Nocturnal Leg Cramps
(Muscle Cramps; Nocturnal Muscles Cramps; Age-Related Cramps)
Definition
| The Calf Muscles |
|
| Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Causes
- Overexertion of the muscles
- Standing on hard surfaces
- Prolonged sitting
- Certain leg positions while inactive
- Dehydration
-
Diseases:
- Diabetes
- Parkinson's disease
- Hypoglycemia
- Hormone disorders (such as thyroid imbalance)
- Chemical imbalances (for example, calcium, potassium, magnesium)
-
Certain medications:
- Blood pressure medicines
- Statins (that lower cholesterol)
- Morphine
- Lithium
Risk Factors
- Age over 50
- Overexertion
- Pregnancy
- Staying in certain positions for a long time
- Flat feet or other foot or ankle deformities
- Alcoholism
- Neurologic diseases
- Certain medicines
- Diabetes
- Parkinson's disease
- Hypoglycemia
- Hormone disorders (such as thyroid imbalance)
- Chemical imbalances (for example, calcium, potassium, magnesium)
Diagnosis
- Blood tests
- Checking your foot pulses for good circulation
Treatment
- When cramps occur, pull against them with your leg muscles. Also, grab your foot (feet) and pull up.
- Standing on the affected leg often stops the cramping.
- Massage and hot or cold treatments help the muscles relax.
Medications
- Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Benadryl)
- Calcium
- Quinine sulfate
- Simple muscle relaxants (for example, meprobamate, Equanil, Robaxin)
- Verapamil hydrochloride (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
- Chloroquine phosphate (Aralen)
- Hydroxychloroquine sulfate (Plaquenil)
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Prevention
-
Stretch
three times a day and just before going to bed.
- Face a wall, put your hands on the wall, and keep them there. Step backward. Keep your knees locked. Keep your heels on the floor until you feel a strong pull in your calves. Hold that position for 10 seconds. Repeat two or three times.
- Exercise feet and legs regularly.
- Drink plenty of liquids.
- Eat plenty of potassium-rich foods. These include bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, oranges, and grapefruit.
- Wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
- Sleep with toes up, not pointed downward.
RESOURCES
American Academy of Family Physicians http://www.familydoctor.org
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons http://www.orthoinfo.aaos.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
The College of Family Physicians of Canada http://www.cfpc.ca
Women's Health Matters http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca
References
Allen RE, Kirby KA. Nocturnal leg cramps. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Aug 15;86(4):350-5.
Butler JV, Mulkerrin EC, et al. Nocturnal leg cramps in older people. Postgrad Med J. 2002;78:596-598.
Garrison SR, et al. The effect of magnesium infusion on rest cramps: randomized controlled trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011;66(6):661-666.
Nocturnal leg cramps. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://dynamed.ebscohost.com. Updated August 23, 2012. Accessed October 24, 2012.
2/11/2011 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance. Available at: http://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us: El-Tawil S, Musa T, et al. Quinine for muscle cramps. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(12):CD005044.