There are plenty of people nowadays that experience and suffer from leg cramping at night, which keeps them from resting and sleeping.
Leg cramps is a condition people get after spending long inactive hours, and by the time they got to bed, their legs start hurting hard.
This pain usually takes place on the calves, but many experience it even in the thighs and feet. The most annoying part of this pain is that it can last from just a few seconds to an hour.
However, even when the leg cramps pass, you can feel your leg’s soreness all night and also the following day.
Yet, there is a huge and important difference between restless leg syndrome and nocturnal leg cramps, and you need to be aware of it. The only thing that both of them have in common is the fact that they both occur at night while sleeping.
The differences are that in the RLS, there is a feeling of crawling in the legs, and there is no pain associated with what it happens with the leg cramps. Also, the nocturnal leg cramps force you to keep your legs still and don’t move then, while the restless leg syndrome provokes a desire for you to move your legs constantly. Just like that, when experiencing RLS moving your feet can relief the weird feeling while stretching your legs can relieve the pain that the leg cramps provoke.
When it comes to the question of what are the causes for the appearance of the nocturnal leg cramps, there are really no specific and correct answers. However, it is most likely that standing on concrete floors, spending too much sitting and even sitting in the wrong posture is very closely connected with the leg cramps you feel at night.
Did you know that even certain conditions such as pregnancy, too much alcohol, Parkinson’s disease and even dehydration can increase the risk of appearance of these type of leg cramps?
The best and the right way to treat these leg cramps is first to try and locate what may cause them. You also need to be aware if there is some condition that causes them. Since you allocate the problem, you start working on the solution.
For example, if you feel sum numb tightness in the muscles, you should have a warm bath before going to bed to relax your muscles. Also, you should try some easy stretching exercises before going to bed. If you experience severe pain, try some heated pads on the calves or wherever you feel the leg cramps. Some people even get rid of the cramps once and for all with acupuncture.
However, some people suffer from severe leg cramps that can even make them feel paralyzed. And if you ever experience such a thing, you should start massaging the spot with circular movements immediately. You should also try to walk and shake your legs to improve blood flow.
