What Causes Severe Feet and Leg Cramps ?

Leg cramps are painful involuntary contraction of a single muscle or a muscle group. Leg cramps or spasms occur when the muscle in the leg tightens and shortens causing a sudden and severe pain.

Causes of leg and feet cramps
The main reason for leg and feet cramps is the chemical imbalances in the blood. If the body lacks enough fluid in the system, it leads to an electrolyte imbalance. This is because there is too much or too little of one or more electrolytes (minerals such as sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium) in our system. This causes the muscles to cramp up.


Researchers cannot define one particular cause for cramps. The various possible causes for cramps are:
• Major inactivity, such as sitting too long in one place without moving the muscles or lying in bed for a long stretch of time
• Dehydration
• Side effects from the use of certain drugs
• Diuretics taken for high blood pressure or heart disorders
• Certain nerve root diseases
• Pressure on the calf muscles or on the back of the knee due to bad footwear or posture
• Presence of too much phosphorus, too little calcium, low blood sugar, or too little potassium in the body

 


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Symptoms of leg and feet cramps
• Sudden pain or discomfort in the leg or foot
• Stiffness of the leg or feet
• Trouble moving the foot
• Pain while moving the foot or leg

 

Quick remedies for leg and feet cramps
Some quick ways to alleviate the pain from leg and feet cramps are
Relaxation: One can get relief from cramps by following a few simple steps for relaxation. First, one has to relax the tightened area which has been affected with cramps. This should be followed by gentle massage on the affected area. Next the muscles should be stretched out slowly and gently till the pain is no longer felt.
 

Exercise: To relieve the pain in the calf muscles and strengthen them, a few exercises are recommended. They are simple stretch exercises. One should stand three feet from the wall, with the knees straight and heels touching the ground. Then, supporting yourself with your hands, lean against the wall. This stretches the calf muscles. Remain in this position for 60 seconds and repeat three times.

 

Drink water: It is important that you drink a lot of water or fluids to maintain the electrolyte balance in the body. If you are prone to muscle cramps after exercise, make sure you drink fluids like water or any sports drink rich which has electrolytes. This will help in quick rehydration and compensate the electrolyte balance.

Use bed cradle: A bed cradle is a supporting devise at the end of the bed which keeps the weight of the sheets and blankets off the legs and feet. This is beneficial for those suffering from leg cramps and advised bed rest.


Hot and cold packs: Hot and cold packs alleviate the pain in the affected cramped areas. You may massage the area with ice till it becomes red which is an indicator of the renewed blood circulation. Ice helps an anti-inflammatory agent too. For those who are not too comfortable with ice, may try hot packs. Heat improves the blood circulation and makes the affected muscles flexible. You can use a heat pad for about 20 minutes. A warm bath or shower is also advisable. It is important to massage the affected area with your hands following a cold or hot pack session.


Recommended Drugs: For mild pains, non-prescription analgesics are usually recommended. The most common prescription drug for leg cramps is Quinine Sulphate, but to be administered strictly under medical supervision.


When to see the doctor for leg and feet cramps?
Treatment depends on the severity and the degree of impairment. The person with leg and feet cramps should see the doctor for further evaluation, if:
• The cramping has not been relieved by heat massage or stretching the cramped muscle.
• The cramping that lasts for more than six to eight hours.
• The cramped leg has become red, swollen or hot.

 

What are nocturnal leg cramps?
Nocturnal leg cramps are perhaps the most annoying and painful form of leg cramps. It could be a painful cramp of the calf muscle. Sometimes the cramp is in the thigh, and sometimes in the foot. The severe pains keep you awake. Some people leap out of bed and hop around on the affected leg until the cramp goes away. Sometimes it goes away but occasionally it returns. Pregnant women are sometimes vulnerable to leg cramps, which usually occur with the changes in their calcium metabolism.

Cause of nocturnal leg cramps
The most common cause of nocturnal leg cramps is calcium deficiency. It is quite alarming to realize the extent of calcium deficiency in our population, particularly among women. If you are postmenopausal, trying to lose weight, or do not consume enough calcium, you are vulnerable to developing leg cramps. While leg cramps are just an annoyance, another result of calcium deficiency is osteoporosis, a crippling disease that can be prevented.
 

To relieve leg cramps and prevent the long-term problems associated with calcium deficiency, you may begin now to increase your calcium consumption. If you are avoiding fat, try nonfat yogurt and skim milk. It is important to take calcium supplements at bedtime.

 

Treatment of nocturnal leg cramps
Diet control: Eliminate as much sugar and caffeine as possible from the diet because it has been shown that sugar and caffeine reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium.


Use of calcium supplements: Taking calcium supplements daily should give relief. If you are pregnant, check with your obstetrician before beginning the supplement and check to see what amount of calcium you may be taking.


Use of Vitamins: Another help for nocturnal leg cramps is vitamin E. In one study of 125 patients with nocturnal leg and foot cramps, all but 2 had complete or nearly complete relief from their symptoms when they took vitamin E supplements. In most cases, the symptoms returned when the supplements were discontinued. If neither calcium nor vitamin E gives you relief, you may benefit from magnesium, potassium, or vitamin A.

 

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Article Contributed By: Sabina Zacharias
 

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