CRAMPS

(Mainly night leg cramp)

Cramps are a common occurrence and normally only last for a few minutes. They are a painful spasm in muscles caused by excessively prolonged contraction of the fibres that make up the muscles of the body. They usually occur after exercise due to the build up of lactic acid and other muscle chemicals. Night cramp of the leg on the other hand is supposedly an unknown commodity and it is an assumption that they are due to Peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of the blood vessels in the leg). The cause of cramp is in fact due to the body's inability to assimilate nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin B6 and Vitamin D or simply a deficiency of these nutrients. If cramp persists for longer than an hour it could be due to a serious condition and help from a GP should be immediately sought.

When cramp is suffered regularly at night, a GP can prescribe drugs containing calcium and quinine which can help prevent the painful recurrences.

All good chemists now sell heat packs and massaging the affected leg before applying the heat pack is a very successful treatment for spasmodic cramps...(more)

Beneficial Treatments...(more)