United States: Recently, the doctor has shared an important video showing the importance of hydration and taking enough vital nutrients such as magnesium. The video was shared by an anesthesiologist at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina – Dr Paul Wischmeyer.
The video shared by the doctor showed an ‘alien-like’ leg cramp. According to the reports, the clip shows a leg writhing around and caving in – showing that something is living inside of it.
De Wischmeyer wrote, “Severe leg muscle cramps!! That calf wriggles like an alien creature.”
The details related to the patients have not been shared by the doctor. However, in this video, he asked the general public to drink plenty of water before and after workouts. Along with this, he added that he must have enough essential magnesium.
According to the experts, leg cramps are also popularly known as charley horses or muscle spasms. It can be explained as contractions which can happen in any body part and can last for a few seconds to several minutes. Most of the times, a leg cramp occur in calf, foot or thigh.
They can occur in any age, in any time of the day. Mostly a leg cramp occurs in the middle of night – disturbing sleep. It is to be noted that the older population is more likely to have a leg cramp as in humans, tendons shorten with age and the legs as well as other limbs become less flexible.
How Often Does Leg Cramp Occur?
One in three adults, who age 60, can experience one nighttime cramp in every two months, according to the study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic.
Besides this, pregnant women are also at increased risk because it is known that pregnancy puts more strain on muscles. Dr Wischmeyer stated, “They’re extremely common and can be very frustrating for patient and physician alike, in part because most cases of leg cramps are idiopathic (unknown cause).”
He further added, “Fortunately, they’re usually harmless.”
Furthermore, the expert outlined that another reason behind the leg cramp can be deficiency of magnesium – an essential nutrient that assists in muscle contractions, alongside with calcium. Reportedly, calcium causes contractions and magnesium helps to relax muscles.
With a deficiency of magnesium, the body is more prone to cramping. The health expert has outlined that an individual can get supplements from foods like spinach, avacados, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, and black beans.
Along with this, Dr Wischmeyer outlined that dehydration is also responsible for causing leg cramps as it reduces blood volume and circulation to the limbs – this lack of blood flow can result in fatigue and cramps.
Along with this, the report by Cleveland Clinic mentioned that the long sitting during the day time, having a poor posture and walking or standing at a concrete floor can also trigger nighttime cramps.
In some instances, leg cramps might indicate peripheral neuropathy, a condition where nerve damage leads to abnormal signals being sent through the body. This can cause symptoms like numbness, pain, or weakness. Peripheral neuropathy affects around 20 million Americans, with older adults and those with diabetes being the most commonly impacted.
Dr Wischmeyer mentioned, “No specific medical treatment is indicated for leg cramps, but several drugs can be used. Calcium-channel blockers, such as diltiazem, are effective to treat nocturnal leg cramps.”