Calf cramps

Introduction Calf cramps, people in the north usually call "legs and tendons". Because the contraction or relaxation of the leg muscles during exercise can cause the blood vessels to be squeezed and the blood circulation of the legs to be accelerated, the metabolic products can be taken away in time. However, due to various factors, the metabolites may accumulate, and to a certain extent, the muscles will be strongly stimulated to cause contraction, thereby causing cramps in the calves.

Cause

1 The cold stimulation of the external environment, such as low room temperature in winter nights, the cover quilt is too thin or the legs and feet are exposed to the outside when sleeping.

2 fatigue, sleep, lack of rest or excessive rest lead to accumulation of local acidic metabolites, can cause muscle spasm. If you walk or exercise for too long, so that the lower limbs are over-tired or lack of rest and sleep, lactic acid can accumulate; sleep rest is too long, blood circulation slows down, and carbon dioxide accumulates.

3 elderly women with decreased estrogen, osteoporosis, will make blood calcium levels too low, muscle stress increased, and often occur paralysis.

4 sleep posture is not good, such as prolonged supine, so that the quilt is pressed on the foot, or prone for a long time, so that the foot surface is on the bed, forcing some muscles of the calf to be absolutely relaxed for a long time, causing the muscles to "passively collapse."

an examination

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Maintaining a certain posture for a long time, the veins of the legs are compressed, the backflow is blocked, and the blood flow is stagnant. When the blood stasis reaches a certain level, it will cause paralysis of the leg muscles. In fact, abnormal muscle and muscle excitement causes leg muscles or muscle groups, and the tensile strength of the muscle bundle is significantly greater than the tensile strength of the muscle bundle when the muscle is normally contracted. Therefore, there is a soreness or a severe painful feeling when the calf cramps. Especially when cramping in the middle of the night, people often wake up, have a long time can not stop pain, and affect sleep, can be diagnosed according to the above clinical manifestations.

Differential diagnosis

Most of the leg cramps are caused by calcium deficiency, cold, and local nerve pressure.

Maintaining a certain posture for a long time, the veins of the legs are compressed, the backflow is blocked, and the blood flow stagnates. When the blood stasis reaches a certain level, it will cause paralysis of the leg muscles. Actually, the abnormal muscles and muscles cause the leg muscles or Muscle group, at this time, the tensile strength of the muscle bundle is significantly greater than the tensile strength of the muscle bundle when the muscle is normally contracted. Therefore, there is a soreness or a severe painful feeling when the calf cramps. Especially when cramping in the middle of the night, people often hurt. Wake up, have a long time can not stop pain, and affect sleep. Can be diagnosed according to the above clinical manifestations.

Differential diagnosis:

Leg cramps in the elderly: Some elderly people have leg cramps during sleep at night or during the day. There are many reasons for cramps in the elderly. Usually people tend to associate leg cramps with calcium deficiency, because calcium deficiency does cause leg cramps. However, the elderly leg cramps are not caused by calcium deficiency. A considerable part of the elderly have leg cramps associated with poor blood circulation in the legs.

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