How To Get Rid Of Leg Calf Cramps: Natural Treatments and Remedies
Only imagine that you are lying down and your lower leg
seizes. This kind of pain is intense enough so to make you want to scream and
it doesn’t let up and your muscle is hard to the touch. When you will try to
move your leg, it kind of feels paralyzed. Does this sound familiar?
In accordance to American Family Physician, the
nocturnal leg and calf cramp can affect up to 60 percent of
adults and many times it is referred to as muscle spasms or charley
horses, and they occur when one or more of the muscles in the leg tighten
involuntarily.
Having these leg cramps most often affect
the gastrocnemius muscle (calf muscle – calf cramp) which spans the
back of each leg from the ankle to the knee. But, they may also affect the
muscles at the front of each thigh (quadriceps) and the back of each thigh
(hamstrings).
You might be awake or asleep when a leg cramp happens but
most of the time, the muscle relaxes itself in less than 10 minutes. Your leg
can kind of feel sore or tender for up to a day afterwards. Having often calf
cramp at night can disrupt your sleep.
Experiencing leg cramps during sleep are more
common among women and older adults.
How To Stop Leg Cramps At Night
These following tips are able to help you avoid leg cramps
while sleeping:
1. Consume Plenty Of Fluids
These allow for normal muscle function and you may need to
adjust how much fluid you drink based on the factors as the weather and your
age, activity level, and also the medication you’re taking.
2. Ride A Stationary Bike
Only few minutes of easy pedaling might help loosen up your
leg muscles before you go to sleep.
3. Stretch Your Legs Often
When stretching your calves and hamstrings before
bed it may be able to reduce the frequency and severity of nocturnal
leg cramps.
4. Avoid Some Heavy Or Tucked-In Bedding.
This kind of bedding could push your feet downward while
you are asleep. Use some loose, untucked sheets, and a comforter that can allow
you to keep your feet and toes upright while you are sleeping.
5. Change The Sleeping Position
You shall always avoid sleeping in positions in which your
feet are pointing downward so give a try to sleeping on your back with a pillow
behind your knees.
6. Choose Supportive Footwear
Some poor footwear might be able to aggravate issues with
the nerves and muscles in your feet and legs, most often and especially if you
have flat feet.
How To Treat Leg And Calf Cramps Naturally At Home
Although the leg cramps at night may be intensely painful,
they are actually not typically serious. Most of the people who will experience
them will not need medical treatment.
So try the following at home to try to relieve a cramp:
1. Massage Your Legs
Rubbing this muscle that is affected may help it relax. Use
both hands so to gently knead and loosen the muscle.
2. Apply Some Heat
Warmth can soothe tight muscles. Place a hot towel, some
hot water bottle, or a heating pad to the affected area. Also, taking a warm
bath or shower might
In case the cramp is in your calf, then straighten your
leg. Flex the foot so that it is lifted to face you and your toes are pointing
towards you.
3. Walk On Your Heels
This one can actually activate the muscles opposite
your calf, while allowing it to relax.
4. Take An Over-The-Counter Painkiller In Case Your Leg Is Sore After
The nonsteroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs as for example
ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and also naproxen (Aleve) may help relieve tenderness
after a cramp. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) might be able to work as well.
5. Drink Pickle Juice
The exists some evidence that suggests that
drinking a small amount of pickle juice might help relieve muscle cramps.
In case often cramps are disrupting your sleep, you should
make an appointment with your doctor so they might prescribe a muscle relaxant
to prevent future cramps. If there is a reason that cramps are related to
another medical condition, they can help manage that too.
Nocturnal Leg Cramp Causes
Researchers do not really and exactly know what causes leg
cramps during night. But there are, so known factors that may increase your
risk. In a good number of cases, nocturnal leg cramps are idiopathic, which in
turn means their exact cause isn’t known.
In a time during night these cramps may be
related to foot position because we often tend to sleep with our feet and
toes extending away from the rest of our bodies, which is a position
called plantar flexion. This can shorten the calf muscles, while making
them more susceptible to cramping.
Factors That Contribute To Nighttime Leg Cramps
There are some other factors that may contribute to
nighttime leg cramps include:
Improper Sitting Position
If you are sitting with your legs crossed or your toes
pointed for a long periods of time it shortens the calf muscles, which may in turn
lead to cramping.
1. Sedentary Life Style
Your muscles may need to be stretched regularly in order to
function properly so sitting for long periods of time could make leg muscles
more susceptible to cramping.
2. Muscle Overexertion
Doing a lot of exercise may create an overworked muscle and
may be associated with muscle cramps.
3. Prolonged Standing
These is some research that suggests that people who stand
for long periods of time at work are more likely to experience nocturnal leg
cramps.
4. Abnormal Nerve Activity
As electromyography studies show, leg cramps are
associated with some increased, and some abnormal nerve firing.
5. Shortening Of The Tendons
These, that connect muscles and bones, shorten naturally
over time. And, it could lead to cramping in the muscles.
Having leg cramps at night are unlikely to be the first
sign of a more serious medical condition. But, they are kind of associated with
the following conditions:
- pregnancy
- musculoskeletal disorders, as for example osteoarthritis
- some structural issues, such as flat feet or a spinal stenosis
- some neurological disorders, as for example motor neuron disease or peripheral neuropathy
- cardiovascular conditions, a heart disease or peripheral vascular disease
- neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease
- some medications, as statins and diuretics
- kidney, liver, and thyroid conditions
- metabolic disorders, as diabetes
- How to Prevent and Treat Painful Leg and Calf Cramps that Begin When You’re in Bed
Final Word:
In case you’ve ever experienced leg cramps during night,
you surely know how painful they can be. But, fortunately they’re usually not a
sign of a serious problem. If stretching the calf and hamstring muscles before
bed may help to prevent nocturnal leg cramps.
