Night time leg cramps are sudden involuntary contractions of the leg muscles. They are painful muscles cramps. They are extremely discomforting as they interfere your sleep.
Leg cramps at night is often seen in elderly patients, though it can occur in young adults as well.
The usual site of pain is in calf muscles.
Nighttime Leg Cramps Symptoms
The symptoms of leg cramps at night time are:
- Sudden and severe pain in calf muscles or in hamstrings at night.
- Soreness and tenderness
- Movement becomes difficult during leg cramps.
- Stony hard feeling of the leg muscles for that period.
Causes of Foot Cramps at Night
Cause of night time leg cramps: the exact cause of leg cramps during night is not known, but some of the triggering factors causing it are,
- Rigorous exercise
- Peripheral artery disease in elderly persons.
- Certain medicines such as diuretics.
- Dehydration
- Vitamin E deficiency.
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Obesity.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol and smoking
- Sedentary lifestyle.
Treatment Nighttime Leg Cramps
Treatment will depend on treating the triggering factors:
- Eat vitamin and mineral rich foods and fruits: bananas, dates, almond, oranges, tomatoes, broccoli, potato, lamb, fish and pork.
- Control diabetes.
- Drink enough fluids and electrolytes.
- Wear proper fitting shoes and slippers.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking.
- Massage lightly with a soothing balm on the cramped muscles.