This painful and extremely unpleasant sensation always occurs unexpectedly, at rest or, on the contrary, tension. What could be the cause of cramps in the calf muscles?
Venous insufficiency, varicose veins and other problems associated with stagnation of blood in the vessels may be accompanied by frequent spasms of the leg muscles. A sharp contraction of the calf muscles can be triggered by a sedentary lifestyle. If a person does not move much, is not accustomed to walking, sits at work or stays in one place all day, and falls into a chair exhausted at home - all these are direct causes of calf muscle cramps.
And most often, spasmodic muscle contractions are the result of a deficiency of magnesium and calcium in the body. Doctors prescribe these two trace elements in combination with vitamin D, without which the absorption of the first two agents is insufficient. Usually these two trace elements enter the body with food, but any doctor can explain that this is only an insignificant dose of the required. And therefore, in addition to special nutrition, biologically active additives and medications are prescribed.
These are the causes of
calf muscle cramps that lie on the surface. In fact, there are many more reasons, and they can be quite serious. These symptoms can accompany diseases such as diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, spine, as well as complications during pregnancy. This means that painful muscle contraction may be the reason for an immediate medical examination. If the spasms of the calf muscles are really attached to one of the listed problems, the treatment will be focused not on the removal of the pain syndrome, but on the eradication of its source.
How to deal with it? Whether this is due to the disease, or the reason is only in an uncomfortable position - the pain in any case needs to be removed. There are a few simple ways that everyone needs to remember just in case. Often muscle cramps occur during sleep. It is unlikely to get out of bed abruptly, but this is not always necessary. It’s better to sit down and pull your foot toward you, holding your toes with your hand. The pain will have to endure. When cramps occur in the calf muscles, treatment is not available at the same time, but simple skills can help. For example, a light pinching massage of a clotted muscle will help relieve spasm. Professional swimmers sometimes hold a chopped pin on their swimming trunks, so that in the event of a cramp - and this often happens during swimming - prick the reduced place. They say it helps quickly. The same method can help in a normal environment.
There is another useful exercise. Stand facing the wall at a half-step distance, rest against the wall with your hands and gradually move your feet back to the maximum distance. This will help relieve seizure, and it’s also useful for prevention. Many recommend rubbing the sore spot with a lemon cut across - citric acid relieves spasm, and with regular rubbing, cramps are much less common.
And once again about the most common causes of spasms of the calf muscles - a lack of magnesium, calcium and vitamin D. It was said above that the inclusion of rich foods in their diet can not do, you will have to add medications. But this does not detract from the importance of good nutrition. Every day, the menu should contain foods rich in these microelements and other valuable vitamins, primarily dried apricots, raisins, almonds, and walnuts. In addition to these delicacies, there should be no shortage of dairy products in the diet - sources of calcium, as well as buckwheat cereals and legumes containing a lot of magnesium.
Almost everyone has cramps in the legs from time to time, and therefore it will be useful for everyone to remember these simple recommendations.