Leg Cramps At Night

Leg cramp means a sudden painful contraction of the leg muscle. It usually affects the calf muscle and small muscles of the feet. Night leg cramp is the cramp that occurs during night because the leg is at resting position at that time.

Night cramps are mainly related to the nervous system rather than muscular. It is said that night leg cramps occur due to irregular processing of electrolytes, which are the chemicals present in the body for performing various functions.

It can occur in any age group but older people are more prone to it. These cramps are very painful and last from minimum few seconds to maximum 10 minutes. People who are more muscular have more tendencies to get cramps.

Reasons for Cramps

There are unlimited reasons for these cramps but the main cause is still not known. They can be caused by over-exertion of the leg or foot muscle like prolonged standing, sitting, walking or running for long.

High or low potassium or sodium levels, pregnancy, untreated under-active thyroid glands, excess intake of alcohol, some nervous disorder, people with kidney dialysis and some side effects of certain medicines can also be the reasons for the occurrence of night leg cramps.

Sometimes it also said that when the muscle is shortened and has to contract, it causes a leg cramp.

Home Remedies

As soon as you get a leg cramp, stand up and shake your leg. Try to walk with the cramp. Also stretch the leg and massage it. This can take care of the sudden attack.

A painkiller can also be used to relieve the pain after the cramp. Applying a cold pack can also be helpful.

Quinine is best in stopping the cramps but is the last option. Take one pill before sleeping but ask your doctor. Some medical conditions like pregnancy do not allow consuming this tablet.

You can reduce the tendency for leg cramp by doing regular calf stretching exercises. When you sleep or lie on the bed, keep a pillow below the legs or you can hang your foot from the bed.

If you suffer from night cramps very frequently then you must drink lot of fluids during the day. Before going to sleep stretch your leg muscles. Have diet rich in vitamins, sodium and potassium. Regular intake of coconut water is also said to be very beneficial in controlling these cramps.