Nightly Leg Cramp Treatment

Night leg cramps appear suddenly during sleeping hours. When a leg cramp occurs, the muscles in the leg involuntarily contract. Usually leg cramps mostly affect the calf muscles; however, the foot and thigh muscles may also cramp. Night cramps can be a symptom of diseases such as diabetes or peripheral artery disease. In some cases, night leg cramps are caused by dehydration, hypothyroidism and birth-control pills. Night leg cramps are most common in older adults and pregnant women.

Prevention

• Things that may help prevent nightly leg cramps include wearing shoes during the day that provide good support, and leaving the sheets and cover untucked at the end of the bed while sleeping. If you are prone to leg cramps, drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. It also may be helpful to ride an exercise bike or stretch the leg muscles a little before going to bed.

Cramp Relief

• When a cramp does occur, try one or all of the following: Lift the foot up towards your head; put all of your weight on the leg that is experiencing the cramp; walk around or jiggle the leg muscles. Other techniques include massaging the affected area with ice or taking a warm bath.

Muscle Relaxers

• Those individuals who frequently have muscle cramps may need to see a doctor. In some cases, the doctor prescribes muscle relaxers. Muscle relaxers commonly prescribed for muscle cramps include carisoprodol (Soma), quinine sulfate (Qualaquin), vitamin E (Nutr-E-Sol), verapamil (Isoptin) and carisoprodol (Vanadom).