Leg Cramps Remedies
Leg cramps happen when one or more muscles in the leg contract suddenly and involuntarily. As a result of this muscle contraction, the leg experiences severe pain and can become temporarily immobile. In some cases, you may also experience muscle tenderness or feel a hard lump of tissue under your skin when you have leg cramps. The exact cause of leg cramps is not easy to ascertain, but there are variety of factors that are known to be linked with leg cramps. Some of these common factors are:
• Muscle fatigue: Due to over-exercise or heavy physical work the muscles may experience cramping.
•Dehydration: The loss of water or electrolytes from the body can induce muscle fatigue.
•Certain medications: The use of certain medications (particularly, diuretics) can increase the chances of muscle cramps.
•Poor blood circulation: Due to improper posture or nerve disorder, blood circulation may diminish, causing leg cramps easily.
•Nerve compression: If one of the nerves in the spine is compressed, it can lead to lead to severe leg cramps.
•Several underlying diseases: Kidney and thyroid disorder, nerve disorder, diabetes, anemia and hypoglycemia can also increase the chances of leg cramps. Leg muscle cramps generally go away without treatment and usually do not need medical care. Some amount of self-care methods should be sufficient to manage the condition. However, if you happen to be experiencing prolonged and frequent leg cramps, you may visit a doctor and seek medical treatment. To remedy leg cramps, you should adopt some of these self-care methods:
• Stretch your legs as much as you can and position them in a way that feels comfortable. For calf cramps, sit and stretch your legs straight in front of you, and then try pulling your toes towards you. The same procedure can also help if you have a hamstring (back thigh) cramp. For a quadriceps (front thigh) cramp, stand steady with the support of a solid object (a table or chair), bend your knee, and then try pulling the foot towards your buttock.
• Gently massage the affected area and relax the pulled muscles. If you can massage the area with a little bit of warm oil, it can prove to be even more effective.
• Apply hot and cold compresses to relax the muscles and ease the pain. You can use an ice pack followed by a hot compress with a heating pad.
• Other self care methods include – eating a diet of calcium and potassium rich foods, drinking adequate amount of water, and follow a regular exercise schedule with an emphasis on stretching exercises.
