Home Remedies for Leg Cramps
Leg cramps are a debilitating and painful condition that could be due to several factors. They often strike at night, thus robbing the sufferer of a good night’s sleep. If they come on suddenly during the daytime they can often cause danger if the sufferer is doing something that cannot be stopped such as driving a vehicle. Simply changing your position can stop some leg cramps; others are much harder to stop and the muscles still seem to be knotted up for several hours after the pain goes away.
There are several causes of leg cramps; the most common are:
- Sudden lack of salt such as may happen after moving to a much hotter climate.
- Strenuous activity.
- Lack of circulation.
- Lack of calcium.
- Illness such as diarrhea and vomiting.
1: When we are hot, the body perspires to cool itself. Excessive perspiration means that certain salts are also excreted from the body. In simple cases, salt tablets should be taken until the body is able to adjust to the hotter weather. If the cramps are not bad, then simply adding more salt to food may be sufficient.
2: Strenuous activity also causes the body to sweat, thus losing salt. The problem is exacerbated by the formation of lactic acid that causes pain in the muscles. Before and after undertaking strenuous activity, fluid with electrolytes in it should be consumed.
3: Lack of circulation can cause cramps, and the obvious solution would be to move around enough to get your circulation going again. But start off slowly or you could cause the cramp to become worse. Avoid sitting with limbs bent up. Lack of circulation can also be caused by plaque, a build-up of fatty tissue inside the walls of the veins and arteries. In this case more exercise and change of diet could help.
4: Lack of calcium can be caused by poor diet, or in the case of nursing mothers, not taking a supplement. Cheese, milk, salmon and spinach are all good sources of calcium. You may also need a calcium supplement. If so, make sure it contains magnesium or the body won’t be able to absorb it.
5: Vomiting and diarrhea also cause salts to be excreted from the body. Liquid containing electrolytes should be sipped at regular intervals for a few days to restore the balance.
Leg cramps can be helped by:
- Stretching the leg gently with the toes pointing up.
- Warming the cramp site with a hot, damp towel or by placing near a heat source.
- Massaging with lavender, rosemary or eucalyptus oil, then covering with a hot, damp towel.
- Using a hot-water bottle at night.
Some people find that a good home remedy for leg cramps is to eat 2-3 bananas a day to increase their potassium. Others find drinking warm milk at bedtime helps because this both relaxes the muscles and adds calcium to the body. Herbal teas such as raspberry tea are good to relax the muscles.
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