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Night leg cramps
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/night-leg-cramps/MY00410
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Definition
Night leg cramps are sudden, painful, involuntary contractions of muscles in your leg. In most cases, night leg cramps involve your calf muscles, but muscles in your feet or thighs may cramp as well. The risk of having night leg cramps increases with age. Pregnant women also have a higher likelihood of experiencing night leg cramps.
Causes
Most of the time, true night leg cramps occur for no known reason, and they're harmless. However, in rare situations, night leg cramps can be associated with an underlying disorder, such as peripheral artery disease or diabetes.
Restless leg syndrome is sometimes confused with night leg cramps, but it's a separate condition and pain is not a prominent feature. Still, restless leg syndrome is a possibility to consider if you are having leg cramps at night.
Other conditions that may sometimes be associated with night leg cramps may include:
Structural disorders
Metabolic problems
Medications
- Blood pressure drugs
- Diuretics
- Oral contraceptives
Other conditions
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Muscle fatigue
- Parkinson's disease
- Pregnancy
When to see a doctor
For most people, night leg cramps are merely an annoyance — something that jerks you awake on an infrequent basis. But in some cases, you may need to see a doctor.
Seek immediate medical care if you:
- Experience severe and persistent cramping
- Have night leg cramps after being exposed to a toxin, such as lead
Schedule an office visit if you:
- Have trouble functioning during the day because leg cramps interrupt your sleep
- Develop muscle weakness and atrophy along with leg cramps
Self-care
Activities that might help prevent night leg cramps include:
- Drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
- Wearing shoes that have proper support
- Stretching your leg muscles, or riding a stationary bicycle, for a few minutes before you go to bed
- Untucking the bed covers at the foot of your bed
Activities that might help relieve night leg cramps include:
- Flexing your foot up toward your head
- Massaging the cramped muscle with your hands or with ice
- Walking or jiggling the leg
- Taking a hot shower or warm bath
- Kanaan N, et al. Nocturnal leg cramps: Clinically mysterious and painful — but manageable. Geriatrics. 2001;56:34.
- Walters AS. Clinical identification of the simple sleep-related movement disorders. Chest. 2007;131:1260.
- Sheon RP. Nocturnal leg cramps, night starts and nocturnal myoclonus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2008.
- Dehydration and fluid maintenance. Columbia, Md.: American Medical Directors Association. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&doc_id=3305&nbr=2531. Accessed Dec. 9, 2008.
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