Leg cramps at night is a disorder that unfortunately can be experienced by anyone due to various things. However, pregnant women and the elderly are most susceptible to leg cramps, as are those who engage in sports or take certain medications. Leg cramps are quite common, but you should be able to relieve the problem yourself. However, if chronic leg cramps are bothering you a lot, or if the problem doesn't get better after some light stretching and massage, see your doctor for help.
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Method 1 of 4: Stretching Your Legs to Relieve Cramps
Step 1. Use a towel to stretch the calf muscles
Sit with your cramped leg stretched out in front of you, then wrap a towel around the ball of your foot. Grasp both ends of the towel and pull it close to your body so that the back of your leg feels stretched. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
- This stretch will compress and massage your feet effectively.
- Be careful not to overstretch your leg or the injury will get worse. Stop stretching if your calf hurts.
Step 2. Bend forward in a sitting position to stretch the inner calves
In a sitting position, extend the cramped leg forward and bend the other leg. After that, bend forward so that your knees are close to your chest. Grasp the bottom end of your outstretched toe and pull it as close to your body as possible.
If you can't do this stretch perfectly, simply bend over and stretch your arms close to your toes as far as you can
Step 3. Lean against a wall to stretch your calves
Bend forward and place your hands on the wall. Next, take a step forward with the non-cramped leg and stretch the cramped leg back. Keep the toes and heels of the outstretched feet flat on the floor and slowly transfer your weight to the bent leg until the cramped leg stretches. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
- You should repeat this stretch until the cramp in your calf subsides.
- You can also do this stretch before bed to prevent your legs from cramping at night.
Step 4. Lie down and lift your legs to stretch the back of your thigh (hamstring) muscles
Lie on your back and bend the knee of the non-cramped leg so that the sole is flat on the floor. After that, stretch and lift the cramped leg then bring it close to the body while still straightening it. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
- Be sure to pull in the back of the thigh, not the knee, to ensure that you stretch the back of the thigh muscle.
- If you can't fully extend the cramped leg when you lift it, simply extend it as far as you can until you feel the muscle stretch.
Method 2 of 4: Using Home Treatments to Treat and Prevent Leg Cramps
Step 1. Avoid sleeping on tight sheets
Tight sheets or bedding can cause you to unconsciously lower your toes during sleep, and this can trigger calf cramps. It's best to use loose-fitting sheets to minimize the chance that your feet will stay in one position for too long, causing cramping.
You can also prevent the position of your toes from changing by hanging the soles of your feet at the end of the mattress so that they point downwards during sleep
Step 2. Apply a warm compress to the cramped leg
Applying heat to the cramped area can really help relax tense muscles and relieve pain. Use a heating pad, warm towel, or even a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth to relax your muscles and relieve cramps.
- If you choose to use an electric heating pad, be sure not to fall asleep while using it to avoid the risk of fire. Make sure the heating pad you are using can turn off automatically.
- You can also use heat to relax muscle cramps by taking a hot bath or pouring hot water on your legs.
- Make sure your feet are not swollen before trying this step. If your leg is swollen with pain and cramping, you may have a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis in your body. In this case, seek medical attention, and do not use a heating pad.
Step 3. Make sure you wear the right size shoes
Leg cramps can sometimes be caused by wearing ill-fitting footwear, especially in those with flat feet or other structural problems. To avoid foot cramps caused by footwear, be sure to only wear shoes that fit properly and suit any structural issues with your feet.
- You may have to buy shoes that are measured and custom made by a podiatrist. Although they are more expensive than regular shoes, they may help reduce leg cramps. Shoe sole cushioning usually doesn't help.
- People who experience leg cramps at night should also avoid wearing high heels as they are known to be associated with leg cramps.
Method 3 of 4: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Try drinking about 250 ml of tonic water if stretching doesn't help
Tonic water contains quinine which some people report can help relieve leg cramps at night. However, the use of quinine to relieve cramps is not approved by the FDA. On the other hand, tonic water contains only a small amount of quinine.
Because the content of quinine in tonic water is only small, the possibility of side effects is small
Step 2. Increase your intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium
There is some evidence to suggest that leg cramps may be caused by nutritional deficiencies, particularly low levels of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This problem may be more common in athletes. To avoid this, make sure to consume these minerals in sufficient quantities, either from food or supplements.
- Good sources of minerals include milk, bananas, oranges, apricots, grapes, cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, yogurt, and saltwater fish.
- Be aware that research results on a cause-and-effect relationship between mineral deficiency and leg cramps are not uniform. So increasing your intake of this mineral alone may not relieve leg cramps at night. Instead, live a balanced diet to meet nutritional needs, instead of drastically changing your diet.
Step 3. Ask your doctor for magnesium supplements if you are pregnant
Pregnant women are very susceptible to leg cramps, especially in the second and third trimesters. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant and have leg cramps to determine if you can take magnesium supplements.
- The use of magnesium supplements, which are essential for normal body function, has a greater chance of benefiting pregnant women. Meanwhile, the results of studies using the same supplements in seniors and adult women who are not breastfeeding are much more doubtful.
- Be sure not to start using any supplements without your doctor's approval, especially if you are pregnant. Your doctor will determine whether your magnesium intake can be met simply by changing your diet.
Step 4. Drink at least 2 liters of water every day to prevent dehydration
Leg cramps at night can sometimes be caused by dehydration. Women should drink 2 liters of water a day, while men should drink 3 liters of water a day.
- If you are unsure whether you are drinking enough water, check the clarity of your urine. Clear urine means you have drunk enough water. Meanwhile, yellowish urine, or infrequent urination, indicates that you are not drinking enough water.
- Avoid excessive alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol consumption will reduce water in the body so that it increases the possibility of cramps.
Step 5. Ask your doctor if you need to take a calcium channel blocker
Calcium channel blockers will block calcium from entering the cells and walls of certain blood vessels in the body. Although generally used to treat high blood pressure, this drug can also help with muscle cramps at night. You should measure your blood pressure regularly while using this medicine.
- If your doctor thinks you need to take a calcium channel blocker, he or she will give you a prescription with full dosage information.
- Side effects of calcium channel blockers include: drowsiness, increased appetite, weight gain, and difficulty breathing (within the first few doses if you are allergic to the drug).
- Note that while taking calcium channel blockers, you should not eat grapes, drink grape juice, or drink alcohol.
Method 4 of 4: Avoiding Medications That Can Cause Leg Cramps
Step 1. Pay attention to the use of diuretic drugs
Diuretics used to treat high blood pressure can also remove excess water from the body. Unfortunately, one of the consequences is dehydration which is a common cause of leg cramps at night.
If you are taking one of the diuretic medications and experience leg cramps at night, talk to your doctor
Step 2. Know that some hypertension medications can cause leg cramps
Thiazide diuretics used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure can deplete the body of important electrolytes, increasing the likelihood of cramps. Meanwhile, ACE inhibitors can cause electrolyte imbalances and trigger muscle cramps.
Consult a doctor if your blood pressure is abnormal while using antihypertensive drugs. The doctor may change the dose or stop using the drug
Step 3. Consider substituting statins and fibrates for other drugs
Statins and fibrates used to control high cholesterol can interfere with muscle growth, reducing energy. Ask your doctor if you can replace this medication with vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin B6. This option may be open to you if your cholesterol level is near the threshold, and is not high.
- Tell your doctor if you experience leg cramps right after using a new medication. Often, doctors can prescribe other medications to treat high cholesterol.
- Ask your doctor if you can control your cholesterol simply by changing your diet. Also, make sure you only take 1 medication, if necessary, to control cholesterol.
- Statin drugs commonly prescribed include: Lipitor, Lescol, and Crestor. Meanwhile, the fibrates that are commonly prescribed include: Bezalip, Lipidil, and Lopid.
Step 4. Consult a psychiatrist if you experience leg cramps while taking antipsychotic medications
Medications used to treat depression, schizophrenia, and other mental problems can cause fatigue, weakness, and weakness, and sometimes leg cramps. Talk to your doctor if you believe your leg cramps are due to antipsychotic medication and ask if you can get another prescription.
- Drugs that fall into this group include Abilify, Thorazine, and Risperdal.
- Some antipsychotic drugs can cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you experience muscle spasms and other things that affect physical movement, such as twitching or difficulty walking due to the use of antipsychotic drugs.
Tips
- Although clinical trial results are not uniform, there are other supplements that can help relieve leg cramps in some people. Ask your doctor if regular use of primrose oil or brewer's yeast would benefit you.
- Try placing a small bar of soap under the area of \u200b\u200bthe leg that is experiencing cramps. Or, apply a hypoallergenic liquid soap directly to the center of the cramp. Although there is no research that supports this method, some people claim to find it beneficial in relieving the leg cramps they experience.
