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How to get rid of muscle cramps? Leg cramps: causes and treatment with folk remedies

Intolerable spasms seem at night. For people, the primary desire is to get rid of the ailment. Consider how to get rid of seizures at home effectively, without harm to the body.

There are many reasons for seizures. Only a doctor will determine the true cause of the phenomenon. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe treatment. We warn against self-treatment of seizures: incorrect use of drugs against muscle spasms will be harmful. If you want to use folk remedies to combat involuntary contractions of the muscles of the legs, we recommend that you consult a doctor for a consultation.

In some people, the state of convulsions occurs once, others suffer from the phenomenon constantly. It is quite possible to get rid of spasms of the lower extremities on your own at home.

Every person is familiar with the state before the onset of convulsions. To prevent the process, you need to sit on the bed and lower your legs. Try to get up, overcoming the pain. The effect of the action at home is better achievable when the cold floor is under your feet. The person will feel how in seconds the sensitivity of the limbs will be restored. Congratulations: the occurrence of cramps is prevented at home.

It is permissible to pinch a limb in a numb place, to clap the calves. A proven remedy against the further development of seizures at home is described. You can massage your legs, feet, raise your lower limbs and hold in this position for a couple of minutes. The posture will affect the outflow of blood, save from cramps.

How to improve leg health

Cramps are more likely to occur in people who do not pay due attention to the health of the legs. It is possible to independently strengthen the health of the limbs. Follow medical advice.

Do exercises to strengthen your ligaments. Classes are simple, accessible to most people.
Wear comfortable shoes. If you are prone to flat feet, get orthopedic shoes.
To prevent cramps, bend your toes, hold them bent, counting to 10. Then straighten them, count to ten again.
Rise on your toes, drop sharply on your heels. Exercise strengthens muscles, prevents incipient cramps.
Place your feet crosswise with support on the outer edge.

These exercises do not take much time, are recommended to be performed daily. Train yourself to perform barefoot moves - it will bring much more benefit.

Contrast baths are an effective tool for maintaining muscle tone at the required level. Don't overdo it with the water temperature. The maximum temperature of a hot bath is 40 degrees, a cold bath is at least 30. With varicose veins, the difference is reduced to five degrees.

In case of impaired circulation in the legs, when you feel tired, twist your feet and try to copy the artists of the pantomime theater. This is an effective tool for strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities.

How to deal with seizures with medication

To prevent seizures, including at night, special medications are used. It is extremely important to take only as directed by your doctor. Self-medication with drugs is prohibited, even if the help of funds in such cases is known.

Medical intervention is carried out only in the presence of seizures in patients. For the relief of epileptic seizures, medications are used:

Medications from the benzodiazepine group. Eliminate partial or generalized convulsive seizures, agitation, normalize sleep. Drugs eliminate attacks of fear.
Derivatives of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Treat insomnia, convulsions, psychosis. GABA derivatives are prescribed during the rehabilitation period after a stroke. They have a strong hypnotic, sedative, relaxing effect.
Vasodilators and anticonvulsants. They are prescribed for hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, poisoning with heavy metal compounds. Pronounced anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and mild sedative effect.

To treat the cause of seizures at night, medicines of the following groups are used:

First Aid for Seizures

It is recommended that everyone master the skills of first aid for convulsions, including night ones. Assistance is provided to oneself or to the victim. The main task is to recognize the cause of the seizure. It is extremely important to be able to distinguish an epileptic seizure from other types of spasms.

Epileptic convulsions are characterized by stages. At the first (clonic) stage, rapidly alternating rhythmic contractions and muscle relaxation appear. Long-term stage - up to 20 seconds. In the second stage of an epileptic seizure, a prolonged muscle spasm occurs. An epileptic seizure occurs individually for each patient. Loss of consciousness in patients occurs after the end of the attack. Then comes retrograde amnesia - the patient does not remember that an epileptic seizure has recently occurred.

If you notice that the patient begins an epileptic seizure, it is recommended to quickly put the person on a bench or chair, on the ground. The measure will help to avoid injury during a possible fall. Then the action is over: you just need to wait for the end of the attack. Do not touch the patient, so as not to harm.

When an epileptic seizure passes into a generalized form, a person is laid on his side, a blanket is placed under his head. The head cannot be fixed, it is required to protect it from impact. With a strong fixation of the head, the risk of folding the cervical vertebrae increases, threatening death. It is important to call an ambulance as soon as possible. The doctor injects the patient with special medicines. Without medication, the likelihood of recurrent seizures increases.

If the cause of the seizure is not related to epilepsy, other measures are needed. Provide the patient with an elevated position of the legs. This will help the circulation of the limb and eliminate blood stasis. It is important to carry out dorsal flexion of the foot (toward the knee). First, the leg is bent halfway, then it is already bent until the cramp completely stops. The patient will be helped by a light massage of the limb, injections and pinches. Action will eliminate the attack.

Who is prone to leg cramps

At risk are people, representatives of professions:

weightlifters;
loaders;
controllers working in public transport;
plumbers;
surgeons;
swimmers;
sellers.

As a result of the habit, smokers are approximately five times more likely to develop a seizure during the cold season. The presence of convulsions indicates that pathology occurs in the body. Representatives of individual professions are shown a carefully thought-out regime of work and rest, recommended, however, to everyone.

Rest mode

Excessive stress and lack of rest is a factor in the frequent development of seizures. People who do not rest well are doubly at risk of getting unpleasant involuntary muscle contractions. Fatigue tends to accumulate, adversely affecting muscle performance. A person who does not observe the regime of work and rest suffers from the nervous system. The likelihood of seizures in patients depends on the state of the nerves.

Avoidance of heavy lifting. If you need to carry a lot of weight, divide the load into parts. Or get outside help.
Follow the rules for lifting weights. Raise only with a straight back. The load is placed as close as possible to the spine - the main axis of the body.
After 40 minutes of heavy lifting, take a short break to restore muscle performance.
Lunch breaks are at least an hour.
Take a warm shower before bed.
Sleep is required at least six hours a day. Try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time - in this way, sleep cycles corresponding to the physiological characteristics of the body are normalized.

Other seizure prevention measures

Frequent seizures impair quality of life. The primary measure for the prevention of lower limb cramps is to prevent frequent recurrence. Pay attention to measures:

Follow the daily routine.
Eat right, without long-term breaks in eating.
Avoid excessive stress on the muscles. Athletes are not allowed to start exercising without first warming up.
Avoid prolonged work in the cold season, the cold provokes the recurrence of convulsions.
Control diabetes.
Fight excess weight.
Fight leg swelling.
Detect and treat varicose veins.
Quit bad habits - smoking and drinking alcohol.
Control emotions. Convulsions often occur in angry people.

You can get rid of leg cramps, everyone can do it. If you notice frequent seizures or suspicious symptoms, see your doctor.

In our article "Cramps in the legs, folk remedies" we will tell you how to treat cramps with the help of folk remedies. If you have had to wake up with pain in your leg, then you need to take this problem seriously.

Most often, painful cramps occur in the calf muscles. The reasons may be different . stress, fatigue of the leg muscles, lack of calcium in the body, cold, a long break in food, and also varicose veins and flat feet.

Often cramps in the legs appear during sleep. As a rule, this happens due to a deterioration in the blood supply to the muscles of the legs and due to incorrect body position in bed.

To relieve muscle cramps, you need to sit in bed, lower your legs down or pinch the sore spot several times or stand up carefully. Then massage the calves and feet with light patting and stroking, starting from the tips of the fingers to the heels, and then from the heels, along the calf muscles to the knees. After the massage, you need to lie down in bed and raise your legs at an angle of at least 60 degrees. This will prevent recurrence of convulsions and ensure the outflow of blood. It is useful to massage the feet with essential oils, laurel oil helps well. For the legs, it is quite effective to do contrast baths for the legs, they tone up the blood vessels.

If frequent cramps occur, this may mean that your body is not getting enough calcium. In the diet, you need to introduce more fermented milk products (cottage cheese, cheeses), sesame seeds, beans, cereals. You need to eat 4 to 5 teaspoons of honey per day, because honey contains calcium in the body.

Japanese method

If at night the legs often cramp, then you can try to do this. Take an equal round stick with a length of 25 to 30 centimeters and a diameter of two and a half centimeters. With this stick, from 1 to 2 times a day, we apply 100 blows at the base of the fingers on the balls of the foot. Subsequently, you will forget about the cramp

Exercises should be done barefoot and standing

Stand on your heels, bend your fingers up and keep this balance for 10 seconds - do 7 times

Cross your legs, transfer the weight to the outer edges of the feet. Freeze for a few minutes, change legs - 5 times

On the floor we put a bar one meter long and 5 to 7 centimeters high. Let's place the feet so that the fingers are on the bar and the heels are on the floor. Slowly move along the board to the left and right 5 times

Treatment of seizures with folk remedies

Laurel for cramps in arms and legs

From cramps in the legs and arms, we rub ourselves with bay oil: for this, we take 50 grams of dry bay leaf, break the letters and pour 250 ml of unrefined sunflower oil. We close the jar and put it in a dark place for 12 days. Then strain. If your arm or leg is cramped, rub yourself with this oil

Removal of cramps in the calf muscles

With cramps in the calves of the legs, you need to change the position, for this we straighten the leg, then pull the sole pad and fingers towards the knee.

Sit down and pinch off the sore spot several times

Stand up and transfer your body weight to the closed leg. After a while, blood circulation will be restored, and the sensitivity of the leg will be restored.

Take any warming ointment and rub your leg

Massage your feet from toes to heel, then massage your calves from five to the knee.

In order to prevent calf cramps, we massage the muscles under the knees. If cramps occur in the hands, then rub the hands from the fingertips, moving up to the shoulder.

After the massage, you need to lie down, put a thick blanket under your feet. This posture will prevent re-convulsions and ensure the outflow of blood.

Yeast will save you from cramps

If you have cramps due to a lack of potassium, then yeast contains a lot of potassium, then yeast will be your salvation. To do this, prepare a yeast drink: take rye bread crackers and pour boiling water, leave for 4 hours, strain and add a little yeast. Leave the drink for 6 or 8 hours to ferment in a warm place, then put it in the refrigerator. Before use, add honey and sugar to taste. We drink 100 ml before meals. Therefore, throughout the month

cramp magnet

Cramps, as well as numbness, will help remove the most common magnets. Put a magnet on the cramp area. One minute and the cramp will pass

Salt will relieve you of cramps

When convulsions begin, put a little table salt on the tip of the tongue and hold it with your mouth open. Cramps pass from 3 to 5 minutes, and then we remove the salt from the tongue.

Rye bread crackers will relieve you of cramps

The following recipe will help you from cramps: dry rye bread crackers, pour boiling water, leave for 4 hours, strain and add a little yeast. Leave in a warm place to ferment for 6 or 8 hours, then pour the drink into bottles and refrigerate. Before taking, add honey to taste. Drink 2 glasses a day

Horseradish for neuralgia and seizures

Horseradish will help cure leg cramps, neuralgia. Needed for the treatment of fresh horseradish roots (200 grams). Grate horseradish on a fine grater to get gruel. Mix half a liter of olive oil and half a kilogram of natural honey. Mix well and put the mixture in the refrigerator, where you need to store this mixture. Take 20 minutes before meals, a tablespoon three times a day.

On a sore spot, you need to do compresses with horseradish, too, except for taking the medicine inside. Take a large fresh horseradish leaf, brush it with honey, and sprinkle with salt on top. We will attach a sheet to the sore spot, put parchment paper on top and tie it with a scarf. Remove the compress in the morning, wash off the remnants of the compress from the skin with warm water. So you need to be treated for a week and then the neuralgia will recede

Herbs will relieve you of cramps

To avoid convulsions . prepare a collection of herbs: for cooking, you need herbs: shepherd's purse, wheatgrass, yarrow, mint, knotweed, nettle, goose cinquefoil. We take all the herbs in equal quantities, mix. Take 100 grams of the collection and pour 200 ml of water, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Then let it rest for half an hour. The broth will be very rich. Take a tall bucket, pour warm water into it, the temperature should not be higher than 40 degrees. Pour the decoction into the bucket and dip your feet into it. It is necessary that the water covers the calves of the legs, those places in which convulsions usually occur. The duration of the procedure should be 20 minutes, such procedures - ten, the procedure must be done daily. And then the convulsions will definitely go.

For the treatment of seizures, prepare a mixture . let's take grass in equal parts: white mistletoe, calendula flowers, stems and leaves of rhubarb, yellow sweet clover, red clover. Stir the mixture and take a tablespoon of the mixture, brew a liter of boiling water and hold for 10 minutes in a water bath. We will insist for 30 minutes, and then strain. Moisten a bandage folded in several layers in this infusion and make a compress on the sore spot, hold it for at least five hours

Now we know what leg cramps are folk remedies. By following these simple folk remedies, you can get rid of leg cramps.

Celandine for cramps in hands and feet

Squeeze out the juice from the celandine and mix with vaseline. Let's take one part of juice and two parts of vaseline and mix it with the resulting ointment every evening to rub our hands and feet. It is those places where there are convulsions that we massage a little to get a greater effect. Do before bed every day. In a week or two, the cramps will stop

Yarrow and thyme (thyme) tincture for neuralgia

This tincture does not act instantly, but brings relief. Take 10 grams of thyme and 20 grams of dry yarrow herb, pour 200 ml of vodka, if you have alcohol, it is better to use it. We insist for ten days, shaking occasionally. This tincture keeps well. It soothes pain, relaxes muscles that are cramped. We rub the sore spot several times a day, then we need to insulate the sore spot

Onion peel for cramps

Take a teaspoon of chopped onion peel, pour a glass of boiling water, and let it brew for 10 minutes. We drink at night. After the first glass of convulsions, you will not be disturbed at night. Doing this constantly and you can forget about cramps and headaches

Pour a tablespoon of adonis with one and a half glasses of boiling water, insist in a dark place for two hours, then strain. We take the infusion three times a day for a tablespoon. Course of treatment 10 days

Chamomile for cramps

Take a tablespoon of chamomile in two cups of boiling water. We insist 40 minutes. Drink between meals throughout the day. You also need to eat baked potatoes. The next day we will make the following remedy: take 2 tablespoons of pitted raisins, pour them with boiling water in the evening, and the next day we will drink this infusion in a glass instead of tea, eat the raisins. Thus, alternating raisins with chamomile, you can forget about cramps.

Lemon juice for leg cramps

This tip will help those who have leg cramps. Twice a day, morning and evening, treat the feet with lemon juice, then let them dry. Then you can put on shoes. This procedure is repeated daily for two weeks.

Laurel for cramps in arms and legs

From cramps in the legs and arms, rub with bay oil: for this, take 50 grams of dry bay leaf, break the letters and pour 250 ml of unrefined sunflower oil. We close the jar and put it in a dark place for 12 days. Then strain. If your arm or leg is cramped, rub yourself with this oil

Mustard oil helps with cramps

For cramps, rub your feet with mustard oil at night. By the way, it helps

Get rid of excess weight

Wear comfortable shoes

Avoid prolonged exercise

Do foot baths with mustard every other day: for 3 liters of water - a tablespoon of mustard

To prevent leg cramps, we take drugs that contain magnesium and calcium. Daily dose: 500 to 1000 mg of magnesium and 1000 to 2000 mg of calcium. And you also need to drink a glass of warm water daily with a teaspoon of honey and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Potassium deficiency can be eliminated by eating bananas and oranges more often

Before going to bed, we do foot contrast baths and take a contrast shower. If you have varicose veins, the contrast should not be strong. In water, you can add a herb that has an anticonvulsant effect - this is peppermint, valerian, elderberry, raspberry leaves, alfalfa, horsetail

The involuntary contraction of a group of muscles, accompanied by sharp, sharp pain and numbness, is called a cramp or spasm. Leg cramps are a problem for many men and women that require a diagnosis and mandatory treatment. Numerous causes of muscle spasms are well studied by medicine, are easily corrected, and are quickly treated. If you are constantly suffering from contractions of the limbs, then be sure to consult a doctor who will help you solve this problem. What causes leg cramps?

Causes of leg cramps

In medicine, tonic muscle spasms are distinguished, characterized by prolonged muscle tension, and clonic - short-term contractions alternating with relaxation. Leg cramps are in the first category, occurring in the feet and calf muscles. Spasms of the lower extremities are accompanied by sharp, painful sensations of petrification of a part of the body, appear suddenly, the pain syndrome lasts from 2 to 5 minutes, and disappears only after muscle relaxation.

Causes of leg cramps:

Lack of vitamins and minerals- magnesium, calcium, potassium, responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles. The lack of micro- and macroelements can be caused by an unbalanced diet, an excess of harmful substances (nicotine, caffeine, tannin, sugar), a protein diet, and taking medications that prevent their absorption.
. With active sweating, there is a significant loss of trace elements that ensure the healthy functioning of the muscles. Therefore, it is so important to drink up to 2.5 liters of water per day, especially during the hot summer season and during active sports.
Temperature changes. Hypothermia during swimming or in the cold causes a sharp contraction of the muscles of the limbs, the appearance of muscle cramps. Therefore, it is important to monitor body temperature, to prevent temperature drops of up to 10 degrees.
Diseases. Incorrect metabolism, vascular disease, limb injuries are a common cause of muscle cramps. To eliminate spasms, consult with a specialist (endocrinologist, neuropathologist, phlebologist, orthopedist), undergo the prescribed treatment.
stress. During emotional stress, there is an intense load on the entire human body, primarily on the nerve endings responsible for contractions of the muscles of the body. An excess of the stress hormone () leads to an imbalance of micro- and macroelements, leads to a lack of calcium in the body, which is necessary for healthy functioning, muscle tension and relaxation.

muscle cramps

Muscle cramps in the legs occur due to a violation of the transmission of a nerve impulse to the muscle to relax. These spasms affect the muscles of the lower leg, front and back of the thigh. The intensity of the cramp can vary from a slight twitch to a significant contraction accompanied by severe pain. Spasmodic muscles are like a stone: hard, tightly compressed, stand out sharply on the body. A seizure lasts from 1 to 15 minutes, with several repetitions of spasms over a period of time.

Toe cramps

Toe cramps are a syndrome of metabolic disorders or diseases of a different nature. They are found in diseases of the joints, venous insufficiency, diabetes mellitus. It can be observed in people whose activities are associated with a long stay on their feet, long walking in uncomfortable shoes. Frequent attacks of toe cramps require a mandatory consultation with a specialized doctor who will help determine the cause of the symptom and prescribe the correct treatment.

feet

Spasms of the muscles of the feet are associated with the presence of flat feet or neurological disorders. If you often experience cramps in the area of the feet, consult an orthopedist or neurologist for advice. Avoiding wearing uncomfortable shoes, reducing the intensity of the load on the lower extremities, taking vitamins and trace elements that help normalize the functioning of the muscles of the musculoskeletal system helps to reduce the number of attacks.

Why often cramps legs at night

The main cause of nocturnal muscle cramps is slowed blood circulation, which reduces the absorption of nutrients necessary for the muscles, and an uncomfortable position during sleep. With frequent nocturnal spasmolytic attacks, increase in the diet, potassium, magnesium. Eat buckwheat and oatmeal, lentils, legumes, dried fruits, nuts, sea kale, sour-milk products more often.

To improve the blood vessels and circulatory system, reduce or completely abandon nicotine, caffeine, and sugar. Reduce the amount of animal protein you consume by opting for lean poultry. Spend more time outdoors, combining leisurely walks with a little physical activity on the muscles of the body. Pay close attention to the quality of your sleep. A comfortable bed with an orthopedic mattress will help you reduce the number of muscle cramps at night.

What is the reason for this phenomenon during pregnancy

Muscle cramps during pregnancy can be caused by many reasons: from a violation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism to a variety of complications caused by circulatory problems. If you frequently experience leg cramps during pregnancy, it is important to identify and address the cause of your muscle cramps in consultation with your healthcare provider.

Consider the main prerequisites for the development of muscle cramps in pregnant women:

lack of B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium;
decrease in hemoglobin (anemia);
increase in blood sugar levels;
vascular disease, varicose veins;
violation of the venous outflow in the legs;
excess caffeine;
sedentary lifestyle.

A balanced diet, additional vitamin complexes, moderate physical activity will help to avoid muscle cramps during pregnancy. If the attacks are often repeated, do not disappear, then this is an additional reason to seek advice from your doctor. Timely treatment, correct diagnosis help to remove spasmolytic attacks, prevent negative consequences from muscle cramps during pregnancy.

What to do with a sudden cramp - first aid

There are several ways to provide first aid for muscle cramps:

conduct a session of intensive massage of the affected area;
try to stretch the tense muscle:

calf, foot muscles - sitting, straighten the limbs, grasp the big toes with your hands, pull towards you;
front of the thigh - stand up straight, bend the affected leg at the knee, grab the ankle with both hands, pull the foot to the buttocks;
back of the thigh - stand up straight, put the leg with the affected muscles forward one step, put it on the heel, bend the healthy one at the knee, lean on it with your hands, gently start stretching the patient, pulling the pelvis back, as if trying to take off the patient's shoe;

make a cold compress.

Use these methods to relieve the main pain syndrome during a cramp. They help to relax a tense muscle, increase blood flow in the legs, and reduce pain. After eliminating the main pain, ensure good blood flow in the affected area: lie on your back, put a pillow under your legs so that the limbs are at an angle of 60 degrees, try to relax as much as possible. Stay in this position until all pain from muscle cramps has gone.

Methods of treatment outside the attack

The main task of the preventive treatment of muscle cramps outside of spasmolytic attacks is to improve the condition of the vessels and the circulatory system. Review your diet by enriching the diet with essential vitamins, micro- and macroelements, giving up unhealthy, unhealthy foods. Reduce or completely eliminate alcoholic beverages, fast food, industrially processed foods, excessively salty and sweet foods, carbonated drinks from the diet. Give up smoking.

To prevent the treatment of muscle cramps, do not allow dehydration. Drink during the day 2 - 3 liters of liquids in the form of drinking water without gas, green tea, fresh juices, natural fruit drinks, homemade compotes. Reduce the amount of coffee, black tea consumed. These drinks have a diuretic effect, so in addition to water, useful trace elements will be washed out of the body.

To reduce the likelihood of muscle cramps, play sports or other active activities that will help restore blood circulation in the legs after sedentary work, improve blood circulation in the lower body. Before going to bed, it is advisable to do yoga, Pilates daily, which will relieve stress and tension, stretch tired muscles. A good prevention against night cramps is a warm shower or bath with aromatic oils: roses, lavender, mint, ylang-ylang.

Medications

Based on the diagnosis, for the treatment and prevention of muscle cramps, drugs of various activities are used: correcting metabolism, improving the condition of blood vessels and the circulatory system, helping to recover from injuries. Additionally, complexes of vitamins, microelements are prescribed, which replenish substances important for the body. It is important to remember that it is necessary to use tablets for the medical treatment of muscle cramps only after consulting a doctor.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for muscle cramps help reduce the number and frequency of spasms, reduce pain during an attack, improve blood circulation in the limbs, and increase the elasticity of the vascular system. The use of folk methods is a good prevention and addition to the main treatment regimen for painful muscle cramps prescribed by a doctor.

Popular treatments for seizures include:

cold compresses with lemon juice on the feet, 2 times a day for 2 weeks;
oil based on bay leaf, used during self-massage with muscle spasm;
put an ordinary magnet on a cramped muscle group, after 1 minute the attack will pass;
a compress for the night for 1 week: a horseradish leaf smeared with honey, sprinkled with salt is applied to the sore spot, wrapped with a cotton towel on top;
ointment based on celandine: mix the juice of the plant with petroleum jelly, rub the problem parts of the body before going to bed for 2 weeks;
daily self-massage of the feet with mustard oil.

Physiotherapy

A special set of exercises will help you from cramps in the limbs. Performing therapeutic exercises promotes better patency of the veins, develops and improves the work of muscle mass, promotes muscle training for contraction / relaxation, strengthens ligaments and joints, relieves stress, emotional tension. By performing special exercises, you reduce the likelihood of attacks of spasms in the limbs, prevent varicose veins,.

A complex of therapeutic exercises for muscle cramps:

standing position:

circular rotations of each foot in different directions, 30 times;
rolls from toe to heel, 30-50 times;
rise on toes and sharply lower the heel, 30 times;
swing legs in different directions, 20 times.

in the supine position:

rotate your legs, imitating cycling;
alternate swings with limbs, 30-40 times;
swing legs crosswise, 20 times

Constantly performing simple exercises of therapeutic exercises 1-2 times a day, you will get rid of cramps in the muscles of the limbs, feet and fingers. After completing the complex, take hot and aromatic oils that improve blood circulation, dilate blood vessels and relax muscles: basil, eucalyptus, sage, geranium, lavender, mandarin, sandalwood, neroli.

Video: how to get rid of leg cramps

Every day, many people face the problem of leg pain caused by spasms. Especially, this problem worries aged people, patients, expectant mothers and athletes.

What are leg cramps?

With convulsions in the lower extremities, a sharp pain appears, which a person can hardly endure. Spasms appear suddenly, with the muscles becoming so tense and hard that they look like a soccer ball. Unexpected spasms can occur anywhere in the leg. The most frequent and most painful cramps appear in the calf muscles.

It happens that a person rarely encounters such a phenomenon. In this case, there is no cause for concern. Most likely, this is to blame for the uncomfortable position, as a result of which the nerve was clamped. In this case, it is best to sit comfortably and try to relax the muscles.

Advice

If leg convulsions bother you often, you need to visit a specialist and find out the cause of such a pathology.

What are the causes of leg cramps?

With any dehydration of the body, cramps can occur in the legs. The fact is that calcium and some microelements, which are necessary for the normal functioning of muscles, leave the body along with the liquid. That is why cramps most often occur on hot days, when there is increased sweating.

Often, leg cramps can indicate a lack of electrolytes in the body, as well as dehydration. Deficiency of vitamins and many minerals, which are responsible for the supply of nerve impulses to the muscles, become a common cause of this pathology. In this case, it is necessary to review your diet, give up cigarettes and coffee, and also reduce the amount of drugs taken that prevent vitamins from being absorbed. Or, such medicines need to be taken with calcium and magnesium.

Convulsions can occur in lovers of protein foods, which significantly inhibits the absorption of calcium. Sitting down on such a diet, be sure to pay attention to replenishing the body with a sufficient amount of calcium.

Often convulsions appear with a sharp cooling of the body while swimming in a pond or in severe frost.

During physical labor or sports, a large load is placed on the muscles, as a result, spasms appear in these places.

The appearance of cramps in the lower extremities can be triggered by some serious diseases. In this case, you'd better visit a doctor.

As a result of a stressful state, the body loses a lot of calcium, which greatly helps the muscles to relax.

Night leg cramps

Leg cramps at night usually occur when a person abruptly changes body position in bed. In this case, an overstrain occurs on a relaxed muscle, which causes a spasm. Severe pain can even lead a person to insomnia.

Older people are especially affected by frequent leg cramps during sleep. Over the years, nerve muscle endings become especially sensitive.

Advice

If convulsions in your sleep bother you often, you need to visit a specialist, as these may be the first symptoms of thrombosis.

Leg cramps in pregnant women

Most pregnant women also periodically experience leg cramps. The developing uterus presses on the blood vessels, as well as on the nerve endings of the legs. And this interferes with proper blood flow in the limbs of the expectant mother, so spasms appear. It is worth noting that in pregnant women, convulsions can also occur in the thighs, legs and feet.

A person suffering from cramps in the lower extremities needs to know some methods of restoring the normal functioning of the muscles and relieving them of pain.

Important!!!

Future mothers should review their diet and include more foods containing calcium and magnesium.

Treatment methods for leg cramps

When spasm occurs, you should immediately sit on the sofa and lower your relaxed legs to the floor. Within a few minutes, the blood outflow will be restored and the pain will go away.

You can pinch the problem area several times with your nails, then wrinkle this place and pat it with your hand. In this way, you can warm up the muscular system and restore normal blood flow.

With cramps in the leg calves, the most effective relief from pain is a needle prick in this place. However, doctors do not recommend doing this procedure yourself, as you can damage the blood vessels and nerve endings located there.

In the treatment of convulsions, freshly squeezed lemon juice is used, which is used to wipe the soles of the feet for 10-15 days, 2 times a day.

You can get rid of leg convulsions with the help of bay oil. We prepare it in this way: pour 1 glass of vegetable oil into a jar and add 50 grams of broken bay leaf. The mixture should be infused in a dark place for 10 days, after which it must be filtered. In case of spasm, rub the problem area with this oil, which has a warming effect.

If the cause of cramps in the lower extremities is a lack of potassium, yeast, which contains enough of this substance, will be your salvation. We need to make a yeast drink. Rye bread cut and dried. After that, put them in a bowl and pour boiling water. Leave the mixture for about 4 hours, then strain and add 1 teaspoon of yeast. After 7 hours of fermentation, send the drink to a cold place. Add sugar or honey before drinking. The drink should be taken for a whole month, 0.5 cups before meals.

To get rid of the pain caused by spasms, some people use a magnet. A magnet is applied to the sore spot and after a couple of minutes the cramp disappears.

For the treatment of seizures, horseradish is used, on the basis of which medicines are made at home. Also, apply compresses using horseradish leaves. Put a layer of honey on a green leaf of fresh horseradish and sprinkle with salt. We apply the compress to the problem area, cover it with parchment on top, tie it with a scarf and hold it until the morning. This procedure must be done up to 7 days.

An infusion of onion skins can relieve you of convulsions at night. To prepare the infusion, pour one glass of boiling water over one teaspoon of fine onion husks. After it has stood for 10-15 minutes, you can take it orally at night. Even one glass of such a decoction can relieve you from nighttime leg cramps.

If you often suffer from spasms in the muscles of the legs, it is useful to strengthen them with the help of specially designed gymnastics and massage. The complex must necessarily include exercises aimed at training the calf parts. Also, sitting at the workplace, you can perform simple leg exercises several times a day.

With frequent occurrence of spasm in the legs, you need to pay attention to prevention. Refuse beautiful boots with uncomfortable heels, try not to expose your legs to heavy loads. In addition, you will have to quit smoking cigarettes, reduce the amount of coffee and sweets consumed.

Leg cramps: causes and treatment

fast? What are the reasons for their appearance? It turns out that night cramps are provoked by flat feet, stress, excessive physical exertion in the muscles, for example, when playing sports.

Cramps in the legs are associated with disorders in the circulatory system, lack of oxygen and calcium in the body, with the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. But most of all, the occurrence of night cramps in the legs contributes to a deficiency in the body of magnesium, which is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle cells.

How to get rid of leg cramps at home

Especially often, cramps occur in the summer, because the body loses a lot of magnesium with increased sweating. It is not for nothing that when coming from vacation, especially from hot countries or from the sea coast, even young and healthy people suddenly experience exhausting night cramps in their calves.

A lot of magnesium is lost by the body under stress. The daily requirement for magnesium for an adult is about 300 mg and is covered with a balanced diet.

Almonds, pumpkin seeds, soy products, buckwheat, green vegetables (especially broccoli), apples, bananas, grapefruits are rich in magnesium. Whole grains, bran, wheat germ, as well as milk and cocoa contain a lot of magnesium.

If leg cramps bother you too often at night, you can take magnesium tablets for 4-6 weeks. To make up for the lack of calcium, you need to eat hard cheeses, cottage cheese, fish products, and beans.

To provide the body with magnesium, calcium, potassium, it is advisable to eat more greens, especially parsley, fresh fruits, dried apricots, raisins, and lactic acid products.

How to get rid of leg cramps? To prevent lactic acid from accumulating in tense muscles, you need to drink more fluids. Before going to bed, it is good to drink tea with viburnum bark, chamomile flowers and verbena.

First aid for leg cramps

If you have not yet fallen asleep and feel that a cramp is beginning, you need to sit up in bed, lower your legs down and carefully stand up, and not on a warm rug, but on a cool floor.

The body position should be as straight as possible, legs together. After a few minutes, the circulation of blood in the legs and the normal tone of the muscles of the legs is restored.

It is necessary to take a deep breath, then take both hands on the fingers of the cramped leg and through the pain with force pull them towards you and up, stretching the spasmodic muscle.

At the same time, you need to make swinging movements of the entire leg with your hands. When the muscle spasm subsides, it is good to gently massage the contracted muscle until it relaxes completely.

If the cramp in your legs is very strong and does not go away, try pricking the calf muscle with a pin in the place of greatest numbness. Then begin to gently massage the calf and foot with stroking, stretching and patting movements in the direction from the tips of the fingers to the heel, from the heel to the knee.

Please watch the video: leg cramps

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