Do leg cramps at night give you no rest? Here’s why they occur and how to cure the problem.
Not infrequently it can happen to suffer from leg cramps during the night. A very painful nuisance that can be the alarm bell of some more or less serious ailment.
They occur suddenly, disturbing sleep and causing pain: leg cramps at night can be very annoying. These involve involuntary muscle contractions in the calf, foot or thigh. Sometimes they make it impossible to move that muscle for a few moments, which becomes stiff and tense.
Leg cramps: how to prevent them, treat them and what are the causes
When leg cramps occur at night, you shouldn’t panic but implement simple strategies to ease the pain easily.
How to cure and prevent leg cramps at night – tantasalute.it
First of all, you can stretch the muscle affected by the cramp or massage it with an essential oil. You can also put ice on the affected muscle or, alternatively, use heat, then take a warm bath or use a hot water bottle to apply to the affected body part. It is also essential to rehydrate by drinking water with bicarbonate dissolved in it (if you don’t suffer from water retention or high blood pressure), a drink with mineral salts or simply water.
Per prevent them, on the other hand, you can take a hot bath after making excessive physical effort (which we have seen to be a cause of this disorder), by adding table salt to the water. Then you need to drink enough water throughout the day and provide mineral salts by consuming the right amount of fruit and vegetables every day. Using magnesium and potassium supplements can also help. Practicing regular physical activity is another important safeguard, but without overdoing it.
How can it help do a small session of 10-15 minutes of stretching before going to sleep. Finally, if possible, it is advisable to sleep with your legs raised on a pillow. In short, with a few tricks and natural remedies you can say goodbye to painful leg cramps during the night.
There are several reasons that can cause them:
lack of mineral salts insufficient blood supply to the muscles slow nerve function dehydration muscle strain and excessive sporting activity pregnancy neurological disorders (such as motor neuron disease, peripheral neuropathy, restless legs syndrome) liver disease infections (for example tetanus) contamination with toxins (such as mercury and lead)
If they occur often, it is advisable to consult with your doctor to understand how to treat them, for example by focusing on better nutrition or specific stretching exercises to relax the muscles.