Frequent cramps of the calf muscles. Cramps of the calf muscles: causes, treatment. What to do if your calf muscle cramps badly at night

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Many patients at a doctor's appointment may complain that their calf muscles are cramping. It should be noted that such convulsions can occur at any time of the day, including at night. Why does the calf muscle cramp so much at night during sleep and what should be done? You will read about this and much more in our article.

Why do my calf muscles cramp at night while sleeping?

Cramps in the calf muscles that occur at night cause a lot of trouble for the patient. It is not only painful, but also unexpected. If the leg muscles cramp at night in isolated cases, then this may be normal. But if seizures are frequent, then you need to consult a doctor who will help identify and eliminate their causes.

There are many reasons why calf muscle cramps occur during sleep at night, these include various conditions:

Excessive exercise before bed. Spasm occurs in tired and overstrained muscle fibers;
Insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals into the body. This occurs due to improper nutrition;
Violation of metabolic processes in the body;
Low temperature environment. If you sleep in the cold, cramps may occur due to severe spasm of blood vessels;
Heavy weight. Obese people have a range of problems that trigger muscle spasms;
Pregnancy, especially the 3rd trimester;
Dehydration in the background frequent vomiting and diarrhea;
Disease of the pancreas, liver;
Hormonal disorders;
Stress and nervous overexcitation. This happens especially often in people with an easily excitable nervous system;
Frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages. IN in this case a large amount of minerals is removed from the body;
Sleeping in an uncomfortable position;
Circulatory disorders (pathologies of the veins and arteries of the lower extremities);
Elderly age. Cramps often accompany the aging process in the body.

Causes of leg cramps in pregnant women

Pregnant women often experience leg cramps both at night and during the day. This is often connected specifically with their condition (position). Pregnancy is a difficult test for the body.

Therefore, when any pathological symptoms appear, it is necessary to find out their cause. Most often, cramps at night occur in the second half of pregnancy, however, at the beginning of pregnancy, this unpleasant condition can also occur. A pregnant woman has cramps in the calf muscle the following reasons:

Fluctuations in hormonal levels that occur from the very beginning of pregnancy;
Dehydration, which occurs against the background of severe early toxicosis. Some women in the first trimester of pregnancy experience severe nausea, repeated vomiting, and lack of appetite. In this case, the liquid is removed from the body quite quickly, and when you try to drink, a new attack of vomiting may occur;
Weight gain which is observed throughout pregnancy. In this case, the load on the lower limbs increases significantly;
Enlarging uterus. This organ begins to compress large blood vessels pelvis, which interferes with normal blood flow. Vessels are especially compressed when lying down. This is why night cramps often occur;
Swelling of the lower extremities observed more often in the third trimester. This is one of the symptoms of gestosis (late toxicosis).

What to do if your calf muscle cramps badly at night

If you often experience calf muscle cramps at night, you need to find out the cause of this condition. This is necessary in order to carry out treatment. Therapy for seizures directly depends on the etiological factor that caused them. Used to treat this condition:

Medicines;
Massage;
Physiotherapeutic procedures;
Diet therapy.

Treatment must be comprehensive, then you can completely get rid of the pathological condition.

First aid

When leg cramps occur at night, severe pain occurs that needs to be relieved. First aid in this case is aimed at restoring blood circulation in the muscle.

There are several ways to help relieve leg cramps:

Sit in bed with your legs straight and try to clasp your feet with your hands. In this case, the toes need to be pulled towards you through the pain;
Rub the shin vigorously. To do this, you can use warming ointments or vodka;
Get out of bed onto the bare cold floor. This must be done carefully and gradually. Therefore, you should first place your feet on the floor, and then carefully stand up. It's better to hold on to something.

For mild cramps, pinching and kneading the muscle while sitting in bed can help. A contrast shower will also help relieve the condition. Therefore, after the attack has been relieved, it is recommended to take cold and hot shower(the procedure should begin and end with warm water). It helps improve blood circulation in the body.

Treatment with drugs

Medicines are prescribed according to the cause of the seizure:

For mineral deficiency and vitamins, drugs are prescribed that improve tissue nutrition: Asparkam, Panangin, Magne B6, Magnelis B6 and others;
For pathology of the venous system The use of venotonics (Venoruton), ointments with heparin (Troxevasin, Heparin ointment), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nise, Diclofenac) is indicated:
If the patient has a hormonal imbalance, then hormone therapy is performed.

Traditional methods

Traditional methods must be used with caution. You should first consult with your doctor. At home, you can prepare an ointment that, according to traditional healers, will help get rid of muscle spasms.

To prepare it, you need to take 1 part celandine juice and part Vaseline. Mix the ingredients well and apply it to the back of the shin.

Foot baths with sea salt and essential oils helps satiate soft fabrics minerals. Baths should be done regularly, preferably before bedtime.

To reduce the likelihood of seizures, you should follow a number of simple general recommendations:

Shoes should be comfortable. Avoid frequent wearing of high heels;
Improve nutrition. It needs to be varied and correct. The diet must contain all the necessary food groups: meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, vegetable oils;
Maintain drinking regime. This is especially important during the hot season;
Refuse bad habits(smoking, drinking alcohol);
Moderate exercise;
Use of vitamin-mineral complexes as prescribed by a doctor;
Treat all diseases immediately.

According to statistics, 75% of people of any age have experienced leg muscle cramps. While for some people this phenomenon occurs in very rare cases, for others, seizures are a sign of a chronic disease and accompany them throughout their lives.

Let's look at what causes leg cramps and why they often happen at night. Let's find out what causes calf cramps in pregnant women and how to relieve the attack.

There are many reasons why leg cramps occur at night.

What is leg cramp syndrome and what causes it?

A cramp is an involuntary and unexpected contraction of the leg muscles, which is accompanied by severe pain. Most often, the cramp cramps the calf muscle, less often the toes. At the moment of contraction, the muscles are very tense and hard to the touch. When a muscle cramps, the patient is unable to step on the foot and tries with all his might to get rid of the unbearable pain. The causes of leg cramps vary - from severe muscle strain in athletes to serious illness causing muscle spasms.

The main causes of leg cramps:

varicose veins veins;
sedentary work or sedentary lifestyle;
lack of magnesium, calcium and potassium in the body;
flat feet;
brain injuries and tumors;
long-term pregnancy;
obesity;
diabetes;
exposure to very cold water;
severe and sudden muscle strain;
taking statins and diuretics;
elderly age;
wearing shoes on high heels.

Provoking factors may be alcohol intake and stress. In old age, the reason for the convulsive contraction of the calf muscles at night is the loss of elasticity of the tendons of the legs.

What are the types of leg muscle spasms?

In terms of duration, convulsive muscle contractions can be short or long.

According to etiological characteristics:

Idiopathic seizures that occur in older people and athletes after severe exertion.
Secondary seizures caused by diseases or physiological conditions.

Most often, there are secondary spastic contractions of the calves caused by chronic diseases.

Convulsive contractions of the leg muscles due to mineral deficiency

In the overwhelming majority of cases of leg cramps, which is 75%, the cause of spasm of the calf muscle is a lack of magnesium, potassium and calcium in the body, as well as B vitamins. It is known that these minerals are involved in transmitting impulses from nerve fibers to muscle tissue. With a lack of minerals, impulse transmission is disrupted, resulting in involuntary muscle contraction. B vitamins directly affect the condition of the nerve fibers through which impulses are transmitted to the muscles.

To eliminate convulsive syndrome, you should compensate for the mineral deficiency by taking magnesium-containing drugs:

Magne B6 Forte, French or Russian production. The drug is available in tablets or ampoules for oral administration. It is recommended to take one tablet or ampoule twice a day during or after meals.

A drug that replenishes magnesium deficiency in the body

Magvital 365 mg, a Turkish-made drug, is a powder packaged in 365 mg sachets.

Before your appointment medicines A blood test should be done to check calcium, potassium and magnesium levels.

In addition to the use of medications, it is necessary to review the diet: it should include foods containing magnesium, calcium and potassium. Magnesium and potassium are found in buckwheat, bananas, walnuts, dried dried apricots, figs and prunes. Fresh fruits, legumes and grains are also rich in magnesium. Calcium is found in dairy products: hard cheese, cottage cheese, milk. Cabbage also contains calcium.

Spastic contractions of the leg muscles with varicose veins

The cause of calf muscle cramps is often varicose veins. The first signs of varicose veins of the legs appear long before cramps. Spider veins on the legs - this is a characteristic, conspicuous sign of varicose veins. As the disease develops, the following symptoms appear: severity in lower limbs, increased fatigue and swelling of the legs. In people suffering from varicose veins, cramps in the calf muscle or toes often appear at night during sleep.

Night cramps in the leg muscles can occur with varicose veins

If you notice such signs in yourself, you should contact a vascular surgeon. Even visual inspection The patient provides the doctor with information to make a diagnosis. If necessary, the doctor will conduct a blood clotting test and determine the prothrombin index. In some cases, phlebologists prescribe Dopplerography of the blood vessels of the legs. Doppler ultrasound allows you to diagnose spasms, stenosis or thrombosis of blood vessels in the brain, lower and upper extremities.

If you have varicose veins, you should not massage your leg muscles.

Leg muscle spasms and pregnancy

Leg cramps are a common accompaniment of pregnancy. Why do they develop during pregnancy? The causes of seizures are explained, on the one hand, by a lack of the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium, which are spent on the development of the fetus. Taking diuretics due to edema and vomiting during pregnancy toxicosis also disrupt the mineral composition of the blood.

From the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on great vessels legs, causing insufficiency of their valves. Poor circulation of the lower extremities is manifested by the fact that a pregnant woman’s legs cramp at night. In this case, you need to strengthen your diet with dishes containing magnesium, potassium and calcium. On the other hand, to improve blood circulation, you need to walk a lot and try not to sit for a long time. Even while sitting, you need to move your legs at the knee and ankle joints. On a long trip while sitting in a vehicle, you can periodically squeeze and release your calves to restore blood circulation. If your calf muscle cramps, you need to sit down and put your feet on the cold floor.

Spastic contractions of leg muscles in old age

Older people are more likely to experience night cramps

Why do older people often experience leg cramps at night? With age, factors accumulate that contribute to the development of leg muscle spasms. Most important points in the appearance of seizures at night in the elderly:

Poor circulation of the lower extremities due to vascular atherosclerosis.
Often associated with varicose veins of the legs.
Impaired absorption of minerals and vitamins by the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.
A sedentary lifestyle disrupts blood circulation in the calves.
Obesity.

In old age, legs often cramp at night due to accumulated fatigue during the day. Calf cramps should be treated based on its cause. In any case, enriching your diet with minerals and vitamins will reduce leg cramps. A more active lifestyle and weight loss are important conditions for successful treatment. A course of treatment with Magne B6 Forte will provide significant assistance. If your leg cramps long time and in a dream, most the right decision– contact a vascular surgeon.

Leg muscle spasms after taking medications

What causes leg cramps after taking medications? Some medications disrupt the balance of minerals in the body. Long-term use of diuretics leads to potassium and magnesium deficiency. This causes a disruption in the neuromuscular transmission of impulses, resulting in contraction of the leg muscles.

Another drug that has been implicated in the development of leg cramps is statins. With prolonged use, they contribute to the deposition of calcium on the inner wall of blood vessels and its compaction. Lack of elasticity of blood vessels over time leads to vascular insufficiency lower extremities, which is manifested by leg muscle spasms. The instructions for use of Atorvastatin indicate a side effect on the musculoskeletal system - leg cramps.

One of the possible side effects statins - leg muscle cramps

First aid for leg cramps

In the event of a cramp in a dream, a person wakes up from such pain, so he must help himself to relieve the attack. You just need to know how to do it. Simple measures can help with cramps:

If your leg cramps at night, you need to sit up in bed, lower your legs and place them on the cold floor. Then stand up and stand straight. In this position, blood circulation is restored and the cramp goes away.
Sitting in bed, take a deep breath, grab your toes with your hand and pull them towards you, overcoming the pain. At the same time, you can swing your leg to the right and left. Thanks to the stretched calf muscle, blood circulation in the calf is restored and the cramp stops.

“Unlocking” the muscle

Stand facing the wall at a distance of 40–50 cm from it. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the wall and, without lifting your heels from the floor, slowly lean forward and backward several times. This exercise is very effective.

Minor leg cramps at night can be eliminated by rubbing with warming ointments or apple cider vinegar. Vodka is suitable for rubbing and compresses.

In conclusion, we emphasize that the causes of leg cramps are numerous. Most often, cramps occur due to a deficiency of magnesium, calcium and potassium. Convulsions that occur at night and last for a long period require consultation with a vascular surgeon.

Calf muscle cramps are sudden muscle contractions that often cramp the muscles of the foot. People of absolutely any age, as well as women during pregnancy, are susceptible to this unpleasant sensation. Most patients note that night attacks of muscle spasms are especially severe, since it is at this time that the human body is most relaxed. After the first manifestation of such a symptom, the victim must contact a medical facility as soon as possible, because if this is not done, serious illnesses may remain without diagnosis.

If during pregnancy a woman is bothered by cramps of the lower extremities, this is the first sign of a complicated course of this process. Such a symptom can act as the first sign of a pathology, which is characterized by a critical increase blood pressure. Frequent contractions of the calf muscles in children may indicate that they are beginning to develop.

The causes are quite varied - from vitamin deficiency to complex internal disorders. Seizures, depending on the type, can be short-lived or last several minutes. In addition, the intensity of pain differs. Treatment is prescribed individually for each patient, especially for women during pregnancy, because not all medications can be taken at such a time.

Etiology

Contractions of the muscles of the lower extremities can occur against the background of certain diseases or in completely healthy person. Among the disorders that can cause spasms are:

lack of calcium, potassium and other essential minerals in the body;
body. Due to the small amount of fluid, the blood begins to thicken, causing convulsions;
taking medications for no apparent reason or without a doctor’s prescription. These are mainly diuretics that remove magnesium and sodium. It is most common for older people or females who reduce their body weight using such means. This is why calf muscle cramps often occur at night;
blood transfusion;
disturbances in the blood supply to tissues, which is manifested not only by muscle spasms, but also by severe pain;
fever and heat;
pregnancy - all the calcium in a woman’s body is aimed at the proper formation of the fetus. Also, increasing body weight due to a growing baby can lead to muscle cramps in the calves and feet;
addiction to nicotine for many years;
and other foot abnormalities lead to improper load distribution, which is the main cause of spasms;
oxygen starvation muscles due to various ailments;
various intoxications of the body;
contact with poisonous animals, insects or plants;
circulatory disorders in the brain;
the influence of high body temperature often causes convulsions in children under six years of age;
injuries and lesions of the spine or intervertebral discs;
fractures of the lower extremities.

In a healthy adult, seizures occur for the following reasons:

prolonged stressful situations;
sedentary lifestyle or working conditions. In addition, those who are forced to constantly stand are also susceptible to painful muscle contractions;
long walks, especially during hiking trips;
intense physical activity, which is why professional athletes are often prone to cramps. To an ordinary person Before performing any physical activity, you must thoroughly warm up and warm up;
excessively high body weight;
a sharp change in temperature, for example, severe overheating of a person in the sun, after which he is immersed in cold water.

Causes of calf muscle cramps at night:

heavy load on the legs during the working day;
uncomfortable sleeping position;
unbalanced diet, eating too much fatty foods a lot;
lack of micronutrients in the body.

Varieties

Depending on what factor influenced the occurrence of contractions, seizures are divided into:

tonic - arising from intense physical exercise. They arise gradually and last a long time;
clonic - unlike the previous type, they are manifested by rapid spasms of one or more muscles;
tonic-clonic – combine the qualities of the types described above;
febrile - occur in children under six years of age as a reaction of the body to high temperature bodies;
partial - pain lasts from several seconds to several minutes;
alcoholic – expressed during intake large quantity alcohol;
medicinal – arise from incorrect dosage of narcotic medications;
myoclonic – children are most often susceptible to such convulsions. This process involves all the muscles of the trunk or face, which can lead to falls, loss of consciousness and injuries.

Symptoms

For calf muscle cramps, the most characteristic symptom- this is pain, and in some cases it can be so severe that a person cannot restrain his cry. In addition, seizures are accompanied by:

muscle hardness and tension;
inability to move the affected limb;
short loss of consciousness, but only except in cases of partial contraction;
throwing your head back and rolling your eyes;
increased secretion of saliva.

After an attack, a person often falls asleep or experiences temporary hearing loss.

Complications

In some cases, calf muscle cramps can lead to fatal outcome. But besides this, the following consequences may develop:

slowdown heart rate, until it stops completely;
bleeding in the brain;
various head and back injuries at the time of loss of consciousness.

One-time manifestations of seizures do not pose a danger to human life.

Diagnostics

Seizures in themselves do not require diagnosis, but it is necessary to determine the causes of their occurrence. To do this, the patient, if he is conscious after the attack, must:

provide complete information about all the diseases he suffered from throughout his life;
tell the doctor what symptoms bother him, how intense the pain is, report possible reasons occurrence. This will help the specialist determine the type of painful contractions;
pass both general and biochemical examinations;
complete hardware examination, consisting of MRI, CT, ultrasound, radiography and other diagnostic measures;
undergo additional consultations with specialists such as,.

It is worth paying attention to diagnostics in women during pregnancy, because not all examinations can be done at this time.

These basic studies will provide an overall picture of the condition of the patient’s internal organs and systems.

Treatment

Despite the fact that a cramp may go away on its own, it is necessary to prescribe treatment for the underlying disease if it is after its progression that such an unpleasant symptom occurs. If the attack occurred at work or at home, the victim must be provided with first aid before the ambulance arrives. To do this, you need to do the following:

squeeze the area with the greatest pain for several seconds;
try to stand up and shift your weight to the injured leg;
apply a cold compress or, conversely, use warming ointments;
Pull the sock as hard as you can towards the victim. In most cases, this will reduce the pain.

If a woman experiences convulsions during pregnancy, she must be kept at rest and follow the first aid points described above. It is worth noting that after childbirth, all signs of painful muscle contractions will go away on their own.

Many people experience cramps in the calf muscles at night; the causes and treatment for this phenomenon are related and can be varied. Sudden muscle spasms during sleep, pain and the inability to sleep and rest cause a person not only physical, but also psychological discomfort. Therefore, this problem, the reasons for its occurrence and methods of treatment should be considered in more detail.

Etiology of the disease

Many patients may wonder why the calf muscles cramp? Cramps that cramp the calves at night, especially if they occur quite often, indicate certain changes in the body and pathological condition. Such night cramps can bother a patient of any age group, but for the most part they are typical for people of middle and older age categories.

Common causes of seizures:

hypothermia and diabetes mellitus;
lack of certain vitamins, macro- and microelements in the body, in particular magnesium and calcium, vitamin D;
the inflammatory process occurring in the legs or the body gives off negative symptoms in the form of cramps in the calf muscles;
previous trauma or its consequences;
problems in the functioning of the endocrine system, namely thyroid gland, nervous system;
varicose veins diagnosed in the patient, bad job circulatory system, interruption in blood flow.

Of the reasons listed above, there are 3 most popular ones. When the calf muscles cramp at night, doctors first of all point to a lack of an element such as magnesium in the body. It is this element that plays the main role in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle cells.

Doctors call blood stagnation in the lower extremities another reason why the calf muscle cramps. Manifesting itself as a spasm at night, it may be a consequence of poor blood flow or decreased muscle tone.

As another reason why the calf muscle cramps at night, doctors identify a malfunction in metabolic processes in the body: pathologies in endocrine system, insufficient functioning of the thyroid gland and, as a result, a decrease in the level of thyroid hormones in the blood, which are precisely responsible for metabolism.

Types and risk factors

Today, doctors in their practice distinguish 2 types of cramps when the calf muscle cramps at night.

In the first case, night cramps of the calf muscles are called idiopathic. Most experts cite severe physical overload and a sudden disruption in blood flow to the lower leg and foot as the reason for their appearance. Such seizures can be diagnosed in patients of all age groups.

The second group of calf muscle spasms includes the so-called secondary cramps. As a rule, the root cause in this case may be neurological in nature, it can also be health problems or peripheral neuropathy, liver problems, dehydration and any type of poisoning of the body.

Speaking about certain risk factors that contribute to the fact that the calf muscle will cramp at night, doctors point to belonging to age group over 50 years old, for physical activity and pregnancy, flat feet and deformed legs, a course of taking certain medications. These reasons and factors also lead to the patient’s calf muscles cramping.

Symptomatic manifestations

What symptoms characterize spasms of the calf muscles at night? First of all, the patient is struck in the calf area by sharp attacks of pain, the nature of which is a spasm or a feeling of compression. At the same time, the pain itself can vary in intensity from barely felt to very severe attacks.

When a patient has cramped calf muscle, the structure of the latter becomes dense and hard, it lends itself perfectly to palpation during examination, its shape changes. If the leg cramp is mild, the patient may feel a slight twitching of the muscles for several seconds.

If the muscles contract sharply, the pain attack will be pronounced and may reach the point where you have to take painkillers. Frequently recurring seizures severe pain lead to exhaustion of the body, lack of normal rest - in this situation you should immediately visit a doctor and begin treatment.

Therapeutic measures

The treatment itself depends on the underlying cause. It is the cause of calf muscle cramps that is worth finding out, and treatment should be prescribed accordingly. If the reason is severe physical stress on the legs, which athletes often experience, then all training and sports should be reduced to a minimum, allowing the legs to rest.

When the root cause of a calf muscle cramp is a lack of macro- and microelements and minerals in the body, then the only treatment is to enrich your own diet essential vitamins. It is enough to review your own diet and introduce more foods rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium into it, vitamin complexes B6 and D.

Among the foods that supply magnesium to the body are buckwheat and nuts, dill and parsley, soybeans and whole grain products, kelp and figs, prunes and dates.
Potassium will be supplied to the body in sufficient quantities by bran and dried apricots, raisins and nuts.
Fermented milk products and cabbage contain calcium.
Vitamin B6 is contained in liver and sea fish, meat and buckwheat, peanuts and bananas.

Vitamin complexes are also useful.

When calf muscle cramps are caused by a problem with internal organs, at the very beginning it’s worth going through full examination to identify such pathologies and diseases. In this case, treatment is aimed at eliminating the disease that led to the cramp of the calf muscles. This is often enough to eliminate the problem with spasms itself. muscle tissue in the calves.

Traditional medicine in the fight against disease

Regarding the treatment of cramps, spasms of the calf muscles folk remedies, then such means are effective, efficient and proven for more than one century. For all their apparent simplicity, they can not only eliminate pain and spasm, but also not harm the patient’s body, which is especially important, for example, for pregnant women or elderly people with chronic diseases, and so on.

At the very beginning, a simple infusion of Adonis can help eliminate leg cramps. It is enough to pour 10 g of the crushed plant with a glass of boiling water and take this volume throughout the day, dividing it into 3 parts: morning, lunch and evening.
An excellent remedy would be to take a decoction of birch buds. It is enough to brew 2 tbsp in a glass of boiling water. l. kidneys, leave the decoction for half an hour and take it morning and evening for 2 days.
Linden has the same effect. It is enough to steam 50 g of flowers in 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour and take it morning and evening as tea, adding honey, which enhances the effect of linden as a natural antispasmodic.
Ingestion of the following prepared decoction helps to quickly and effectively relax muscles and relieve spasms. Mix anise and fennel fruits in equal proportions, adding caraway fruits and mint or lemon balm leaves. Next, brew 2 tbsp in 1 liter of boiling water. l. mixture and let it brew for about an hour. Strain and take the infusion throughout the day, drinking it in small sips.
Wormwood is also considered a natural antispasmodic - it successfully relieves attacks of pain and muscle spasms. In the first version of the recipe from the arsenal of traditional medicine, you can pour 2 tbsp. l. wormwood seeds 200 ml any vegetable oil and leave for about 10 hours. Take 5 drops, which are dripped onto the sugar and eaten like that.
The second recipe for using wormwood against spasms in the calf muscle suggests that to prepare it, take the root of wormwood, pour it into 0.5 liters of light beer and heat it a little over low heat. Take 50 g 3 times a day.
An effective remedy for eliminating seizures in calf muscles is a decoction of chamomile flowers. It is enough to steam 0.5 tbsp in a glass of boiling water. l. chamomile flowers and leave for half an hour. After straining, then take 1/3 glass per day, after meals.
A decoction of tartar also gives an excellent effect in the fight against spasms of the calf muscles: 20 g of the plant is steamed with a glass of boiling water and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. Afterwards, take it one third of a glass three times a day.
Soothe tired muscles while providing anticonvulsant effect, maybe common thyme is an aromatic medicinal plant. You can prepare it in two ways. In the first option, it is enough to steam 15 g of fresh herb with a glass of boiling water and take the infusion in a third of a glass in the morning, lunch and evening.
The second recipe for using thyme involves preparing an alcoholic tincture at home: just pour 10 g of the plant with 100 g of vodka or pharmaceutical alcohol and leave for about 7 days. Take this infusion 15 drops three times a day.
Poppy decoction, or more precisely, its dried petals, has no less positive effect in eliminating pain and spasms. The dried material is ground into powder. Next, to prepare the decoction, take milk and honey, mix them together, and heat them until warm over low heat. Without bringing it to a boil, add poppy petal powder and let it brew for 5-10 minutes.

Against cramps and spasms in the calf muscles, there is a folk sweet delicacy: honey. It is enough to take 25 g of it before meals, three times a day for a week. This will not only deliver a sufficient amount to the body useful vitamins, macro- and microelements, but will relieve spasms.

How to apply ointments?

In the arsenal folk medicine Prepared ointments are an excellent remedy against cramps in the calf muscles. At the very beginning, such an ointment can be simple chamomile oil: just rub it on your calves, and to enhance the effect, wrap your leg in a warm stocking. If you don’t have chamomile oil, mustard oil is an excellent substitute - it has a warming effect and perfectly relieves spasms and cramps in the calf muscle tissue.

Fresh lemon juice is used as a remedy for external use against cramps in the calf muscles. It is enough to smear it on your heels and let it dry naturally, after which you need to put on a simple sock. This should be done for 2 weeks.

First aid for a cramped leg

If the patient feels that a convulsive spasm in the calves of the legs begins, it is enough to take off their shoes and stand barefoot on the cold floor.

Standing straight will help improve blood flow and restore muscle tone.

Next, you should take a deep breath, bend over, wrap your fingers around your toes and gently pull them towards you - this technique will gently stretch the calf muscle and allow you to relieve the spasm. In this case, you can smoothly make rocking movements with your foot, moving it from heel to toe.

Massage also helps a lot against spasms; you can do it yourself, or you can sign up for a professional massage course. As a warming and relaxing remedy, you can rub the tense area of the calf with either a warming ointment or apple cider vinegar or vodka, after which you should wrap your leg in heat.

Almost every person at some stage life path Have you encountered discomfort in your leg area and wondered why your calf muscles cramp?

It is necessary to distinguish between a one-time muscle contraction and a pathological one that is permanent. Rare contractions are not dangerous to human health. They are caused by metabolic disorders, vitamin deficiency, abnormalities in the functioning of the nervous system and stress.

Convulsive tensions at night are pathological. In such a situation, the help of a specialist is needed.

The gastrocnemius muscle is located on back side shins. When it is overstrained, a convulsive state occurs. This is especially noticeable at night, since at night the body is in the wrong position. Why does the calf muscle cramp? In most cases, this is due to blood flow disorders.

Unpleasant sensations may also occur in the following cases:

In pregnant women

Women expecting a baby often experience muscle cramps that last for several days. The reasons for this may be different. Most often this occurs as a result of toxicosis, which may be the main cause. The most common factor is a change in mineral metabolism. This problem occurs at the cell level, and this is facilitated by the potential difference on the cell membrane.

Problems with mineral metabolism arise due to the increased requirement of the expectant mother’s body for them. Huge reserves are spent on the vital functions and development of the embryo. Due to an eating disorder, a woman does not receive the necessary microelements. Deficiencies are almost always experienced in potassium, magnesium and calcium. Girls who are struggling with the problem of edema can take special drugs, promoting abundant urine output. Low blood hemoglobin contributes to oxygen starvation of the muscles and leads to tics.

As a result of compression of the lower vein by the fetus. This contributes to the disruption of blood flow and a picture similar to varicose veins is observed. In this case, it is especially painful at night, as the abductor muscles experience oxygen starvation at this time. If you have discomfort at night, then you need to consult your doctor, only he can help eliminate this problem and tell you what to do in a particular case.

Causes of calf cramps in children

Children often experience involuntary muscle contractions, which quickly pass if they do not have a pathological condition.

Main reasons:

a common reaction to high physical activity;
unbalanced diet;
sleep disturbance;
uncomfortable ambient temperature;
stress or fear;
insufficient amount of vitamins and microelements;
active growth of connective tissue;
very active child.

You need to contact a specialist if:

the muscle hurts for a long time after contractions;
this phenomenon occurs several times a day;
The etiology of seizures is not physical activity.

Types of seizures

Cramps can be classified according to intensity and duration.

A severe epileptic seizure is called tonic-clonic. In this state there is no consciousness.

Partial states can be simple and associated with a complex of symptoms accompanied by loss of consciousness.

When the fibers or the entire muscle contract, we are talking about a myoclonic spasm. Such nighttime conditions are present in patients with impaired function or integrity of brain structures, sometimes with a lack of microelements. May be caused by other reasons.

Treatment methods

Cramps in the calf muscle do not just happen. They may indicate the beginning of the development of varicose veins. In addition to this, pain, swelling and heaviness in the legs occur. For such problems, a comprehensive examination is necessary.

To radically solve the problem of muscle spasm, you can use an injection into the area of pain. It quickly relieves the painful syndrome. This manipulation should be done by a specialist who is aware of the location of all vital structures in the leg. You cannot inject yourself; there is a high risk of damage to arteries and nerve endings. Failure to comply with sanitation standards can lead to infection.

Mineral metabolism disorders are a key factor in such a problem. This is due to a violation of their intake from food or a high degree of their excretion in kidney diseases.

Sodium and calcium salts play a huge role in the functioning of all structures of the human body. Their deficiency leads to increased nervous excitability. The first thing that appears is weakness in the legs, fatigue increases, then cramps and muscle convulsions begin. All these manifestations are especially frequent in the dark, when the outflow of blood in the lower extremities is disrupted due to the horizontal position of the body. When prescribing treatment for such symptoms, the doctor must take into account all factors and advise what the patient should do to relieve pain.

Diagnostics

Before prescribing treatment, it becomes necessary to establish the root cause of the disease. For this, a detailed examination is carried out. The doctor must be aware of all unpleasant sensations patient, concomitant diseases and injuries. Family history of morbidity is examined. This is necessary in order to find out why the calf muscle is cramped.

Laboratory tests necessary to make a diagnosis:

deep blood test (biochemical analysis and ion testing);
liver samples;
electromyographic study to identify pathologies in the physiology of the muscular system;
electroencephalography to study the activity of the nervous system.

Preventing Seizures

To get rid of the problem, you must first adjust your diet. It must contain all the necessary microelements and essential substances in harmonious proportions. It is important to maintain a drinking regime. During intense physical activity During pregnancy, the body's resources are wasted especially quickly. This factor must be taken into account when adjusting your diet.

good preventive measure is stretching the muscles of this area. The main thing is to do everything gradually, without giving a high load. For hypo and avitaminosis, it is advisable to take complex vitamins. Especially if it is not possible to get them from food.

Gymnastics to fix the problem

What to do if you have seizures? To prevent muscle spasms, it is necessary to do special physical exercise. They come in several types, so they need to be combined.

Exercises to relieve spasms:

Slow walking with heel strike.
Stretching the calf muscle. To do this, the flattened leg is straightened, the foot is turned towards the knee. The sock is clasped with your hands and pulled towards you.
Run in place. This training will help speed up blood flow in the problem area.
Working with your toes. Walking with changing the reference point;

Prevention

To prevent and treat attacks, it is necessary to remove all the causes of their manifestation. Preventive measures they handle it well.

Convulsive attacks will pass if you follow these simple rules:

stick to healthy image life, eliminating all harmful effects;
daily moderate workouts without intense stress on the legs;
comfortable bed with raised legs;
wearing comfortable shoes made of quality materials;
exclusion of shoes with high heels and with a sharp rise;
if there is a problem with varicose veins, then it is necessary to wear compression garments, otherwise the impaired outflow will reduce the muscle;
sleep at least 8 hours;
taking vitamins with all the necessary elements or including various fortified foods in the diet;
take off your shoes at home and put on slippers;
eating food with high content vitamin D and calcium.

You can do special baths in the evening. Baths from sea salt. To do this, dissolve 6 tablespoons of the dry product in 5 liters of water. To relieve pain, you can massage the problem area of the leg. It has a warming effect, increasing blood flow and metabolic processes.