A lot of people experience leg cramps at night and some of the causes can be really concerning. Muscles contract because the brain is sending signals to it. This has led some medical specialists to believe that muscle cramps at night are caused by neurological disorders. These leg cramps at night usually occur when the brain is trying to transition from wakefulness to sleeping. While serious nocturnal leg cramps may be a cause of concern for some, mild ones are as common as sleep talking and sleep starts.
Possible Causes of Skeletal Cramps at Night
Neurological problems are generally the reason for acute leg cramps at night, However, there are other less serious, treatable and manageable causes such as if you are pregnant or you have just recently put on a lot of weight. Skeletal cramps at night are bound to irritate and bother you as often as not. Massaging the affected leg can be one of the methods to reduce the pain, and it can be applied to your muscles to stop contracting. In addition, there are some exercises which are quite safe for pregnant women to 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 had an injury, whether it is skeletal or muscular, the odds are that, you will definitely experience leg cramps at night, however, you might experience leg cramps while you are awake. Your body has a natural protective mechanism, thereby if your muscle or bone is injured, your brain would do everything it could to try to avert it from too much movement. You don't have to be worried in case of nocturnal leg cramps, for it can be easily relieved by massaging the muscle or apply warm compresses to it. You might even be given muscle relaxants provided that cramps are severe enough.
Certain medications may also cause nocturnal leg cramps. This could be because they're affecting the amount of water that's being absorbed by your body, or they're directly affecting your brain's signals (in the same way medicines cause drowsiness). This then causes a temporary neurological problem. Usually, these cramps go away once you've stopped taking the medicines, and most medicines have benefits which outweigh the discomfort of nocturnal cramps. If you find yourself too bothered by the side effects, though, you can tell your physician so you can have another medicine.
Treatments
The core treatment for leg cramps that happens at night are rehydration, massage, stretching and whenever safe, the prescription of muscle relaxants, however, you may need to go for a physical therapy if you find that these spasms are caused by neurological disorders and so your muscles will be trained to intercept signals from the brain correctly during therapy. In addition, you may take services of therapists to train your muscles to evolve faster especially after an injury.
If the muscle cramps are caused by nutritional deficiency then you are advised to take supplements or make some changes in diets. Usually these deficiencies might be due to lack of potassium, Vitamin B, or magnesium. As a general rule, you better consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
Possible Causes of Skeletal Cramps at Night
Neurological problems are generally the reason for acute leg cramps at night, However, there are other less serious, treatable and manageable causes such as if you are pregnant or you have just recently put on a lot of weight. Skeletal cramps at night are bound to irritate and bother you as often as not. Massaging the affected leg can be one of the methods to reduce the pain, and it can be applied to your muscles to stop contracting. In addition, there are some exercises which are quite safe for pregnant women to 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 had an injury, whether it is skeletal or muscular, the odds are that, you will definitely experience leg cramps at night, however, you might experience leg cramps while you are awake. Your body has a natural protective mechanism, thereby if your muscle or bone is injured, your brain would do everything it could to try to avert it from too much movement. You don't have to be worried in case of nocturnal leg cramps, for it can be easily relieved by massaging the muscle or apply warm compresses to it. You might even be given muscle relaxants provided that cramps are severe enough.
Certain medications may also cause nocturnal leg cramps. This could be because they're affecting the amount of water that's being absorbed by your body, or they're directly affecting your brain's signals (in the same way medicines cause drowsiness). This then causes a temporary neurological problem. Usually, these cramps go away once you've stopped taking the medicines, and most medicines have benefits which outweigh the discomfort of nocturnal cramps. If you find yourself too bothered by the side effects, though, you can tell your physician so you can have another medicine.
Treatments
The core treatment for leg cramps that happens at night are rehydration, massage, stretching and whenever safe, the prescription of muscle relaxants, however, you may need to go for a physical therapy if you find that these spasms are caused by neurological disorders and so your muscles will be trained to intercept signals from the brain correctly during therapy. In addition, you may take services of therapists to train your muscles to evolve faster especially after an injury.
If the muscle cramps are caused by nutritional deficiency then you are advised to take supplements or make some changes in diets. Usually these deficiencies might be due to lack of potassium, Vitamin B, or magnesium. As a general rule, you better consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
About the Author:
Seomul Evans is SEO services consultant and content writer for American Leg Cramps Society promoting first remedy to the pain associated with Leg Cramps Sports.
