How to get rid of leg cramps: effective remedies

Over 80 percent of Russians worry about leg pain, and half of them complain of temporary or permanent muscle cramps. They persecute not only people of an older age category, but also young men and women.

In most patients, there are isolated cases of seizures associated with external factors or eating habits. But some suffer from them constantly, which indicates the presence of serious problems with the body.

How does a cramp occur?

Every day we contract and stretch our muscles, this allows us to move our arms, legs, move our fingers and other parts of the body. But convulsions occur regardless of our will, they are very sharp and are accompanied by unpleasant sensations, and often pain.

This happens as a result of excessive muscle tension, which makes the brain a signal to relax it. Therefore, during a cramp, we cannot move our spasmodic leg and we feel numbness of the limb. In order to get rid of this, it is necessary to warm up the congealed muscle with an intensive massage or medication.

Causes of Cramp

As mentioned above, the problem arises after a sharp and strong pressure on the muscle. There are several reasons for this to happen:

1. Lack of potassium, magnesium and calcium in the body. These vitamins are responsible for the full functioning of the muscle system, and their deficiency thins the tissues and does not allow them to recover quickly after stress.
2. Dehydration. Another reason that many patients ignore. Although sometimes it’s enough to replenish the water balance in the body and the problem disappears by itself.
3. Pregnancy. During this period, the body undergoes many changes in the hormonal background, the work of organs, the cardiovascular system, metabolic processes. There is an increased need for vitamins and minerals, which leads to their lack.
4. Excessive muscle strain. This occurs with frequent training, long legs, and also from a sharp change in passive lifestyle to active.
5. Impaired functioning of the kidneys and thyroid gland. Such diseases lead to edema, problems of assimilation of nutrients.
6. Circulatory disorders and varicose veins. They provoke fluid congestion in the vessels of the legs, as well as malnutrition of tissues with substances and oxygen.
7. Nicotine and alcohol addiction. They lead to the depletion of muscle tissue and all organs of the body.
8. Flat feet. An incorrect gait creates additional pressure on the legs, which leads to constant spasms of the calf and hip muscles.
9. Obesity. It includes a whole list of reasons: increased load on the cardiovascular system, lower limbs, metabolic disorders, lack of vitamins and minerals.
10. Sudden temperature changes. Often the legs cramp, if a person plunged into cold water, stepped on ice or snow with his bare foot.
11. Stress. The hidden cause of seizures is nervous tension. To get rid of the problem, a course of sedatives is needed.

The true reason is not easy to find; do not try to do it yourself. If you miss the opportunity to cure the disease at the initial stage, it will lead to complications and other symptoms.

What to do if a seizure occurs

Muscle spasms can occur at any time, and it is almost impossible to predict them. Therefore, it is important to know what needs to be done to relieve pain and numbness and return to usual activities as soon as possible.There are several effective ways to relieve cramps:

1. If your foot is flat, grab your fingers and pull them toward you, or step on the floor with your toe and push hard.
2. Many patients suffering from seizures always carry a needle and use it to eliminate pain. The exact place where you can prick should be shown by the doctor, usually it is there that sensitivity is lost.
3. Often cramps come during sleep and cause the patient to wake up. If this happens to you, then slowly take a sitting position, lean your palms against a sore spot and begin to actively massage it until the numbness passes. Then put your feet on the wall or headboard to lower your blood pressure.
4. If you have been knocked down at work or in a public place, then squeeze the muscle strongly with your fingers and do not let go until the pain subsides.
5. If you are standing or walking, and a leg suddenly cramps, then stand facing the wall, move the sore leg back and lower the foot completely to the ground. Stay like that until the pain goes away.

A single case of leg cramps does not require going to the doctor, but if cramps often bother you, give you rest at night, interfere with work or exercise, then specialist help is needed.

Preventive measures

You can avoid this problem if you begin to monitor your health as soon as possible, undergo medical examinations, and treat identified diseases on time. There are also general rules that can help prevent leg cramps:

1. Do not sit on mono-diets, in particular protein. They lead to a deficiency of calcium and other beneficial substances. To lose weight, eat proper nutrition and take vitamin complexes.
2. Do not wear tight shoes or high-heeled shoes. A flat sole can also lead to leg cramps. Ideal heel height 4-5 cm.
3. Avoid bad habits such as smoking and drinking. Do not consume much sugar and caffeine.
4. Include vitamins D and B6 in your menu. They help the body absorb calcium.
5. Daily exercise, aimed at strengthening the muscles of the legs, and also massage in those places where cramps occur.
6. Before going to bed, arrange a 10-minute procedure for the legs in the form of contrasting baths, but make sure that the water is at a comfortable temperature. Sleep in natural wool socks.

Do not forget about the drinking regimen, which includes the use of at least 2 liters of water per day. Useful walks in the fresh air in sunny weather contribute to the production of vitamin D.

Cramps

The habit of performing daily simple exercises to maintain the tone of the muscles of the legs will reduce the frequency of attacks or get rid of them completely:

1. As a workout, walk on a cool smooth floor for a few minutes.
2. Sitting close your big toes, pressing your feet firmly to the floor. Then lift the inside of the foot so that the legs rest only on the outside. Stay in this position for 10 minutes.
3. Bend your toes at the count of one, and bend at the count of two. Perform 3 sets of 10 times.
4. Place your feet parallel to each other. On the “one” count, lift your heels without taking your socks off, on the “two” count, lower. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
5. Set a low crossbeam (board, low bench) and lean on it with socks. Within a few minutes, move your legs from right to left and vice versa.
6. Raise your feet above the floor and perform circular motions for 1-2 minutes.

At the end of the exercises, lie down on the bed and raise your legs on the wall. Lie down for a few minutes. Gymnastics will help normalize blood circulation in the lower extremities and relieve disturbing edema and pain.

How to get rid of leg cramps

Treatment involves, first of all, lifestyle changes, eating habits, increased activity and the use of vitamin complexes. If these measures do not help, then the doctor prescribes medications.

In addition, alternative methods are also effective, which are used not only by ordinary people, but are also popular among athletes, dancers and people of other professions with an increased risk of seizures:

1. Rub freshly squeezed lemon juice into your feet and calves daily in the morning and evening. When it is completely absorbed, wear socks made of natural material on your feet.
2. If a seizure occurs, immediately rub the sore spot with mustard or mustard oil. This product has a warming effect, which will quickly get rid of pain and numbness.
3. If your leg is cramped, apply a compress moistened with vodka or table vinegar to your skin.
4. Wrapping with honey helps from an attack. Warm it up, apply a generous amount of pain to the area, and wrap it with a towel or cotton cloth. Leave the compress for half an hour, and then rinse.
5. Daily nightly grease your feet with homemade ointment made from yolk, 5 grams of turpentine and 10 ml of apple cider vinegar.
6. Inside, take a decoction of cinquefoil goose, prepared according to the following recipe: 40 grams of herb per 1 liter of boiling water. Drink one glass of medicine four times a day.
7. Mix 10 grams of thyme with 100 ml of vodka and leave for 14 days. Then drink 10-15 drops 3 times a day before meals for 2 weeks.
8. Take a head of garlic, peel, chop and pour 200 ml of any oil. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then take 5 ml three times a day.

Do not treat leg cramps yourself. Only an experienced doctor will establish the cause correctly and help get rid of it. Especially careful should be pregnant women or people with other diseases. Be healthy and be treated correctly.

Video: how to get rid of cramps in the muscles of the legs