There are a number of people who experience leg cramps regularly, many of which can be attributed to restless legs syndrome. There may also be times in our life whenever we experience problems such as this, menopause being one of them. If you have leg cramps during menopause, there are a number of things that can be done in order to help you to overcome it successfully. The real key to overcoming these problems, however, is going to be persistence on your part as it may take some time before a relief is experienced.
This weight is ultimately all transmitted to the lower limbs, leading to strain on the muscles of the legs and resultant cramps. Other factors blamed for leg cramps during pregnancy, are low calcium and increased phosphorus levels in the blood stream. Leg cramps may also occur as a result of prolonged standing or walking. The fetus is also pressing upon the blood vessels and nerves that pass via the abdomen to the legs.
Involuntary muscle contractions often occur at night when you are in the deepest phase of sleep. These contractions can be extremely painful and sleep disturbing. Individuals that get these cramps often wake up and stay awake for 30 minutes during the night, ruining valuable sleep that is needed. The majority of the time the muscle cramps are harmless and do not signify anything serious or damaging.
It can be very excruciating to experience leg cramps during pregnancy. Nevertheless, many pregnant women today experience these cramps more and more. They occur more frequently at night and during your third trimester. No particular known reason exists as to why they occur but that is not really important because they can be prevented and as the saying goes; “prevention is better that a cure.” In this article you will discover nine different way is which cramping during pregnancy can be avoided.
Related to electrolyte imbalance is making sure that you stay well hydrated during exercise as well as throughout the day. Dehydration is one common cause of muscle cramps. Unless you are an endurance athlete, plain cool water is the preferred fluid replacement during exercise. Drink enough water before, during and after exercise but be careful not to over-hydrate during exercise.
Much work has been done by medical researchers in this field. Among the many causes found to trigger these contractions of muscles are changes in electrolyte balance in the blood. The commonest examples of this phenomenon are hypokalaemia or low blood potassium levels and hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels). Imbalances in these electrolytes cause muscle cells to swell due to resultant osmotic changes. The other factors which encourage cramps are muscle fatigue and excessive physical exercise.
One of things you can do to stop muscle cramps is to stop the activity that’s causing the problem. Over exercising without a warm-up or stretches can exert your muscles and cause aches and pains. Before you start a strenuous exercise routine always stretch your muscles with a slow warm-up. This is also true before going on a long run.
Menopause occurs when the levels of estrogen and progesterone become less in a woman’s body and menstruation stops completely for a period of over a year. Among the common symptoms of menopause are irregular periods and hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness and urinary tract problems. Menopausal women may also suffer stomach pains and leg cramps and some may suffer more, as compared to others, in terms of sleeplessness.
When pregnant, our bodies go through a major metamorphosis and the additional weight our legs must bare can have an impact on muscles and you can have sciatic pain and femur pain as well. Leg cramps can happen at night due to many factors such as the weight gain, dehydration, poor circulation and vitamin deficiencies. By dealing with circulation, eating well and getting some help from your spouse, you can reduce the chances of having these pains which disturb your much needed rest.
Children are usually very active and often do not know the limits and risks of prolonged and strenuous physical exercise or activity. This is the commonest cause of leg cramps in children. There is excessive build up of certain chemicals like lactic acid in the skeletal muscles of the thigh and the calf. This causes what is called in medical terminology, ERMC (exercise related muscle cramps).
Read About pregnancy guide and also read about diet for a healthy pregnancy and newborn bathing