They are most often experienced in the calf muscles, behind the knee.

To know more about leg cramps while sleeping read on…

Have you ever experienced that searing pain in your calf muscle while you are at the peak of a good night’s sleep?

Well, if you have, I need not tell you what it is, but for those who have not experienced it, let me tell you that it is called a leg cramp.

Leg cramps while sleeping are very common and as such, many of us do not pay a lot of attention to it. Unless of course you get a truckload of them at night while sleeping. Then the situation renders serious corrective measures.

Still interested? Then go on reading.

Leg Cramps At Night While Sleeping

What are They?

Leg cramping while sleeping or nocturnal leg cramps are involuntary contractions, which happen in the calf muscles. They are extremely painful and last from a few seconds to minutes. There is a distinct soreness in the muscles even after the cramp is gone. Older people experience more of these, although experienced by individuals of all age groups, too. These fall in the overall category of muscle cramps which include smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, menstrual, cramps and a few others.

Causes Of Leg Cramps

One of the theories for explaining night leg cramps is that a muscle gets the stimulation to contract when it is already in a shortened position. The position in which we sleep – knees slightly bent and feet pointing slightly downwards, is supposedly conducive to this condition. This is said to be the basic cause of such cramping while sleeping.

The other causes of a leg cramp in bed  are consumption of diuretic drugs, muscle over exertion and loss of balance of salts in the bloodstream, like low or high sodium or potassium levels. Some of the other things include later stages of pregnancy, untreated hypothyroidism, excess alcohol and some of the rare causes include cirrhosis of the liver, lead poisoning and sarcoidosis. They last but not least include uncommon nerve disorder and peripheral vascular disease. However, these are the probable causes, and a definite cause of this acute pain while sleeping at night has to be discovered.

Dealing with the problem

Whenever you get an inkling that you are getting an attack, immediately stand up and put pressure on the affected leg. That will make the cramp go away. This is the instant solution. Longer term solution, or prevention  is massaging and stretching.

Stretching Exercises

Indulging in regular stretching exercises is a good option for preventing leg cramps. Focus on exercising the calf muscle while doing the stretching exercises. Try this out for a month or so, you would most probably see the difference.

Sleeping Posture

A change in your sleep posture can also prevent them. Keep a pillow under your calf, if you are lying on your back. Letting the feet hangover the edge of the bed is another way to relax that muscle and avoid leg cramps at night while sleeping.

Fluids

Inadequate amount of fluids in the body, that is dehydration, could be also be a cause of cramping. So make sure you drink lots of water and juices.

Quinine

Quinine is the last resort, if none of the previous solutions for prevention. One tablet at bedtime is the normal dose and that is an effective remedy to reduce the number and severity of episodes. However, they may not altogether stop with quinine. It is also advised that you should not take quinine tablets if you are going to be pregnant or are pregnant.

Most of the times athletes, pregnant women, people with sedentary lifestyles are prone to cramps. They either over exert, or do not exert their muscles at all.

That was the whole story. Pay attention if you are getting frequent cramps. Stop the discomfort by stretching your calf muscles and sleep well!

By Medha Godbole

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Cramps in the leg, especially at night are associated mainly with with muscular overexertion, or dehydration and it may have something to do with flat feet too!

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When a painful, agonizing leg cramp strikes you, you want to know how to get rid of that leg cramp and how to prevent any more from occurring. There are a few conventional treatments you can try for yourself, and there is a great alternative treatment that is worth consideration too.

A leg cramp occurs when a muscle spasms with involuntary contraction. It is the familiar charlie horse – a painful knot in the calf, hamstring, quadriceps, or even foot. The agony can last only a few seconds or up to fifteen minutes … or more. Painful leg muscle cramps often occur at night and can disrupt your sleep.

How To Get Rid Of Leg Cramps

To prevent leg cramps you must stay hydrated, and follow a proper, balanced diet. These two things are important because the muscles in your legs must have an adequate supply of oxygenated blood and the proper amount of electrolytes. These are simply facts of the way we human beings are designed. When you lack in water intake and proper diet, your chances of suffering from cramps in your legs increases.

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Drink water. Eight glasses of water a day is a good guideline. Before you exercise, make sure you do some stretching and warming up before you go full-bore into that basketball or tennis game, or even before you begin your workout walk.

Eat a healthy diet. This will help reduce your chances of suffering from leg cramps.

Consult a health professional as what should be included in your diet. To help prevent leg cramps, it is important have the proper amount of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes provided in your diet. Potassium is necessary to help fight against leg cramps. Potassium can easily be obtained by eating bananas, a very healthy food.

Sometimes, keeping hydrated and eating a healthy, balanced diet are not enough to keep leg cramps away. You may need something more.

Natural, safe, and alternative remedies are often very helpful in getting rid of leg cramps and lessening their symptoms. Natural remedies can be very effective in getting rid of leg cramps. Natural remedies are available for just about any malady you may suffer.

There are natural remedies for practically all ailments you may suffer from. A natural remedy is a natural substance or herb that is prepared, processed, or formulated for its medicinal properties using only natural substances. In contrast, most Western health systems are based on synthetically produced medicines.

Leg Cramp Away by Native Remedies is an alternative, natural, and safe treatment for leg cramps. It is a safe, non-addictive, FDA registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to temporarily relieve leg cramp pain.

If you want to know more about how to get rid of leg cramps with Leg Cramp Away, then I recommend learning more at either http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-get-rid-of-leg-cramps or http://legcrampaway.blogspot.com/.

I’m a software developer who has developed two applications that help people manage their health. I have successfully sold this software over the Internet for over ten years. Health and wellness are passions of mine. I hope this information has been useful to you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Hickory

More blog stories about cramping and cramp remedies here …

Cause of Leg Muscle Cramps and Feet, Treatment Options

Nighttime cramps are most common in the legs and feet and possible causes and treatments are various and listed here. 

Quick, Cure For Leg Cramps

Some timely suggestiopns about how to get rid of the pain caused by night time leg cramps.  

Natural Treatment for Leg Cramps

Leg cramp is an unpredictable problem in our life; it persists for a few moments but tends to damage all our normal movements for that small span of time.

Leg Cramp Relief | How to Stop Leg Cramps | Leg Cramping Remedy

For leg cramp treatment, supplements of calcium and magnesium should be taken. Other way to prevent leg cramping is to eat diet rich in milk, cheese and yogurt.

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What exactly are night leg cramps?

The signs are unmistakeable: severe pain in the calf as the muscle suddenly contracts of its own accord so tightly that you can’t do anything to shake it off, is a sure sign that you have the condition known as night leg cramps. Not many people know, but these night leg spasms can happen in the thigh area and in the feet as well.

The exact reason why a leg cramp occurs is unknown. One theory purports that cramping occurs when a muscle that is already contracted is stimulated to contract even further.There are other suggestions too. With a little experimentation, some dietary adjustment and the support of your local health practitioner, it shouldn’t be long before you  find a remedy that works  for you.

Electrolyte function is an important component of muscle health and if they are out of balance painful leg cramping is very likely to occur. Elecrolytes can mainly be thought of as minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium, that are generally depleted through excessive perspiration or other forms of dehydration.

So in order for the muscles to function at their best all of these need to be in proper balance. If the quantity of these essential salts is a little too much or is not enough to maintain proper muscle functioning, severe leg and foot night cramps could be the result. Muscle cramps at night have also been associated with high levels of phosphorous which is usually found in large quantities in processed food, quick snack foods and soda. Reducing the quantity of processed meats, fizzy drinks and snack foods that you consume can go a long way to addressing the problem. A good example of a natural source of potassium that is easily available is the banana.

Another possible cause of muscle spasms and cramps is exercise that is of a high intensity which is associated with muscle fatigue and consequently lower levels of calcium. A lot of energy is needed to support the muscles in constantly contracting during the exercise and this requires a diet rich in appropriate nutrients. A drain on calcium reserves is believed to lead to muscle fatigue and increae the risk of cramping, so including extra calcium in the diet along with  vitamin and mineral supplements , at this stage might be a good preventative measure and help to avoid muscle fatigue.

Along with pregnancy comes extra demands on the body needing extra nutrients and care. for example, as the baby grows it adds weight to the whole body and the leg muscles need to work a. A light supper before retiring for the night, using foods that contain potassium and calcium might be the cure that you need. It could be something as simple as a nightly routine of a banana and glass of milk , along with a little light leg stretching, before bedtime during the term of the pregnancy.

There are a number of potential reasons given for cramps and, as a list, causes of
cramps and muscle spasms include type 2 diabetes, not enough fluids in the body, cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure, flat feet, the side effects of some prescribed medications, peripheral artery disease, Parkinson’s disease, an underactive thyroid, Addison’s disease, dehydration and diarrhea, and as a side effect of surgery such as a gastric bypass.

In the light of there being such a variety of potential factors involved in what causes leg cramps at night, a good place to start for anyone wanting to obtain relief from regular and severe  night leg cramps  would be to consult your doctor to get a proper diagnosis.

Nocturnal Leg Cramps Causes

The phosphorous that is pumped into processed foods, if consumed regularly can lead to an imbalance of essential body salts and cause cramping so turning to a more natural or organic diet can reduce the likelihood of developing this 

NutraSweet – Aspartamine Diet Drink Poison

you suffer from fibromylagia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss 

Dr. Manny’s Freedom Diet 

I take it before my Smooth Move and it eliminates my cramping by 90-100%. I used to lose so much sleep from cramps at night from the tea. It made the cleanse very difficult for me. The peppermint tea allows me to sleep through the night 

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The adverse effects of drugs on children’s health has more and more parents disturbed. Moms and dads want to know if there is more that they can do for their child than to give them medication.

Many children’s medications often not only mask a child’s symptoms, but can generate negative side effects. Their desire to attain a healthier state for their children has encouraged parents to find health care options that support their child’s own inherent ability to be healthy.

Chiropractic care is that option. All children are healthier with 100% nerve function. When the nervous system is highly functioning, the immune system, which is controlled by the nervous system, is able to do what it’s meant to do, which is keep your child healthy. In the case of children’s health, "the best offense is a good defense." Everyday, children are exposed to a huge variety of airborn, food-born, and contact bacteria.

So many bacteria, in fact, that it would be inconceivable to immunize them against them all.

Your Camarillo Chiropractor is very familiar with colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little (and big) things children go through as they are growing up.

One of the functions of a chiroractor is to keep your child healthy and strong so that the complaints that appear to be an inevitable part of childhood, either will not affect your child as fiercely or won’t affect them at all. Chiropractic treatment assists in removing interferences to the innate healing power that runs through your child’s body. When that power is unleashed, the changes that take place many times appear to be profound.

Furthermore, a child is lesslikely to be injured at play or in sports when his or her spine is in alignment. In addition, children who receive regular chiropactic care don’t appear to experience as many "growing pains" and leg cramps as other children.

Today, we are finding at your Chiropractor that more and more moms and dads are bringing their children to us for general childhood health concerns. Every child is have the right to express their entire potentiality. Chiropractic adjustments for children at your chiropractor is safe, gentle and effective.

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Although night leg cramps are quite a common occurrence their cause is still a matter of debate and can be the result of different causes at various times.

Yet there are a few common themes, such as doing too much stretching too quickly or prolonged sitting or in response to deficiencies in diet or certain side effects of some drugs. It is also believed that cramps can occur as a symptom or side effect of cetain diseases like diabetes, hypoglycemia, arteriosclerosis or an underactive thyroid gland.

Other suggested causes include problems such as poor circulation where the muscle isn’t receiving a good blood supply or enough oxygen, a pinched nerve or cramping as the result of an injury.

Here are a list of remedies for leg cramp relief. Simply select and click on the ones that appeals to you.

•  Natural Cramp Relief Remedy 

•  Quinine For Cramp Relief  

•  Vitamins for leg cramps 

•  Hypnosis for a good night’s sleep

•  Deep relaxation for muscle cramp relief

Leg cramps can also be quite common during pregnancy and this is oftenbecause of the added weight being borne by the legs, or the muscles becoming more tired than they would normally pre-pregnancy or a mineral deficiency as more is used up for the growing foetus. As the uterus expands during pregnancy it may also put pressure on the nerves that run down into the legs and lead to cramping.

Leg cramps can result in quite sharp and severe pain, most often in the calf muscle as the muscle goes into uncontrollable spasm and suddenly contracts very tightly. The pain is acute but only lasts a short time, usually no more than a few minutes (which can feel much longer when you are suffering!) and sometimes you may be left with tenderness in the affected area for some time afterwards.

The trouble is, when this happens regularly and most usually at night, waking you up from sleep, it can become quite distressing and can affect your whole day by being fatigued, even though the condition itself is not serious or life threatening.

Some of the prescription drugs that seem to be associated with cramping include water tablets or diuretics, penicillamine and nicotinic acid. Deficiencies in diet might include not having enough potassium, calcium or magnesium which can result in an electrolyte imbalance, not enough vitamin E or A and even simply not having enough water, so becoming dehydrated.

Regular cramping seems to be relieved by making sure you take enough moderate exercise and doing some stretching, increasing your intake of essential minerals and vitamins, making sure you drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated and relaxing the muscles with massage or a warm bath. Sometimes when the cramping is severe and persistent, quinine is suggested as a treatment but this may involve unpleasant side effects such as dizziness or blurred vision.

Here are some related posts that may be of further interest:

What Causes Leg Cramps In Pregnancy And What You Can Do About It?

Remember that if your muscle cramping is constant, pain is persistent, or if you notice swelling in your leg, call your doctor. These could be signs of a blood clot which needs immediate medical attention. Blood clots, if left untreated …  

Underlying Causes and Treatments for Stomach Bloating

If you have muscular aches, LEG CRAMPS, headaches, irregular heartbeat and water retention (including bloating and swollen feet/ankles) this could easily be a factor. I have had poor luck with potassium pills if for no other reason than the ones in the store contain so little potassium. … The only thing I can recommend in this regard, should the earlier methods fail, is to start a medical journal about what foods you eat, when you eat it and how you feel later. 

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