Night leg cramps are a common problem for various reasons. Pregnant women and the elderly are the most affected, but people who practice particular sports or who take certain drugs can also suffer. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common phenomenon, but it can be resolved immediately with some maneuvers. However, if it becomes chronic and causes a lot of pain, or if it doesn't relieve itself with a little stretching and some gentle massage, see your doctor.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Relieve Cramps with Stretching
Step 1. Use a towel to stretch the calf muscles
Sit with your leg straight in front of you and run a towel around your forefoot. Grab both ends and pull them in your direction so that you feel the back of your leg stretch. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise 3 times.
- This method allows you to intervene by effectively stretching and massaging the leg.
- Be careful not to pull too hard or you could seriously injure your leg. Stop if your calf starts to hurt.
Step 2. Sit down and lean forward to stretch the inner calf
In a seated position, extend the leg affected by the cramp while keeping the other bent, then lean forward as you approach your chest to the knee. Grab your toe and pull it as far as possible towards you.
If you can't do this exercise completely, simply lean forward and reach your hands towards your toes as far as you can go
Step 3. Lean against the wall to stretch your calf
Lean forward and place your hands on a wall, then step forward with the uninjured leg and stretch the other one back. Keeping the sole of the foot of the injured limb close to the floor, slowly transfer your weight to the bent leg until you feel the calf stretch. Stay in this position for 15-30 seconds.
- You should repeat the exercise until the cramp disappears completely.
- You can also do it before going to bed as a preventative measure, to prevent leg spasms from occurring during sleep.
Step 4. Lie down and lift your leg to stretch the hamstrings
Lie on your back and flex the knee of the uninjured leg by making the sole of the foot adhere to the floor. Then, stretch and lift the leg affected by the cramp and pull it towards you while keeping it straight. Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds.
- To make sure you are properly stretching the hamstring muscle, you need to place your hands behind the thigh rather than at the popliteal cavity, which is the region behind the knee.
- If you can't keep your raised leg completely straight, just pull it as far as you can as you feel it stretch.
Method 2 of 4: Use Home Remedies to Treat and Prevent Leg Cramps
Step 1. Avoid sleeping squeezed between the sheets
If sheets and blankets stick too tightly to your body, they can cause you to flex your toes downward while you sleep without you noticing, causing calf cramps. So, make sure that the sheets rest softly on you to reduce the risk of your feet being stuck in the same position for too long, more easily cramped.
You can also avoid this risk by having them hang out of bed so that their fingers are pointing towards the floor
Step 2. Apply a warm compress to the area affected by the cramp
By applying heat, you can relax tight muscles and relieve pain. Use an electric heating pad, a heated towel, or even a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth to relax them and relieve cramps.
- If you want to use the electric heating pad, make sure you don't fall asleep while it is on to avoid the risk of a fire. Buy one with automatic shutdown.
- To relieve cramps with heat, you could also take a hot bath or direct the jet of hot water in the shower directly over your leg.
- Before proceeding, make sure your leg is not swollen. If the pain and cramps are accompanied by swelling, it could be a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis. In this case, consult your doctor and do not apply the heating pad.
Step 3. Wear suitable shoes
Sometimes, leg cramps can be caused by bad footwear, especially among people who have flat feet and other structural defects. In these cases, to avoid the appearance of leg cramps, be careful to choose only shoes that are suitable for your needs and designed to compensate for any structural problems in the feet.
- It may be necessary to purchase a model specially designed by the podiatrist. It costs more than regular footwear, but is effective against leg cramps. Insoles are unlikely to be useful.
- In addition, those suffering from nocturnal leg cramps should avoid wearing high heels because they promote this type of problem.
Method 3 of 4: Change the Power
Step 1. Try drinking 240ml of tonic water if stretching exercises don't help
Tonic water contains quinine, which some people believe helps relieve nighttime leg cramps. However, it is not a substance officially recognized by medicine to combat this problem and is present in tonic water only in small quantities.
The very small dose of quinine in tonic water is unlikely to cause side effects
Step 2. Increase your intake of potassium, calcium and magnesium
Some evidence suggests that nocturnal leg cramps may be caused by nutritional deficiencies, especially those related to potassium, calcium and magnesium, which affect athletes most. To avoid this risk, try to get the following minerals in adequate amounts through food or supplements.
- Excellent sources of include milk, bananas, oranges, apricots, grapes, kale, broccoli, sweet potatoes, yogurt, and saltwater fish.
- Keep in mind that the research on the causal link between mineral deficiencies and leg cramps is not definitive, so it is not certain that with the increase in potassium, calcium and magnesium intake the problem of nocturnal leg cramps will resolve itself spontaneously. It is better to have a balanced diet so that you can assimilate them in sufficient quantities rather than drastically change it.
Step 3. Ask your doctor if you can take magnesium supplements if you are pregnant
Pregnant women are generally more prone to leg cramps, especially during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. In these cases, talk to your doctor to find out if you can take magnesium supplements.
- Food supplementation based on magnesium is very suitable during pregnancy, because it is essential for the proper functioning of the body. On the other hand, studies on the consumption of magnesium supplements in elderly or non-breastfeeding women are not definitive.
- Do not take any supplements without your doctor's approval, especially if you are pregnant. He may simply be asking you to adjust your diet to get adequate amounts of magnesium.
Step 4. Consume at least 2.2 liters of water per day to avoid dehydration
Sometimes, nocturnal leg cramps can result from dehydration. Women should aim to drink around 2.2 liters of water per day, while men around 3.
- To find out if your water intake is sufficient, check the transparency of your urine. If they are clear, it means that you are hydrated. If, on the other hand, they are yellowish or urinating is infrequent, it means that you are not drinking enough.
- Avoid overdoing alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption dehydrates the body, further worsening the risk of cramps.
Step 5. Ask your doctor if you need to take calcium channel blockers
Calcium channel blockers prevent calcium from entering various cells and blood vessel walls. Although they are mainly used to treat hypertension, they can also be used to relieve muscle cramps at night. However, if you take them, you need to measure your blood pressure regularly.
- If your doctor deems it necessary to take these drugs, he will also indicate the dosage in your prescription.
- Side effects of calcium channel blockers include drowsiness, increased appetite, weight gain and difficulty breathing (visible from the first doses in case of allergic reactions).
- Also, keep in mind that those who take calcium channel blockers should not eat grapefruit, drink its juice or consume alcohol.
Method 4 of 4: Avoid Drugs That Can Cause Leg Cramps
Step 1. Beware of diuretics
Diuretics used to treat hypertension can also result in excessive elimination of water from the system, resulting in dehydration, which is a major cause of nocturnal leg cramps.
If you are taking them and suffer from leg cramps while sleeping, see your doctor
Step 2. Be aware that antihypertensive drugs can sometimes cause leg cramps
Thiazide diuretics, used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, can deplete the body of electrolytes, leading to cramps. ACE inhibitors (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) can also cause electrolyte imbalance and cause muscle cramps.
See your doctor if your blood pressure values are abnormal while taking an antihypertensive. You may change the dose or stop it
Step 3. Consider replacing statins and fibrates with other drugs
Used to control high cholesterol, statins and fibrates can create muscle problems by limiting their energy. Ask your doctor if it would be appropriate to replace them with vitamin B12, folic acid and vitamin B6. This substitution is conceivable if your cholesterol is not too high, but you can keep it under control.
- Tell your doctor if leg cramps started when you started taking a new medication. He may prescribe another high cholesterol treatment.
- Ask your doctor if you can keep cholesterol at bay with food. However, if you are on drug therapy, make sure you are taking only one medicine.
- Commonly prescribed statins include atorvastatin, fluvastatin and rosuvastatin, with bezafibrate, fenofibrate, and gemfibrozil among the most prescribed fibrates.
Step 4. See your psychiatrist if you have leg cramps from taking antipsychotic therapy
Drugs used to treat depression, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders can induce fatigue, lethargy, and weakness, increasing the risk of leg cramps. Contact your psychiatrist if you think the problem is due to taking antipsychotics and ask if they can prescribe a different medication.
- This class of drugs includes aripiprazole, chlorpromazine and risperidone.
- Some antipsychotics can cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you experience muscle spasms and other adverse effects associated with the use of antipsychotics, including twitching or difficulty walking.
Advice
- There are supplements that can relieve leg cramps in some people, although the results of clinical studies are mixed. Ask your doctor if regular intake of evening primrose oil or brewer's yeast would benefit you.
- Try putting a small bar of soap (such as those in hotels) under the part of the leg that is affected by the cramp. Alternatively, apply some hypoallergenic liquid soap directly to the center of the injured area. While there is no research to support this remedy, some people find it effective against leg cramps.
