Have you ever been woken up in the middle of the night, by a strong cramp in your leg, that felt as if it was going to tear your muscle apart? A night time spasm or tightening of a muscle is a common, usually harmless occurrence.  It most often affects muscles of the calf, thigh or foot.

With the tendency to cause a lot of pain, it can steal a chunk of your precious sleep. Although no one is immune to them, cramps are more common in older people, and about 1 in 3 persons over age 60, experience them regularly.

There are some simple steps you can take to prevent the cramps, and ease their onset. In some cases, it’s also important to look for the underlying cause and address it.

Causes of Muscle Cramps?

In many cases, the reason for these painful contractions is unknown. Medical jargon identifies them as ‘idiopathic leg cramps’.

Other reasons could be:

• Extreme exercise – you may have been exercising a lot and the muscles got tired, so they started to spasm.
• Pregnancy – can be associated with night time cramps, especially in the later stages.

In some cases, however, they  are a symptom of another problem you are unaware of, which include:

• Dehydration when your body loses a lot of fluids, the salt levels get depleted, triggering muscle contractions. Usually, the reason for dehydration is not drinking enough, but severe diarrhoea and vomiting can be responsible.
• Deficiency in potassium, calcium or other minerals; and specific medical conditions like kidney disease, thyroid disease, liver problems and multiple sclerosis.
• Conditions that affect the blood flow, for example, peripheral arterial disease.
• Some infections, or if you’re exposed to toxins like high levels of lead or mercury.

They can also be a side effect of medicines you might be taking such as:

• Diuretics
• Medications to lower high cholesterol (statins)
• Some anti-psychotic drugs
• Birth control pills
• Steroids

How to Deal with Cramps When they Happen?

Since the sudden pain can be excruciating, it’s good to have a technique you can easily employ:

• Try some stretching positions: bend your foot at the ankle, so that your toes are pointing toward the shin. Initially, this might be very painful, but the pain will subside.
• Take a warm shower or a bath. For quicker relief, use a heating pad. Some experience relief if they apply some ice, or a cold pack.
• Walk around and jiggle your painful leg. Try walking on your heels, which will stretch the muscle.
• Take paracetamol to ease the muscle tenderness, which can persist for up to 24 hours after the cramp occurs. But painkillers usually don’t act fast enough, to help with cramping.

Best Ways to Prevent Muscle Cramps

If you experience some symptoms that might be worrying you, get it checked out to exclude any possible secondary reasons. Make sure you drink enough water, and don’t drink alcohol in excessive amounts. Eat a balanced diet, and ensure you get enough potassium, calcium and magnesium. You might need to consider taking a supplement, if you feel you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals with your daily diet.

Stretch the affected muscles 3 times a day for about 5 minutes. Always stretch before and after exercise, and do the last session just before going to bed. It might take a few weeks before you notice any results, but persevere and you are likely to experience some improvement over time.

To stretch the muscles:

• Stand 60 to 90 centimetres from the wall.
• Keep the soles of your feet on the floor, and lean towards the wall.
• Feel the muscles stretch, and hold this position for 20 to 40 seconds.
• Relax the muscles, then repeat again.

When to See a Doctor or Podiatrist?

In most cases, night time cramps are just an annoyance and they quickly pass on their own. However, you should see a doctor or podiatrist if you experience the following:

• Severe and persistent cramping.
• You think you had been exposed to a toxin such as lead.
• You observe muscle weakness.
• The cramping is preventing you from sleeping, which in turn affects your day to day life.

Your doctor might consider other treatment options, and/or ask you to keep a ‘sleep and cramp’ diary. Night time leg cramps should not be mistaken for restless leg syndrome (RLS), which is a separate condition. It presents with unpleasant feelings and sensations, and an urge to move. Pain is not the main feature of RLS. However, RLS can sometimes be the cause of night cramps.

                Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!