Calf cramps. Cramps of the calf muscles

Strong sharp pain in the legs twisted so that there is no strength to endure? This makes itself felt cramps of the calf muscles - extremely unpleasant sensations localized on the back of the lower leg. What to do if you cramp your leg? How can you help yourself in this situation?

Causes of leg cramps

Why do seizures develop? Every person, at least once faced with a sharp pain in the lower leg, would like to know what is happening to him. Spasm of the calf muscles can be caused by a variety of reasons, and it is not always possible for specialists to accurately determine the trigger of pain.

Most often, the appearance of seizures is associated with the following conditions:

Varicose veins;
transferred injuries of the calf muscles;
metabolic pathologies (including diabetes mellitus);
deficiency of magnesium and calcium.

To accurately determine the cause of the spasm, you should carefully analyze your condition and try to understand what could lead to the appearance of pain. Knowing why it reduces the calf muscle, you can find a way to treat and fix the problem as soon as possible.

Night cramps

Painful spasms can make themselves felt at any time of the day, especially with prolonged immobility of the legs. In this case, a person can predict the development of an attack in advance and take measures to alleviate the condition. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to catch the moment when numbness and tingling of the leg turns into severe pain. Very often, calf cramps appear at night, disrupting the calm flow of sleep. The causes of nocturnal seizures have not yet been studied. It is assumed that a long stay of the leg in one position leads to muscle spasm and causes a person to wake up from severe pain.

Falling asleep, try to get in the most comfortable position for you - this will make it possible to avoid the appearance of pain.

In addition to the calf muscles, a cramp can cover the foot, causing rather long-term discomfort. As a rule, the pain is localized only on one side - the second leg remains unaffected by the cramp. A sudden spasm leads to the appearance of a seal on the back of the leg. Why is this happening? The thing is that during an attack, the calf muscle is torn, and a noticeable edema develops at the site of the injury. Nocturnal calf cramps leave noticeable effects during the day in the form of gait disturbance and painful sensations with every movement. Discomfort decreases when walking and increases again in a stationary position.

Spasms of the calf muscles at night rarely last more than 30 seconds, but all this time a person feels unbearable pain, which makes it impossible to adequately assess their condition. It is good if there is someone nearby who can provide first aid, but often patients have to look for a way to solve the problem on their own. What to do if a cramp cramped your legs, and there is no strength to endure this pain?

In most cases, pain appears only on one side, which means that a person retains the ability to control his body. Regardless of the cause of the spasm, you should follow a few simple steps that can quickly alleviate the condition.

During the spasm, pull the sock towards you. Repeat this action several times until the cramp goes away.
If within thirty seconds it was not possible to achieve the desired effect, get out of bed. Walk a little on the floor, preferably barefoot - where there are no carpets and other coverings.
Strongly squeeze the muscles in its central part. Hold your leg in this position for 15-20 seconds.

Remember to breathe deeply during an attack!

Remember that any cramp rarely lasts more than two minutes, which means that in the near future the pain will recede even without your actions. After removing the attack, massage your feet. You can pinch the muscle slightly - this will help increase blood flow in the shin area and quickly restore mobility to the legs. It would be useful to visit a doctor to find out the cause of seizures and receive recommendations for the treatment of the disease.

It happens that calf massage does not help to quickly cope with pain. What to do in such a situation? Experts recommend performing a simple exercise that will help relieve an attack. To do this, you need to stand facing the wall, stepping back one step. Feet should be shoulder-width apart, hands resting on the wall above the head. Take small steps back from the wall, keeping your feet on the floor. Why can't you raise your foot during the exercise? It's simple: only in this position, the calf muscles will stretch well, which will eliminate pain in the affected organ.

Move as far away from the wall as possible. During the exercise, there should be no discomfort in the shin area. Stop in the chosen position, stay in it for about a minute. Keep breathing even and calm until the pain subsides. After an attack, unpleasant sipping may remain in the area of \u200b\u200bdamaged muscles for several days.

Before dealing with the treatment of painful attacks, you should understand why such symptoms develop. If the cause of cramps is varicose veins, you should seek help from a phlebologist. The appointment of venotonics (drugs that strengthen the vascular wall) in most cases allows you to cope with the problem and forget about the occurrence of leg cramps for a long time.

Treatment of cramps of the calf muscles caused by a lack of calcium and magnesium begins with the intake of vitamin complexes. The course of therapy is about one month. In addition to multivitamins, the patient is advised to diversify his diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. Especially this recommendation will be relevant for pregnant women who are not immune from the development of convulsive leg spasms. In anticipation of the baby, many expectant mothers are deficient in trace elements and vitamins, which can lead to discomfort in the calf muscles.

What to do if the implementation of all the recommendations did not give a positive result and the convulsions return again and again? First of all, it is worth undergoing a thorough examination of the whole organism, assessing the condition of large vessels and paying special attention to changes in metabolism. Timely detection of the disease will give a chance not only to cope with the problem, but also to avoid the development of various complications.

Prevention

In order to avoid the appearance of new bouts of pain, you should first of all take care of your legs. General massage helps to improve blood flow throughout the body, which means it will be useful for the calf muscles. Regular exercise and sports will not only help keep your body in good shape, but also perfectly strengthen the calf muscles. Proper nutrition with the addition of foods rich in calcium and magnesium to the diet will reduce the likelihood of seizures due to micronutrient deficiencies. A daily contrast shower will bring some benefit. Pay attention to your legs - and you will forget about pain and muscle spasms for many years.

Seizures are involuntary, sudden onset brain symptoms, manifested by impaired consciousness, motor, sensory and emotional disorders. They can be a sign of a number of serious diseases not only of the nervous, but also of other systems of the human body.

Seizures are one of the symptoms that doctors of all specialties are most often afraid of. This is due to the fact that it is very difficult to stop the convulsive syndrome. A large number of complications that may be the result of seizures sometimes lead to disability.

The appearance of seizures in a person should be one of the reasons for visiting a neurologist, since various diseases can be hidden under the mask of this pathology. Very often, the occurrence of this symptom characterizes the severity of the disease: for example, during pregnancy, the presence of seizures indicates an associated complication (eclampsia). Frequent seizures in children may be the first precursors of epilepsy.

The reasons

The reasons that contribute to the appearance of seizures in different age periods include:
hypoxia - insufficient amount of oxygen supplied to the body
brain malformations
meningitis, encephalitis and other neuroinfections
insufficient levels of glucose, calcium and magnesium in the blood serum
acute respiratory infection (flu, pneumonia)
birth trauma in newborns
metabolic diseases in children (phenylketonuria)
traumatic brain injury
brain tumors
epilepsy
high body temperature (fever)
complicated course of pregnancy (preeclampsia)
degenerative diseases of the nervous system - multiple sclerosis, encephalomyelitis
drug poisoning
violations of water and salt metabolism (with severe degrees of dehydration)

It has been proven that loud sounds, bright lights (in people sensitive to the effects of these factors) can cause convulsions.

In the occurrence of a convulsive attack, a hereditary predisposition can play a significant role: it has been proven that people whose relatives have ever suffered convulsive seizures are at a high risk of such seizures. Provoking factors that can initiate a paroxysm of convulsions include excessive arousal, stress, and electrolyte imbalance.

Types of seizures

There are generalized (tonic, clonic, tonic-clonic, myoclonic) and partial seizures (simple and complex).

Tonic-clonic seizures begin suddenly with loss of consciousness, while the pupils dilate. In the phase of tonic convulsions, which lasts for several tens of seconds, all skeletal muscles become tense, the eyeballs roll up. Next comes the phase of clonic convulsions lasting about 40 seconds, in which periods of convulsions (contractions) alternate with periods of relaxation (relaxations) in the muscles of the trunk. The attack ends in a coma, which turns into sleep or into a state of short-term stunning. In persons who have had a seizure, there is a release of bloody foam from the mouth. Bite of the tongue and profuse salivation are characteristic symptoms of tonic-clonic seizures.

Myoclonic convulsions(myoclonus) most often occur in children and adolescents. The convulsive process involves either the entire skeletal muscles, or the muscles of the face, fingers. Significant myoclonus can cause children to fall with injury.

Partial seizures characterized by loss of consciousness. They are manifested by single convulsions of a clonic nature, which involve the muscles of the foot, hand, face in the pathological process.

It is a mistake to call spasm of the calf muscles cramps most frequently occurring during sleep. This pathology is characterized by the term "myoclonus". Myoclonus also includes spasm of the thigh muscles. In such cases, it reduces the muscles of the legs, there is no loss of consciousness.

Scientists have established why it reduces muscles with myoclonus. This is due to a violation in the extrapyramidal system of the brain, a decrease in the calcium content in the blood serum and concomitant diseases. If muscle spasm occurs once every few months, this may be the first symptom of the disease: for example, in women, the calf muscles begin to reduce at night with varicose veins of the lower extremities or with serum calcium deficiency.

The occurrence of spasms of the calf muscles in cold water is due to the narrowing of blood vessels due to exposure to low temperatures, muscle overstrain. Very often in cold water it reduces muscles in people with diseases of the spine and low calcium content.

During physical exertion, muscles can reduce for the following reasons:
dehydration of the body with loss of calcium and potassium along with sweat
insufficient warm-up
excessive stress on a specific muscle group
increase in training volume

In sleep, muscle spasms occur when moving from one position to another: there is a sharp tension in one muscle group, leading to a spasm.

Diseases and consequences

The clinic of the convulsive syndrome is determined by the disease that led to the appearance of convulsions.
Traumatic brain injury can cause the development of tonic-clonic convulsions, accompanied by symptoms of damage to the cranial nerves.

At a body temperature above 39 ° C, febrile convulsions occur, which are most common among children. In this case, the duration of the attack is five minutes, the nature of the seizures is tonic-clonic.

An epileptic seizure has a characteristic clinical picture: the patient cries out, turns pale, loses consciousness, strong tonic-clonic convulsions develop, breathing and blood circulation are disturbed. At the end of the attack, the person falls asleep.

Brain tumors lead to generalized convulsions, in which profuse foam is released from the mouth.

The occurrence of convulsions in a dream can be due to diseases of the spine, a lack of magnesium and B vitamins in the body. In this case, convulsions occur at night, closer to the morning, are characterized by a severe pain syndrome, which is localized in the arms and legs.

Seizures can lead to death due to dysfunction of the heart and lungs. Often, convulsive syndrome is accompanied by the development of the following complications:
cardiac arrest;
pulmonary edema;
muscle breaks;
arrhythmias;
hemorrhages in the brain tissue;
spinal fractures;
injuries caused by hitting the ground during loss of consciousness.

Very often, with convulsions, an increase in the level of potassium and lactic acid in the blood serum is observed, which leads to a violation of the heart rhythm.
Muscle pain after a seizure is due to the accumulation of lactate, which is formed as a result of incomplete oxidation of glucose.

Single muscle spasms do not pose any danger to the body.

Treatment

The treatment of seizures is based on two key aspects:
providing emergency care to prevent complications
treatment of the underlying disease that led to the development of seizures

Every adult needs to know what to do and how to act with the development of a seizure. The first aid algorithm includes the following activities:
injury prevention; this is achieved by holding the victim
turning the victim on his side in order to prevent obstruction (closing) of the airway lumen by vomit
tongue bite is prevented by placing a hard object between the teeth
call an ambulance

Be sure to know how to get rid of seizures, persons whose relatives suffer from epilepsy are obliged. With this disease, convulsions can be repeated several times a day.

At the second stage, the treatment of the underlying disease, which led to the occurrence of a convulsive syndrome, is carried out.

With insufficient oxygen supply to the body, it is necessary to carry out oxygenation (blood saturation with oxygen by inhaling it through a face mask).

With malformations of the brain, anticonvulsants (anticonvulsants) are used to prevent seizures.

Prescribing antibiotic therapy for meningitis will help prevent seizures.

Febrile seizures are stopped by taking antipyretic drugs. Normalization of body temperature will quickly lead to recovery.

Seizures due to dehydration are treated with intravenous fluids (normalization of the volume of circulating blood helps to get rid of convulsions).

If it often reduces the calf muscles, (i.e. with myoclonus) proceed as follows:
organize proper nutrition (it is recommended to regularly eat foods containing potassium and calcium: cottage cheese, cheeses, bananas, legumes)
perform special exercises aimed at relaxing the calf muscles (you can take your hand on the tips of your toes and pull them towards you)
in some cases, strong pinches in the shin area help
perform a complete examination to establish the cause that led to the appearance of seizures

needle prick with spasm of the calf muscles is a very effective way, however, specially trained people can perform this procedure, since it is necessary to know the injection points perfectly. Doing it yourself with a needle is not recommended: there is a high probability of pathogens that can cause infectious diseases entering the body. Superficially located nerves and vessels can also be damaged.

Prevention of seizures is carried out to prevent the occurrence of a new attack. To prevent cramps resort to the use of general massage. Muscles are warmed up, as a result of which blood flow increases.

The diet should include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, liver, oatmeal.

In the presence of concomitant diseases, their timely treatment is required. With varicose veins of the lower extremities, it often reduces the calf muscles. The appointment of venotonics (drugs to improve the functioning of the veins) will help prevent the occurrence of seizures in this case.

Exercise helps strengthen the muscle groups that are most prone to spasms.

In epilepsy, anticonvulsants (anticonvulsants) are used to prevent the onset of a seizure: phenobarbital,
carbamazepine, phenytoin, valproic acid, lamotrigine.

Only an integrated approach to prevention will help prevent the occurrence of seizures.

We hope that this article has expanded your knowledge and now you will not call any slight muscle spasm a cramp.

Your mark:

Comments

I also occasionally have cramps during sleep, the main causes of cramps are muscle overstrain - for example, where there is often an overstrain of the leg muscles - in football and basketball - athletes lie on the floor and ground from reduced muscles almost every match - so if you overtrain - proper relaxation and timely muscle massage begin to play a special role - after a good massage, cramps are already a very rare occurrence, if at all possible

Overvoltage can also arise from the inconvenience of the unevenness of the furniture you use - a chair, a table, a bed - everything should be exactly for your height and your dimensions and physiological characteristics (in this regard, people with small stature are more lucky - they have much more opportunities to get settled normally even on a very uncomfortable bed or chair) ... and for example, I just suffer everywhere with my 193 cm - because in our country, like Japan, is everything done for people no more than 150 cm tall - literally everything - with rare exceptions .... but nevertheless - you should have everything special that is suitable only for you - this largely allows you to solve the problem of artificial muscle strain - where it has no real practical significance, but only to the detriment Now, for the good, the market has begun to respond to people's requests - more and more ergonomic chairs, sofas, bed mattresses with different designs and features - (I hope they finally drop their prices :)))) that allow you to choose waiting for a person what is most convenient

buzmeg,
"The contractions of one muscle or an entire group of muscles by an erroneous command of the muscle brain are called hyperkinesis (hyper - excess, kinesis - movement). Tick is a type of hyperkinesis. Ticks are considered to be fast movements of the same type, which can sometimes affect the vocal apparatus, which is accompanied by the pronunciation of sounds ( vocalization) - grunting, smacking, speaking words.

it's more of a mental problem - you need to relax more - the brain, when it starts to feel uncomfortable, overstrain and excitement begins to torment the muscles with a bunch of unnecessary impulses - some of them become a habit later - if they somehow "help" a person survive some kind of situation - it's like superstition - only on physiological level The reality is that, of course, the violation of the work of the nervous system and the absence of normal muscle relaxation - does not bring anything good to a person and obviously only prevents him from winning in everything - but such is the nature of man

It starts like this, at first, under the skin in the hands on the palms, light goosebumps begin to run, such as tingling, then it begins to reduce the calves on the legs and the muscles of the arms and neck, and a feeling of poor condition, nothing hurts, but just bad, and the heart starts more often beat, hands are shaking, weakness, throws me like a drunk left and right, and when I get sick in transport, the same thing starts to happen, it doesn’t sicken to nausea, but reduce the muscles of the arms, but also the neck, what is it, how to get rid of it ?

rose flower June 27, 2011 10:16 am

daughter 2 years 10 months old, according to the teacher, during the daytime sleep she screamed and pointed to the handles, and the teacher said that they were reduced and very cold, what could it be, told me about it after 4 days, I sit and think now, this is what something terrible? and generally sleeps very restlessly, screams and throws himself in different directions during sleep

my right eye has been twitching for almost a month now, and in my legs, it often happens that if I want to squat, it starts to pull like during convulsions, and recently I was walking from the market carrying bags so my hands hurt so much as if the muscles were pulled from them, then convulsions began

Played football (40 minutes), suddenly - "shot" in the leg (somewhere between the Achilles tendon and the end of the calf muscle). I fell down and couldn't step on my foot. I applied ice (about 2 hours with breaks). There was a feeling that it was as if "pulling" the entire calf, Achilles and ankle. About 3 hours later, somewhere in the middle of the gastrocnemius muscle, there was either a crunch or a click - as if the “knot was untied”. It stopped pulling, there was a feeling of a strongly stretched calf and a strongly stretched Achilles ... . What's this? severe sprain due to cramps? Tear? Strange, but there is no hematoma. There is no hemorrhage (bruising). With the forced movement of the toe of the leg "on itself" - a pulling pain in the Achilles (sprain?). I can walk, but I'm just getting on my feet. Maybe he just pulled a bunch?

and sometimes suddenly in my eyes darkening and dizziness lasts about a minute, and during sleep there is a twitching of the legs and arms, as if an electric shock, fatigue, depression, irritability, all this may be due to improper breathing

stas July 23, 2013 06:23

For several years, even more than 2 decades, I shudder during sleep, sometimes I wake up from this, but mostly my wife or children tell me about it. Even earlier, during sleep, my muscles trembled just like a horse shudders with body parts to scare away insects that have landed on it. Now I am 56 years old and I suffer greatly from regular spasms on the calf muscles, on the muscles of the arms, the plantar part, in front of the eyes. The truth is that I never complained to doctors about this, now I understand that it’s in vain

Boris Selsky August 3, 2013 09:57

I am 90 years old, my legs hurt, often severely. And during sleep, especially recently, leg cramps, then the second leg. With difficulty, you need to get up, straighten up and stand for a while until the severe pain passes. But the pain continues.
I massage my leg, sometimes I smear places with Diclak Gel ointment, No. Dr. Taissa with live bone, I eat normally and take calcium tablets.
And the convulsions are repeated. In the morning I try to relax and do some gymnastic exercises and a light jog.
And the cramps don't go away.
All the years he led a normal life.
Thanks for the
your advice and response.
Greetings from Lviv!

Cramps of the calf muscles are classified as pathologies called “myoclonus”. In the same category are spasms of the muscles of the hip region. In all these cases, there is no loss of consciousness with muscle spasms in the legs.

The described phenomenon is caused by all sorts of disorders of the extrapyramidal system of the brain, which are provoked by a low level of calcium in the blood and other concomitant factors.

Causes of cramps in the calf muscles

An unexpected spasm of the calf muscle is always accompanied by severe pain. In addition to the calf muscles, cramps can also reduce the muscles of the foot. The majority of people rarely deal with cramps in the calf muscles, however, someone is constantly faced with such difficulties. Using the means at hand, cramps are easy to prevent, and, with a change in lifestyle, completely get rid of them.

Cramps in the calf muscles can be caused by various reasons, here is just a certain list of them:

lack of oxygen entering the body;
disorders in the development of the brain;
various infectious lesions of the vessels of the brain;
lack of blood glucose, calcium and magnesium;
trauma received during childbirth;
traumatic brain injury;
epileptic seizures;
tumors in the brain;
an increase in body temperature due to fever;
poor absorption of drugs by the body;
violations of the water-salt balance of the body.

Cramps of the calf muscles at night: causes

There can be quite a few reasons for the occurrence of cramps in the calf muscles at night - these are diseases of the nervous system and the result of an unbalanced diet, especially this is caused by a constant lack of calcium and magnesium in the body. To thoroughly understand this issue, it is necessary to clearly understand the causes of seizures at night and methods of dealing with them.

At night during sleep, blood circulation slows down, therefore, in the event of a lack of certain trace elements in the body, their delivery by blood to vital organs is slower, which is the cause of cramps in the calf muscles at night. In order to determine the issue of the content of calcium and magnesium in the body, it is necessary to pass special medical tests.

Cramping of the calf muscle, what to do?

To relieve cramps in the calf muscle, you should try to do stretching exercises for this muscle. This effect is achieved by applying the following exercise. You should stand up straight, facing the wall, step back from the wall at a distance of one step and spread your legs slightly wider than your shoulders. Palms should be rested on the wall above your head. Without lifting your feet from the floor, you should gradually move back. It is necessary to retreat until it becomes felt that the muscles are sufficiently stretched.

You should feel the measure, because there should not be any unpleasant sensations. The state of stretched muscles should be kept for about half a minute, after which you can rub and pinch the reduced leg.

When relieving cramps in the calf muscle, massage helps a lot. The point in the middle of the calf muscle must be pressed with the thumb of the hand, evenly increasing the pressure. For a few seconds, you need to press in the area of \u200b\u200bthe fossa under the knee.

It is not uncommon for a calf cramp to occur as a result of swimming in cold water. It is recommended to do a few warming exercises before climbing into it, since the temperature difference causes vasoconstriction of the muscles of the legs. It is useful to keep a pin or needle with you in order to give an injection to relieve muscle spasm.

Treatment of calf muscle cramps

In order to effectively treat cramps in the calf muscles, you should determine the cause of their occurrence as accurately as possible. Spasms that occur infrequently can be left untreated - just rub the site of the muscle spasm. Sometimes needle pricking is used, this has a sufficient effect for severe convulsions, but we must not forget that this operation must be performed by an experienced specialist, otherwise the desired effect may not occur. Naturally, in the most dangerous moments, acupuncture should be done by the victim himself, for example, this applies to situations when he is in cold water.

Ointment for cramps of the calf muscles

In practice, the treatment of cramps of the calf muscles with the help of ointments of various compositions is used. There are the following varieties.

An ointment based on celandine. For its preparation, celandine juice is squeezed out and mixed with petroleum jelly. One part of vaseline is taken for two parts of juice, mixing well.

This ointment is used when lubricating with massage movements the places where seizures occur. It is recommended to use this composition just before bedtime. The period of use of the ointment for medicinal purposes is two weeks.

Ointment based on mustard. It is effective in relieving the symptoms of calf muscle cramps, as well as in the treatment of the disease itself. Treatment should be carried out for three weeks.

When cooking, one part of olive oil is mixed with two parts of mustard powder. The ointment should be rubbed into places where convulsions occur.

Laurel ointment. Dry bay leaf weighing 50 grams is crushed and mixed with a glass of unrefined sunflower oil. It is placed in a jar, covered with a lid and infused for two weeks in a dark place. When the deadline comes out, the resulting composition is filtered. When reducing the calf muscle, it is rubbed with this composition.

Calf cramps

Calf cramps are a common occurrence that any person will ever encounter. Very unpleasant sensations arise quite unexpectedly and cause certain troubles. Therefore, it is useful to know more about both the cramps themselves and the methods of dealing with them.

calf cramp during pregnancy

A convulsive attack of the calf muscle in a pregnant woman can occur at any, often the most inopportune moment. It should be understood that this is not a normal state of the body, but a signal that the body is clearly missing something. Cramps in the calf muscles may indicate the presence of any serious diseases, such as complications that occur during pregnancy, so it is best to immediately consult a doctor if they appear.

The main cause of convulsive contractions of the calf muscles during pregnancy is a lack of potassium, magnesium and calcium, as well as vitamins in the body. Also, convulsions can occur with anemia - as a sign of low hemoglobin content.

Cramps of the calf muscles in a child

There are many factors that cause calf cramps in children, but three main causes of this phenomenon stand out from them. Basically, this is a failure of the balance of vitamins and trace elements, primarily a lack of magnesium. Most of the cramps of the calf muscles are associated precisely with the lack of this element, since it is necessary in matters of relaxation of the muscle tissue of the legs and elimination of increased tone.

The lack of calcium and potassium plays a role. Cramps of the calf muscles can pester children during a period of rapid growth, at a time when minerals and vitamins are consumed by the body quite intensively.

Cramps of the calf muscles in a child can occur as a result of prolonged, overly active loads on the legs associated with running, swimming, and football. Unlike adults, children show increased activity, they are able not to feel tired for a long time at a time when they are passionate about something. For example, a preschool child is able to spend several hours in the saddle of a bicycle without feeling exhausted. The result is often cramps in the calf muscles.

It is important that cramps of the calf muscles may indicate incipient flat feet.

All of the above is typical for convulsions that last a long time. However, there are also instant spasms of the muscles of the calves of the legs. They result from:

leg stay in an uncomfortable position or in the case of a long absence of any movement;
too much cooling of the legs. It is extremely dangerous to swim in a reservoir at a low water temperature in it.

Night cramps of the calf muscles

Spasms of the calf muscles at night occur quite often. Often they occur in middle-aged and elderly people who are practically healthy and do not talk about the presence of a serious illness. There are cramps at night, mainly as a result of the uncomfortable position of the legs during sleep. The situation is aggravated by circulatory disorders and problems with the vascular system. Cramps at night occur as a result of a lack of trace elements, B vitamins, nervous irritation and the process of dehydration. Instructions for some drugs provide information about seizures as a side effect of the use of these drugs.

With a nocturnal cramp of the calf muscle, you should carefully unclench the muscle with your hands. At the same time, it must be pulled with one hand from the bottom up, squeezing and unclenching it with the other hand. With severe pain, performing such an action can be quite difficult. It is good if someone from those present in the house at the moment will help to do this.

It's good to prick a muscle with a pin, but it's not a fact that it will be at hand at the right time. It is best to try to sit down and, holding the big toe or all the toes with your hand, immediately pull the foot towards you. After a certain time, the pain subsides.

The easiest way is to put your bare feet on the cold floor and try to walk. Muscles relax more quickly if the floor is cold enough. In order to make it even colder, it is recommended to put a wet towel under your feet. You can make an attempt to pinch the cramped muscle, but this is not easy to do, because at this moment it is like a stone.

The severity of the attack will subside, but the pain in the muscle will remind you of itself the next day. To smooth out pain, it is recommended that the muscle that was struck by muscle spasm be stroked for several minutes with a piece of ice or cotton wool thoroughly moistened with cold water.

Frequent calf muscle cramps

Cramps of the calf muscles often occur as a result of constant and too high physical exertion, especially if they occur suddenly, are of a thermal nature (a sharp change in temperature), and are possible when the ambient temperature changes.

Frequent cramps of the calf muscles are possible during the course of any physiological changes, whether it be pregnancy, menopause, puberty. The process of biological restructuring of the body occurs against the background of changes in the blood levels of substances such as potassium, magnesium, sodium. Stress and damage to the nervous system are often accompanied by convulsions.

When training, cramps in the calf muscles occur for the following reasons:

- water leaving the body washes away calcium and potassium;
- often the cause of frequent cramps is poor-quality warm-up;
- excessively large training volume can also cause seizures;
- excessive load on the calf muscles. In this case, a situation is possible in which all other muscle groups will remain unused in the training process.

Calf muscle pain after cramp

Three-quarters of all adults suffer from calf cramps from time to time; anyone knows the condition of a sudden contraction of the calf muscle. Such conditions are accompanied by severe pain that does not go away after the seizures stop, often remaining in the muscles for several days. People of any age are prone to seizures, most often they suffer in middle age or in the elderly.

If pain persists in the calf muscles, after a while after the end of the convulsions, restorative procedures, such as massage or warm baths, should be carried out. These measures help to relax the muscle tissue that has undergone convulsive contractions, restore blood circulation in the limbs and restore muscle functionality.

Most people often experience muscle cramps at night. This phenomenon affects both the elderly and young people. Some suffer from frequent seizures, while others may have them once in a lifetime. Why cramps the calf muscles and how to choose the right method of treatment? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

A cramp is a sudden, involuntary and very painful muscle contraction. At this point, the muscles feel very hard to the touch, as they are strongly contracted. Due to unbearable pain, the patient is unable to step on the foot.

Cramps in the calf muscles are divided into two types:

clonic represent a short-term contraction and rapid relaxation of muscle groups;
tonic contractions last from three minutes or longer, as a result of which, over time, the muscles “freeze” in one position.

Night cramps of the calf muscles that occur when sipping have a separate name - cramps. Single, rarely occurring convulsions are considered the norm. If they are regular, then you should find out the cause of their occurrence and treat.

There can be many reasons for this. The main ones are:

Deficiency or excess of minerals

To change the composition of the blood muscle tissue reacts very sensitively. This is explained by the active participation of the chemical elements of the blood in the formation of contraction of muscle tissues and the conduction of nerve impulses. With an imbalance, and especially a lack of magnesium, sodium, calcium or potassium in the body, a nocturnal spasm of the calf muscles appears.

The reasons for the lack or excess of minerals in the body can be various diets, unbalanced nutrition, insufficient fluid intake or the use of only boiled water, dehydration of the body due to increased sweating.

Changes in metabolic processes

Metabolic changes arise as a result of certain diseases and conditions of the patient. These include:

endocrine diseases;
hypoxia;
intoxication of the body;
poisoning;
diseases accompanied by fever;
toxicosis of pregnant women.

All these conditions require treatment and inflammation in the body of vitamins and minerals.

Circulatory disorders

Circulation in the legs can be impaired as a result injury or skeletal changes:

In these cases, the joints, and therefore the muscles, are in the wrong position, as a result, they are poorly fed and night cramps occur.

Lack of circulation in the legs can occur for other reasons. These include:

chronic violations of the venous outflow due to atherosclerosis, thrombosis, frostbite, etc.;
inferior vena cava syndrome;
varicose disease of the legs.

Hypothermia of the legs

Probably everyone knows that when swimming in very cold water, it reduces the muscles of the legs. Cramps can also be caused by hypothermia in the cold or wet feet and toes in the rain. Because of the cold, a spasm of venous, arterial and lymphatic vessels occurs, the nutrition of muscle tissues becomes difficult and they begin to contract involuntarily.

Uncomfortable clothes and shoes

In an uncomfortable shoe or high heels, the leg is in an unnatural position, and if this continues for a long time, then at night the caviar may cramp. In this case, you can eliminate the cause of spasms simply by refusing to wear uncomfortable shoes.

Often caviar reduces due to wearing clothes that tighten the legs. Tight jeans or a tight elastic band on the socks squeezes the blood vessels, the tissues practically do not receive nutrition and spasms appear. Therefore, it is recommended to wear clothes that do not squeeze the body.

Excessive exercise

Long workouts and unusual physical activity for the legs are often the causes of nighttime calf cramps. The calf muscles are involved in almost any type of training. It can be jumping or running, volleyball, squats, skiing, swimming, walking.

After a long sedentary lifestyle, not only intensive training, but also physical activity in the form of a long walk on foot can provoke the appearance of muscle cramps at night.

Post-workout cramps can occur as a result of dehydration after excessive sweating.

Cramps of the calf muscles in pregnant women

Almost every woman who is expecting a baby often complains of nighttime calf cramps. For pregnant women, this phenomenon is considered normal.. Its reasons are:

After the birth of a child, spasms of the calf muscles in women most often stop.

Why does muscle contraction in old age?

The older a person gets, the more factors appear that contribute to the appearance of nocturnal muscle cramps. These factors include:

a sedentary lifestyle, due to which blood circulation is disturbed in the legs;
phlebeurysm;
atherosclerosis of the vessels and, as a result, poor blood supply to the vessels of the lower extremities;
malabsorption of vitamins and minerals of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Often in old age, night cramps appear due to accumulated fatigue. Regular intake of vitamin-mineral complexes and good nutrition will prevent their occurrence.

Why do calf cramps occur in children?

Causes of muscle spasm in childhood may be the following:

vitamin deficiency;
long stay in an uncomfortable position;
hypothermia;
flat feet;
active growth of a young organism;
active lifestyle.

What to do with leg cramps?

As a rule, muscle spasms go away on their own. But during a cramp, severe pain is most often felt, which you want to eliminate as quickly as possible. For this it is necessary take the following actions:

Small and sudden cramps can be relieved with apple cider vinegar or warming ointments rubbed into the calves.

Treatment of calf muscle cramps

Nighttime calf spasms are often associated by doctors with a lack of minerals and prescribe the following drugs:

Proper nutrition will help get rid of night cramps. The diet must include foods with potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D. They are rich in the following products:

lemons;
mineral water;
lean meat and liver;
broccoli;
dairy products;
seafood;
seaweed;
legumes;
nuts;
vegetable bran;
dried fruits;
green onions, parsley, dill.

Rubbing calves with tincture of lilac flowers is effective. To prepare it, a half-liter jar of petals is poured with alcohol or vodka and removed for two weeks in a dark place. After 14 days, the tincture will be ready. For rubbing calves, use it in the morning and evening.

Prevention of calf cramps

Prevent imbalance in the body of minerals and prevent appearance of nocturnal calf spasms doctor's advice will help:

The causes of calf muscle cramps are few. Most often, night cramps occur due to excessive physical exertion on the calves and with a deficiency in the body of potassium, calcium and magnesium. If convulsive contractions bother a long period, then a doctor's consultation, in particular, a vascular surgeon, is necessary.

Dasha 25.02.2018

The cause of my infrequent cramps was a magnesium deficiency. After work, my legs got tired, and at night there were occasional cramps. I drank Evalarovsky magnesium chelate and started doing gymnastics, and so far, the cramps do not bother me.

Add a comment

With convulsions, there is a loss of consciousness, and with myoclonus, only muscle spasm and pain. By itself, myoclonus is not a disease, it is only the body's reaction to certain problems, or a symptom of the disease.

In the article, we will speak more simply - a cramp, but we will talk about this common phenomenon: cramps of the calf muscles at night. Should I be worried about something like this? Why does it occur? How to deal with it? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

Spasms of the calf muscles at night in a dream - causes

If you believe the statistics, then middle-aged and older people are more susceptible to cramps in the calf muscles. But young people also have a similar kind of spasms. It is very important to identify the cause of their occurrence.

Since a cramp can occur as a result of muscle strain, and as a symptom of a serious disease of the nervous system.

Consider the main causes of occurrence:

Lack of trace elements in the body. At night, a person is relaxed. All body processes are slowed down, including blood circulation. Muscles are deficient in nutrients, and this leads to their reduction. A similar reason is the use by older people of drugs that regulate pressure in the body.
Workout before bed. A high level of physical activity can also cause cramps. This is due to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.
Dehydration. The cause may be taking diuretics, as well as diarrhea and vomiting.
Lack of phosphorus and calcium in the body.
Varicose veins, and other problems of the vascular system.
The aging process of the body. During this period, there is a change in the size of the tendons of the back surface of the lower leg, which leads to spasms.
Problems with the spine, including hernia and osteochondrosis.
Deficiency of magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium.
Problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Lack of oxygen.
High temperature and fever.
Poisoning.
Pregnancy.
Hypothermia of the legs.
The state of stress.
Hidden injuries.
inflammatory processes.
Loud sharp sound or bright light. For example, if you suddenly turn on the lights in the room at night. Children especially react this way.

Side effect from serious diseases:

Parkinson.
Alcoholism.
Cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases.
Diabetes mellitus type 2.
A brain tumor.
Epilepsy.
Meningitis and other neuroinfections.
Kidney diseases.
A consequence of traumatic brain injury.
"Alzheimer".
Ramsay Hunt disease.

As can be seen from the list above, convulsions are provoked by everyday stresses, as well as by severe diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor if you have more frequent cases of muscle contraction at night, and if other symptoms are observed in addition to pain, including loss of consciousness.

Cramping of the calf muscles during pregnancy - what is the reason?

We will consider this issue separately, since many ladies in a position are faced with it. During toxicosis, the main cause is vomiting and dehydration.

The most common cause of the reduction of the calf muscles at night is a violation of the metabolism of mineral substances. Moreover, the problem is considered at the cellular level, and arises due to the difference in the content of ions of various trace elements, inside and outside the cells of the body.

Why do mineral metabolism problems occur?

Firstly , a woman needs more elements, since trace elements are now also needed for the formation of the fetus.

Secondly , a change in nutrition, because of which, a woman does not receive enough of the necessary substances. Most often, the body lacks calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6. Potassium deficiency can be triggered not only by frequent vomiting, but also by drinking large amounts of coffee.

Calcium deficiency is already a well-known problem during pregnancy. Often, women start using drugs that increase calcium levels, but do not feel a positive effect. And this is due to the fact that in order to assimilate this element, it is necessary to combine the intake of these vitamins with the intake of vitamin D3 and magnesium.

Only the complex will provide a positive result. Magnesium is also lost due to the causes listed above, but also negatively affected by alcohol, caffeine, and excess potassium. Therefore, all 4 elements should be in a moderate balance in the body of the expectant mother.

Thirdly taking diuretics. Thus, pregnant ladies are trying to get rid of the problem of edema.

Fourth , or the fourth reason is a low level of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin during pregnancy should also be monitored in the blood if it is low.

Also, from the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy, especially if the fetus is not alone, convulsions can occur as a result of inferior vena cava syndrome. The fetus compresses the vein, which prevents the normal outflow of blood, and a process occurs similar to that observed with varicose veins.

Your attending physician, who observes the pregnancy process, and receives the most complete information from blood and urine tests, will be able to correctly determine the cause and choose a way to eliminate it.

Why do calf cramps occur in children?

✔ In quite healthy children, seizures may occur as a reaction not to fatigue, lack of sleep, and improper diet.

✔ The body of a small child can thus react to an uncomfortable temperature, or a blanket that is too heavy.

✔ Also, a cramp can be a consequence of high body temperature, or a reaction to fright.

✔ Perhaps the cause of seizures lies in the lack of vitamin D and potassium. During the period of active growth, cramps occur due to an intensive increase in the size of the tendons, and increased physical exertion on the legs during the day.

✔ Especially this problem is often manifested in children from 7 to 14 years old, when the child is actively growing.

If the pain is often disturbing, then it is better to contact a pediatrician, if necessary, he will refer you to a neurologist.

Be sure to see your doctor if:

After a cramp, the muscle continues to hurt for more than a day.
Spasms appear several times a day.
The cause of seizures is not related to physical activity.

Spasms of the calf muscles - at night (in a dream) - treatment with folk remedies and prevention

If the phenomenon is one-time, or is associated only with physical exertion, then there is no need to take a course of medications.

It is enough to reduce the load and revise the diet.

If the problem bothers the child, then you should limit watching TV before bedtime and avoid active entertainment.

For prevention, it is worth doing a foot massage, and a shower with temperature changes. Especially after exercise. These measures prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles and normalize blood circulation. Woolen socks will also help you in the fight against this phenomenon.

Usually reduces the lower leg, it is much worse if the spasm also passes to the muscles of the thigh, and the muscles responsible for flexion and extension. The total overload of the muscles of the knees and ankles can tear the tendons. Therefore, it is important to relieve the resulting spasm as soon as possible.

To relieve spasm:

Massage your leg in the direction of the knee joint. You can use a warming ointment.
Pull back the big toe of the cramped leg. It is better that the knee is also bent. The antagonist muscles that we engage in this way will give a conditional signal to cancel the task for the calf muscle.
Move and shake your leg gently.
Slightly straighten the foot with your hands.
Try pinching or tapping your leg. This measure can help, but sometimes causes an increase in spasm.
Make a hot compress on your leg.
If these measures do not help, you can gently prick your leg with a needle, but only as a last resort. And it is better to press the corner of an object, so you will kill the pain of a stronger one, and the muscles will reflexively relax.
And if you are afraid of re-convulsions, then it is better to use a heating pad.
Massage the legs and feet (rub the leg with your hands).

For prevention, you should:

Maintain water balance. Drink 6-8 glasses a day. This will help you solve not only the problems of spasms, but also restore the normal metabolism in the body.
Fill the diet with foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium.
Potassium - apricots, dried apricots, bananas, melon, broccoli, milk.
Calcium - dairy products, fiber-rich vegetables, beans, nuts.
Magnesium - nuts, seeds, vegetables, legumes.
When taking vitamins, reduce your intake of sugar and caffeine, as well as foods that interfere with the absorption of vitamins. It is best to consult a doctor for a diet or selection of a vitamin complex. Believe me, this is very important.
Stretch your calf muscles. Before going to bed, try to walk around the room.
You can stand on your feet and shift your weight slightly from heel to toe. If you are already in bed, pull your toes towards your knees.
Acupuncture helps a lot.
Take an essential oil foot bath before bed. Juniper, rosemary, lavender oils are perfect.

A healthy lifestyle is the basis for the prevention of most diseases. If you have already consulted with a doctor, you may be prescribed medications that help overcome the cause of the disease.

If the cause is dehydration, then it is possible to prescribe potassium supplements and drink plenty of water.
Prescribing medications to eliminate metabolic failures.
To eliminate convulsions, drugs based on valproic acid may be prescribed.
A course of drugs with a sedative effect.
Muscle relaxants.

Thyme herb infusion

Also, traditional medicine offers herbal remedies - thyme infusion.

For cooking, you will need thyme (20-25 grams) and boiling water.

Thyme is poured with boiling water. It should be infused at 3 o'clock. After the infusion must be filtered. Take tincture for 30 days, one tablespoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Natural bee honey

The second advice from folk healers is to take bee natural honey in a teaspoon before breakfast and dinner. Well suited natural honey from herbs.

Chamomile tea

The third tip is to drink chamomile tea before bed. Pour boiling water over one tablespoon and leave for half an hour.

Tincture of lilac flowers on alcohol

The fourth tip is rubbing the muscles with alcohol-based infusion of lilac flowers. Fill the floor with a liter jar of lilacs, carefully tamp, and fill with vodka or alcohol. Insist 14 days. Rub your calves in the morning and evening.

But remember! These drugs are prescribed only by a doctor, after a complete diagnosis.

Cramping of the calf muscles at night during sleep is a fairly common occurrence. With rare episodes of appearance, and if there is no pain after the spasm ends, do prevention of the phenomenon at home. If the treatment does not help, and the attacks recur, then you should not delay the examination.

With frequent repetition of seizures, you should contact a medical institution to rule out serious diseases. The earlier it is possible to identify the disease, the more opportunities to cure it and get rid of serious consequences.

If you are carrying a child and you have myoclonus, then be sure to tell this information to the doctor who monitors the course of pregnancy. This is necessary to rule out more serious complications.

Remember that the occurrence of a spasm can seriously damage your ligaments and cartilage, so it is worth removing the resulting spasm as soon as possible.