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Nocturnal Leg Cramps

Description

Nocturnal leg cramps are sudden, involuntary muscular contractions occurring during sleep. Most of the time, the cramps happen in the calf and sometimes the feet. The painful sensations cause the bearer to wake up and the episodes can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes, with lingering soreness.
These cramps have been known to happen to males and females in every age group except very young children, and are most prevalent in older adults and pregnant women. Though the exact cause of these cramps are unknown there are several contributing factors including overexertion of the leg muscles, pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, prolonged sitting, dehydration, and disorders that reduce mobility (like arthritis and Parkinson’s Disease ).

Diagnosis

A person with nocturnal leg cramps has a painful tightening sensation, usually in the calf, occurring during sleep and causing the sufferer to wake up. Generally, these cramps are not isolated. Often people who get these cramps will experience one or two nightly several times a week. To be diagnosed with nocturnal leg cramps, there cannot be any other underlying medical conditions to account for the pain.

Treatment

Although there is no permanent treatment for nocturnal leg cramps, there are some things that can be done to help reduce the occurrences and severity of the cramps, including drinking six to eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration, stretching calves throughout the day, wearing proper footwear, participating in aquatic exercises weekly, and keeping the blankets at the foot of the bed loose to keep feet from pointing downward. If a cramp does occur stretch, jiggle, and walk on the effected muscle and apply heat or cold while massaging the muscle.

Source: Adapted from International Classification of Sleep Disorders Diagnostic & Coding Manual, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.