This punch in of leg cramp is sometimes referred to as acharley horse.
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What Causes Leg Cramps at Night?
Nighttime leg cramps are common in the general population, especially as people age.
MarianVejcik / Getty Images
A 2023Annals of Family Medicinestudy found that 51% of primary care patients reported leg cramps.
Your RDA or AI can change based on age, sex, pregnancy, or breastfeeding status.
Varicose Veins
Varicose veinsare bulging, enlarged veins.
They are considered superficial veins because they are present at the skins surface.
While they do not always lead to serious health problems, they can cause pain with standing and walking.
They can also cause nighttime leg cramps.
Additional symptoms include swelling, skin changes, leg fatigue, heaviness, and restlessness.
Nighttime Leg Cramps vs.
The area affected by the clot will also be red and tender.
Symptoms of DVT will get worse over time.
While rare, DVT is a very serious and potentially fatal condition.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders affect connective tissues, including bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Many of these conditions can cause leg cramps.
They may be able to prescribe a different medicine that does not cause this side effect.
Risk Factors
Some risk factors are linked to nighttime leg cramps.
Risk factors include:
When Could Leg Cramps at Night be Serious?
If you already have one of these conditions, your leg cramps might be a symptom of that condition.
Consult with your healthcare provider if nighttime leg cramps are a frequent occurrence.
In addition to cramping, muscles might be weak and twitch.
Parkinsons is a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system.
ALS is a nervous system disease affecting spinal cord and brain nerve cells.
For a thigh cramp, pull the foot of the affected leg toward the buttock.
They can review your medical history and determine whether this option is safe.
Leg cramps might indicate that your current treatment plan might not be helping.
They can be painful and sometimes leave you with calf, thigh, or foot pain.
Most leg cramps start as sudden, sharp pain.They cause stiffness and twitching in and around the affected muscles.
The cramp may last a few seconds or several minutes.
You may feel sore after the cramp has subsided.
Some leg cramps wake you from a deep sleep or make it harder to fall asleep.
Nighttime Leg Cramps vs. ## When to See a Healthcare Provider
Leg cramps are usually a harmless problem that can be managed.
But sometimes, they might be related to an underlying health problem.
They can review your medical history and request testing to determine the cause of leg cramps.
Leg cramps can last from several seconds to several minutes.
While painful, most leg cramps are harmless and associated with overexertion, dehydration, and inactivity.
People older than 60 assigned female at birth are more likely to experience leg cramps.
Leg cramps are common in pregnant people and people with musculoskeletal conditions.
They might also be a side effect of some medications.
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