Unfortunately, a great percentage of people experience leg cramps at night. Besides being rather uncomfortable and painful, this health problem can prevent one from having a good night’s sleep. These rapid muscle spasms or contractions are usually felt in the thighs, feet, and calves. They can happen soon after a person falls asleep or before waking up in the morning and the cramping can last for up to a few minutes. When the cramping stops, the muscles remain tensed and tight and can be sensitive to touch and movement.
Leg Cramps vs. Restless Leg Syndrome
Very often, people think that this is one and the same health problem. However, they are completely different, i.e. people experience bigger pain when they try to move their legs during cramps whereas in the case of restless leg syndrome, people feel relieved when they move their legs.
Potential Causes of Leg Cramps
Even though the precise reason for leg cramps is not yet discovered, some scientists believe that specific health problems, conditions, and activities can cause this painful experience. These are some of them:
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- Pregnancy
- Injury
- Dehydration
- Magnesium deficiency
- Potassium deficiency
- Kidney disease
- Calcium deficiency
- Muscle overload
- Poor blood circulation
- Thyroid gland problems
- Extensive exposure to low temperatures
- Some pharmaceutical drugs
Natural Methods for Treatment of Muscle Cramps
