Leg cramps at night

Nocturnal leg cramps: harmless muscle contraction or symptom of serious illness? Anyone who has torn a calf muscle knows for that it can cause cramp at night and muscle spasm from sleep, and how it can be painful. The causes of nocturnal leg cramps can be very diverse and can be determined exactly not always.

To better understand the triggers of nocturnal leg cramps, it is important to know that not really the muscle that causes the calf cramp, but the nerve that controls the muscle is may be the reason. A malfunction of the nerve flooded the relevant muscle with pulses that can be up to ten times as strong as the normally emitted by the brain signals; muscle cramps suddenly and the pain sensors in this area are strongly excited. The trigger for this flood pulse come next special physical effort and various other reasons is the question. Most are mineral metabolism disorders that are responsible for nocturnal leg cramps. Here, especially, magnesium plays an important role, which provides the human body as an opponent of calcium for muscle relaxation. But a lack of fluid can cause painful leg cramps. In addition to heavy sweating and low consumption rates also laxatives, alcohol, or taking diuretics can adversely affect the fluid balance of body.

Nocturnal leg cramps should not be underestimated.

In general, leg cramps caused by lack of magnesium or dehydration are harmless and can be solved by simple means such as expansion and movement training, magnesium intake and adequate fluid intake. Sometimes, however, lies a serious disease hidden behind the nocturnal cramp attacks. Thus, muscle spasms can be an indication of a disease of the brain. Not infrequently reason hide in irritation of nerve root in the spine, arthritis or inflammation of the nerves, for example, poorly controlled diabetes is causes of nocturnal leg cramps. They also have the associated symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, kidney disease, blood disorders and thrombosis . Physician consultation should be at frequent occurrence of nocturnal leg cramps for no apparent reason, a to clarify the exact causes.