin D helps lower calcium levels, leaching it from soft tissues in favor of bone structures.

When the first complaints of pain in the legs appear, the child should be taken to see a neurologist. This will help exclude or diagnose at an early stage most latent diseases. It would not be superfluous to contact an orthopedist, since perhaps the reason for leg cramps in children at night lies in developing flat feet or scoliosis.

What to do during a cramp?

It is necessary to stretch cramped muscles or force them to relax. If leg cramps occur during sleep, then abduction of the foot towards the body (from a sitting position in bed) is used.

If the anterior thigh muscle is cramped, then you need to bend your leg at the knee and bring your heel as close as possible to your buttock.

If the exercise performed is not enough, then you can stretch your body along your leg.

If the cramp affects the back muscles of the thigh, then both legs must be straightened horizontal plane and try to reach the tips of your toes with your hands - perform a “fold”.

In the event that a cramp occurs against the background of intense physical activity, you need to stretch your muscles with a massage. First, stroking movements are performed without pressure. Gradually the pressure increases. Then tapping, pinching, and stretching are used. The massage should end with stroking movements with a gradual release of pressure.

When performing a massage, it is important to make only upward movements - from the foot to the groin area. This will stimulate the outflow of venous blood and lymph, which will quickly get rid of the spasm and prevent relapse.

Diagnostics

Most often, people with leg cramps consult a therapist or neurologist. After a general examination, an assessment is made of the patient’s condition, the level of reflex response, and laboratory and hardware examinations are prescribed.

The most informative analyzes are:

Biochemical blood test.
Blood test for electrolytes.
General blood and urine tests.
Blood test for hormones.

Of the hardware examination methods, electromyography, electroencephalography and tomography (computer or magnetic) are widely used.

If leg cramps occur, self-diagnosis is unacceptable. Convulsions can be caused by both minor physical overload and serious disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system.

Treatment

Treatment is etiotropic. If the cause of spasms is a lack of electrolytes or vitamins, then the use of the missing elements in complex therapy is indicated. If cramps are caused by varicose veins, it is necessary to combat poor blood flow. Regular water loads and wearing special elastic underwear that provide drainage of the affected veins are recommended.

In the case of non-insulin-dependent diabetes, muscle spasms may be affected by a violation of the prescribed diet.

In the case of people suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes, the root cause may be hidden in irrational insulin administration or prolonged fasting.

Diuretic therapy requires the introduction of additional sources of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium into the diet.

This will help compensate for the lack of elements for the entire period of treatment. The same applies to children with an overdose of vitamin D - it is necessary to introduce additional calcium into the child's diet. These can be both food products and specialized complex preparations.

Treatment is prescribed and selected individually depending on the underlying cause. But there are general recommendations which must be followed by every person who has experienced leg cramps at least once in their life.

Preventing seizures

Legs cramp at night - what to do?

If a person suffers from cramps at night, then it is necessary to slightly raise the leg end, you can put a heating pad in your legs.

For varicose veins, the use of vasoconstrictor drugs is indicated. Regular use of a contrast shower has a positive effect.

Orthopedists do not recommend wearing heels higher than 5.5 cm. This leads to deformation of the foot, which entails improper distribution of the load. In addition to muscle cramps, osteochondrosis may occur, fraught with intervertebral hernias and pinched nerve roots.

If you experience discomfort in your legs, you should contact a specialist. Such an insignificant symptom may hide serious pathologies that need to be diagnosed early stages for successful treatment.