Did you ever have leg cramps?
Yes!!! They are two painful. They can interfere your sleep if occurs in midnight.
Today, we are going to focus on this in order let you know more about it. The best thing is that having information can make you away from pain. Would not you love to know more about it? If yes, then you have to go through the rest content to churn out the best information. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
A Bit About Leg Cramps
Leg cramps are quite common and they can affect people of all ages. There can be variety of reasons behind having leg cramps. It does not matter if you are having leg cramps occasionally or regularly, you need to pay attention towards it. Following some easy steps, you can get rid of it. Not only this, but these easy to follow tips will also help prevent future cramps. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
Leg cramps are also called as charley horse. To explain you in simple terms, at times in the middle of the night you might experience involuntary contractions of a leg muscle, which affects mostly in your calves, feet or thigh muscles, this pain is known as leg cramps. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
It will be probably gone in a few seconds, studies reveal that the average duration might last up to 9 minutes but the pain that leaves may last for up to 24 hours. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
What is triggers leg cramps?
Fatigue and nerve dysfunction are considered to be the major suspects for leg cramps. Meanwhile, the position in which we sleep, keeping our foot stretched out and the calf muscle shortened may also trigger leg cramps. Nowadays, they seem to be more common due to the absence of the squat position in our daily lifestyle, which would stretch the calf muscle. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
However in most of the cases leg cramps are considered to be harmless, while the proper reason for the occurrence is not found yet. There are possibilities that leg cramps could be a primary symptom for diabetes or peripheral artery diseases.
Primary targets of leg cramps
- While leg cramps is a common problem and could affect anybody pregnant women, older aged persons and athletes are considered to be the common victims to leg cramps.
- It could be due to dehydration, some medication they follow, a flat feet or even may be due intake of alcohol. If you are having alcohol then you must avoid it.
- Aged people are more prone to experience leg cramps because muscle loss starts from the age of 40s and the cramps might increase if the person is not active enough. If you are aged, you must keep doing massage of your legs and some easy to do exercise to stay away from it.
- Studies notify that about 50% to 60% of the adult and some 7% of children undergo leg cramps, which evidently is going to increase with the increase in age.
What About The Other Causes Of Leg Cramps?
The exact reasons is not known yet. It can happen due to various reasons. In rare cases leg cramps could be a hidden symptom of any of the following health issues: 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
- Hypolalemia
- Type 2 diabetics
- Hemodialysis
- Cancer treatment
- Lead poisoning
- Chronic kidney failure
- Diarrhoea
- Addison’s disease
- Cirrhosis
- Muscle fatigue
- Vascular disease
- Motor neuron problem
- Parkinson’s disease
- Pregnancy, more often after 2nd trimester and third trimester
- Oral birth control
- Venous insufficiency
- Sarcoidosis
- Hypothyroidism
What About The Treatments?
Here, we are going to let you know about the Instant five remedies that will help you to get rid of it if you are suffering from leg cramps for a long time. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
- Stretch
- Stretching the calf muscle makes it to remain in the contracted or cramped position, it works best if you could hold it for a minute or more until u feel better. Repeat the same if you happen to feel the cramp still exists.
- You could even go for the towel stretch if you feel that it could help. To do the towel stretch, firstly lie down on your back. Place the towel under the ball of one foot and hold both the ends of the towel in your hands.
- Keep the knee straight and lift the leg until you reach a point where you feel your leg is fully stretched. Now, pull the towel so your ankle bends which is in turn going to relive the nerves and stretch the calf muscles. Try holding it for 30 seconds. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
You may also do internet research to come up with some other great stretch related exercises. There are many available on internet and you can choose the right one that you find easy to do. Apart from it, do not forget to discuss with your doctor. They will let you know in a discreet manner that what you should to.
- Hot massage
- A well known fact is that massaging is the best way to relax any muscle pull. So try massaging your cramped muscle to help it overcome the pain. One can apply heat in various ways. You can use a hot towel or a heating pad; even a good hot shower can do the trick.
- When heat is applied to the cramped muscle instant relief is achieved and added advantage is that it also improves circulation. Hot massage helps a lot to get rid of this pain and makes you at relax.
- Cold massage
- The next one is on the list cold massage. On the contrary you can try an ice pack. You will have to find out what suits your body the best, the cold pack or the hot pack.
- One should avoid placing the ice directly on the cramp. Alternatively, you can put the ice cubes inside a bag and close it tightly. Wrap the bag around a cloth and place it on the affected area.
- Make sure you let out the entire vacuum inside the bag before closing the bag. For an instant ice pack you can wrap a cloth around the frozen vegetable covers in your freezer and place it on the cramp.
- Drink water
- As we discussed earlier, cramps can be caused due to dehydration so it’s advisable to drink ample amount of water to make your body get hydrated instantly.
- Apart from it, you may also add more beverage to your diet like lemon water, coconut water and so on. They keep you hydrate from inside.
- It would be good to add more juicy fruits to your diet. You must have more berries, grapes, orange and other your favourite fruits.
- Tip toe
Yes, try walking on your finger tips in other words tip toe around for a few minutes. This would make your muscles stretch which could relive you from the pain in few seconds. Doing this can make you at peace and will be helpful.
What To Do to avoid leg cramp
- Stay hydrated: Drink adequate quantity of liquid to keep you hydrated to reduce the risk of going through leg cramps. You should have eight glasses of water in an average day to save yourself from dehydration. Keep having the best intake of liquid. The more you keep yourself hydrate, the more you will stay away from issues.
- Proper shoes: Your fancy footwear may be causing serious damage to your leg muscles and straining them when you walk around. In turn you may end up with severe leg cramps in the middle of the night. Most women do wear the high heels that might lead to this issues. So, what you need to do is just have the comfortable shoes. You may also have the customized shoes to serve enough relax to your foot.
- Reduce your exercise routine: Exercising is undoubtedly a great habit for your body and mind. But hard workouts for beginners or any other person too causes cramps. In such cases it is advisable to reduce your exercise time and gradually increase it in accordance to your comfortability. In simple words make it slow and steady. Do exercise that do not hurt you and make you at peace. Do not do intense exercise if it cause leg cramps.
- Pillows to the rescue: Yes!!! This is next on the list and it is quit helpful as well. Place a pillow under your calf muscles; it may help you with the circulation and save your legs from muscle catch. It brings great relax to your legs and let you have the best comfortable sleep.
- Foods intake: Try having foods that are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Fish, meat, egg and fruits fall under this category. Including salt also plays a major role in fighting against cramps. You need to go with the best food. Keep having the fresh fruits and food to stay healthy and away from cramps. 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
How It Feels When You Have Leg Cramps?
When you experience leg cramps, it makes you experience sudden tightening and spasm of the muscles in the leg. This is too painful. Generally, it occurs in the calf muscles which can let you have intense pain. Moreover, you might feel that cramps have gone but still you are having soreness and tenderness in that particular area. You may even feel slightly pain around that certain area.
In many cases, leg cramps prone to occur during the night, but it does not happen in every case. The timing of occurring leg cramps can vary from person to person. Though they are usually harmless, but they can lead you to danger if not treated on the time. Those who are indulged in driving need to take care of their leg cramps since they may get into the danger due to having leg cramps. Though it can happen due to various reasons but you may stay away from it by following the best tips. This is not tough to stay away from it.
When to see a doctor
Are you having muscles cramps for a long time? You are not getting relaxed even after following the above mentioned tips? Muscle cramps usually disappear on their own without having medical treatment. But they could cause a serious pain sometimes and you rarely serious enough to require medical care. However, you must contact your doctor if you are having these issues like 5 Ways to Instantly Stop the Suffering from Leg Cramp
- If you are having serious leg cramps and after that if you experience leg swelling, redness or skin changes then you need to go doctor. He examines you and suggest you the best medicines to get rid of it.
- If you are also having severe discomfort then you also need to see doctor without getting confused.
- If your leg cramps are associated with muscle weakness, it is also required to see doctor.
- If you are not getting relaxed even after following the medicines and having this frequently, you need to head to doctor.
- If your leg cramps are not improving even after with self-care, this is high time to see doctor.
- Apart from it, you also need to see doctor even it is not associated with an obvious cause like strenuous exercise.
Leg cramps can occur due to various reasons like overuse of a muscle, dehydration or muscle strain. Apart from it, it may even cause if you are simply holding a position for a prolonged period. People are at risk who are older, dehydration, pregnancy, or having on medicines.
Conclusion
As you can see, these points could be the possible instant relives and prevention for leg cramps. It could be a real pain to wake up in the middle of the night and have such an awful experience. So it is always better to go as per the quote “prevention is better than cure”. Therefore, take care of your body since a healthy body and a healthy mind leads to a happy “you”.
So, what are you waiting for? It is time to go with the right tips to come up with the best results. Stay connected with Jiyo Pal Pal to keep reading the informative blogs.