Leg Cramps at Night: Discover the Real Causes

By Seomul Evans  :

There are so many people who suffer from leg cramps at night. A leg cramp is a strong painful contraction or tightening of a muscle in the calf that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. Some medical specialist believes that muscle cramps at night are caused by neurological disorders. More often than not, these leg cramps at night normally happen when the brain is trying to transition from wakefulness to sleep.

Possible Reasons of Skeletal Cramps at Night

Usually neurological problems are the core reasons for acute leg cramps at night, however, there are other less serious and treatable causes too. For instance, if you are pregnant or you have just recently gained a lot of weight, in such a scenario, skeletal cramps at night are bound to bother you repeatedly. The simple solution to decrease the pain is to massage the affected leg when this happens until your muscles stop contracting. Moreover, some exercises which are safe for pregnant women can help prevent leg cramps at night.

--> Dehydration can also be a cause of leg cramps that can be resolved by drinking plenty of water before bedtime. Have water near your bed so that you can freely drink it in between sleep when required. People who have developed a habit of drinking water in between their sleep are less prone to suffer from nocturnal leg cramps.

If you have undergone an injury, whether it's skeletal or muscular, the odds are that you will definitely experience this problem while you are awake. If your muscle or your bone is injured, your brain would do everything it could to avert it from too much movement. You don't need to be afraid in the event of nocturnal leg cramps. In such a scenario all you have to do is just massage the muscle when you cramps happen and apply warm compresses to it. You might even be given muscle relaxants if the cramps are acute enough.

Sometimes certain medications may also be a cause of leg cramps because they affect the quantity of water that's being absorbed by your body, or they affect directory your brain signals. This then causes a temporary neurological problem. If you find yourself too bothered by the side effects, you had better consult your physician so you can have another medicine.

Treatments

The most basic treatments for leg cramps which occur at night are rehydration, massages, stretching, and whenever safe, the prescription of muscle relaxants. However, if you find that these spasms are caused by neurological disorders, you may need to go for a physical therapy. During therapy, your muscles will be trained to intercept signals from the brain correctly again. Therapists may also train your muscles to develop faster especially after an injury.

Some patients whose muscle cramps are caused by nutritional deficiencies are asked to take supplements or make changes in their diets. Usually, these people lack potassium, Vitamin B, or magnesium. You should consult your doctor first before taking any supplements because of muscle cramps because your cramps could be caused by something else entirely.

About the Author:

Seomul Evans is SEO services consultant and content writer for American Leg Cramp Society promoting first remedy to the pain associated with Leg Cramps and Leg Cramps While Sleeping.