Night Cramps – What is it, Causes, Prevention and Treatments!
Causes of Night Cramps: In most cases, the cause of night cramps is unknown. In some cases, it may be due to:
- Foot or leg problems (flat feet or other abnormality).
- Feet are in bad position during the day (prolonged sitting or in a bad position at work).
- Diseases associated with muscle or posture disorders (Parkinson, nerve or muscle disease).
- Dehydration such as, (excessive sweating without replacing lost salt, diarrhea , intense exercise or hemodialysis treatment).
- Metabolic disorders such as diabetes , hypothyroidism, alcoholism, hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels), hypomagnesemia (low blood magnesium levels) or hypokalemia (low blood potassium levels).
- Taking certain medications, including diuretics (drugs for urination), beta-blockers, contraceptives, inhaled bronchodilators, sedatives, and many others.
- Associated with exercise.
- Pregnant women may experience cramps due to a lack of magnesium .
Diagnosing Night Cramps: Night cramps arepainful, but they are not important from the point of view of compromising health, the cramps can become very irritating. If they are very frequent, a blood test is recommended to rule out problems such as calcium deficiency, magnesium deficiency or potassium deficiency in the blood.
Prevention of Nocturnal Cramps: When nocturnal cramps occur, some simple precautions should be recommended that can prevent the recurrence of attacks:
- Stretch the muscle in your foot or leg that is cramping.
- To walk.
- Good hydration.
- Apply hot water to the area for several minutes.
- An ice massage.
Treatments For Night Cramps: Most of the time, painful episodes are occasional, last less than a minute, and go away on their own. Painkillers and anti-inflammatories are of no use in treating cramps. However, in crises, some simple measures can represent the best form of treatment. Below there are two options for Non-pharmacological measures (without drugs) and Pharmacological measures (with drugs):
Non-Pharmacological Measures:
- In patients who are sedentary, some exercise is recommended, such as a few minutes on a stationary bike or walking.
- Stretching exercises.
- Wearing proper shoes during the day.
- Maintain good hydration (drink plenty of water) and avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Pharmacological Measures: Except quinine (Tonic Water), no drug has been shown to be effective. However, quinine can have serious side effects, so it is not recommended in patients with pain unless the situation is desperate. Alternatively, you can try:
- Use vitamin and mineral supplements in its composition with calcium , potassium and magnesium , as long as there are no contraindications. Cramps in pregnant women usually respond well to magnesium treatment.
- Avoid medications that can cause cramping.
- If the previous steps fail, you can try antihistamines (polaramine® or similar) or calcium antagonists.
- In case it does not respond, if the cramps are very annoying you can try treatment with chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine or gabapentin.
- Quinine is only indicated in serious situations.