Cramping of the calf muscles at night in pregnant women

Kalinov Yury Dmitrievich

Reading time: 4 minutes

A woman's body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, some of which cause discomfort. One of these unpleasant phenomena are calf muscle cramps. Most often, convulsions occur at night or in the morning shortly before waking up and are accompanied by unbearable pain. If during pregnancy it reduces the calves of the legs at night, you need to figure out why this is happening and direct your efforts to eliminate the causes of this phenomenon.

Signs of cramps in the muscles of the legs

The muscles of the legs in women experience a lot of stress, which leads to the fact that during pregnancy it reduces the calves. Characteristic features accompanying this process are:

pain in the calf muscle;
its reduction;
numbness, hardening of the muscle, it becomes "stone";
spontaneous stretching of the foot.

Leg muscle cramp lasts from a few seconds to several minutes, and after it the pain in the muscle is felt for some time, up to several days.

As a rule, an ankle cramp in a pregnant woman begins at night during sleep. This is explained by the fact that in lying position there is a pressure of the uterus on the vessels of the small pelvis, while there is a violation of the process of blood circulation in the legs.

Causes of leg cramps in pregnant women

The reasons why the calves of the legs cramp are as follows:

Muscle cramps in the legs can be varicose veins veins as a concomitant symptom.

Wearing uncomfortable, tight shoes and clothes - tight jeans, trousers with tight elastic bands, shoes and boots with high heels.
Wrong posture for sleeping. The vena cava is compressed by the growing uterus, resulting in a violation of the outflow of blood from the legs.

Important! From the second trimester of pregnancy, you should try to sleep on your left side. This position is most convenient for mother and baby and does not interfere with blood circulation and the functioning of internal organs.

Taking diuretics. In this case, beneficial substances are washed out of the body and mineral metabolism is disturbed, which contributes to the occurrence of cramps in the legs.
Wrong nutrition. Pregnant women should limit themselves to caffeinated drinks and soda, which contribute to dehydration and, as a result, cramps in the calves.
Toxicosis. On early dates with severe toxicosis with vomiting, a large amount of fluid and nutrients are lost, which are very difficult to replenish due to reduced appetite.

Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions accompanied by pain. Often this condition is observed in pregnant women. And most often it worries women at night. Why does it reduce the calves of the legs at night in pregnant women? The development of this pathology can be preeclampsia (toxicosis), leading to dehydration of the body; deficiency of certain trace elements.

According to statistics, 5 out of 10 women complain that they cramp their calves at night during pregnancy. This pathology interferes with proper sleep, and sometimes serves as the cause of insomnia. In addition, calf muscle cramps cause strong pain and can disturb several times a night.

Signs of seizures

In addition to unbearable pain, women suffering from periodic cramps at night experience the following symptoms:

spontaneous sipping of the foot;
paresthesia (tingling, numbness) of the gastrocnemius muscle;
muscle contractions of the calf.

On average, the convulsive contraction of the calf muscle lasts a few seconds, and the pain syndrome can persist for another 2-3 days.

Causes of seizures

Why does pregnant women bring legs together? The causes of seizures in women who are expecting a baby can be diseases such as varicose veins of the lower extremities, flat feet, pathology thyroid gland. But much more often, the causes of seizures are the following factors:

Tension of the limbs. During pregnancy, there is an increase in body weight, and by the end of the term, the load on the legs becomes more and more.
Micronutrient deficiency. These substances are necessary for the fetus to normal growth and development. The deficiency of these trace elements in a pregnant body often occurs due to insufficient intake of them with food. This, in addition to convulsions, is accompanied by other symptoms:

lack of magnesium - fluctuations in blood pressure ( blood pressure), instability of the emotional background, sleep disturbances, uterine hypertonicity;
lack of potassium - depression, exsicosis, intestinal disorders;
lack of calcium - caries, fragility of hair and nails.

Hypohemoglobinemia. Low hemoglobin often leads to convulsive contractions of the legs during pregnancy.
Hypoglycemia. Lack of glucose in the bloodstream can occur as a result of malnutrition, diseases of the pancreas.
Gestosis of the first half of pregnancy. Toxicosis before the 20th week of pregnancy is manifested by nausea and vomiting. With vomit, the body loses a large number of fluids, causing dehydration, and as a result, convulsions.
Irrational nutrition. This item implies a monotonous diet, which leads to a shortage nutrients, as well as a large consumption of carbonated and caffeinated drinks - they lead to dehydration.
Taking diuretics. A large number of trace elements are excreted in the urine. This leads to metabolic disturbance. minerals, which is another cause of convulsions.
Wearing tight clothes and shoes. The development of seizures in this case is facilitated by wearing tight trousers, jeans; uncomfortable shoes.
Wrong posture for sleeping. On later dates The best sleeping position is on the left side. Lying on its back, the pregnant uterus contributes to the clamping of the inferior vena cava. Inadequate blood flow to the limbs during pregnancy leads to the fact that the calves of the legs are reduced at night.

Convulsions in early pregnancy most often occur due to preeclampsia or poor nutrition, and in the later stages, the main causes are compression of the inferior vena cava and micronutrient deficiencies.

First aid for the development of seizures

If convulsive contractions occur, their relief can be achieved in the following ways:

pull thumb legs to your side; you can help yourself with a hand, a towel;
rub and massage the muscle from the center to the periphery;
you can use a warm compress to relieve spasm (heating pad, hot water bottle, hot shower);
prick the caviar with a needle;
place your foot on a cold surface.

Treatment of calf muscle cramps

At the first sign of seizures, it is necessary to tell the local gynecologist about this. After a clinical examination and some laboratory tests, he finds out the exact cause and prescribes a rational treatment:

if the reason is poor nutrition, the woman's diet is adjusted;
rehydration therapy is prescribed to prevent preeclampsia;
in the presence of varicose veins are used special gels and ointments (heparin ointment).

Symptomatic therapy is the appointment of gels and creams:

"Fastum Gel" - due to the improvement of blood circulation, it has a warming effect;
"Troxevasin" - reduces the permeability of cell membranes, has a decongestant effect;
"Venitan" - improves microcirculation, has an analgesic effect.

Remember that many medications prohibited during pregnancy. Therefore, medication should be taken strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

Folk methods to eliminate seizures

The most efficient and safe recipes folk medicine:

Cold cabbage leaf - has a decongestant effect, activates metabolism in cells. The sheet must be applied to the caviar for a few minutes.
Soap containing glycerin. They need to rub the caviar.
Drink a few sips of cucumber pickle.

Gymnastics for cramps

Gymnastic exercises will help to relieve convulsive syndrome well:

Stand on your toes, then take the usual position. Repeat movements 10 times. It is recommended to perform several approaches in the morning and evening.
Do lunges forward 3 times alternately with the left and right foot.
Lean against the wall with your palms, then move back in small steps; while the body remains in place.

Prevention of seizures during pregnancy

To prevent convulsive syndrome, it is enough to observe the following rules:

Wearing comfortable clothes and shoes that do not restrict movement. Heeled shoes, tight jeans are excluded.
Regular intake vitamin complexes, which include magnesium, potassium, calcium.
Rational nutrition - the use of a variety of foods, which include basic vitamins and minerals (foods that have magnesium in their composition: buckwheat, barley, oatmeal; seaweed, legumes, nuts; foods containing potassium: nuts, dried apricots, potatoes, lentils ; monotonous nutrition is excluded).

Outdoor walks in sunny weather (enrichment of the body with vitamin D).
Security good rest, distribution physical activity during the day.
The choice of a sleeping position that prevents clamping of the inferior vena cava.
Regular limb massage, warm foot baths.
Prevention of hypothermia of the legs - putting on warm shoes, socks. Warm slippers are recommended at home.
Performing gymnastic exercises.

During pregnancy, often reduces the calves of the legs at night. At the first manifestations of seizures, a woman does not need to panic - it is recommended to rub, massage the limb. If the symptoms continue to bother, in order to avoid unwanted complications, you need to call an ambulance.

A cramp is a sharp, strong contraction of a muscle, after which it cannot relax. In such a reduced state, it can stay for several seconds or even minutes. This causes a person severe pain, which remains for some time after relaxation. Cramps appear mainly in the muscles of the lower leg. This can happen for various reasons, but most often it reduces calves during pregnancy. Many women in the position suffer from this problem, especially in the second and third trimester.

Features of seizures during pregnancy

Muscle contraction occurs under the influence of nerve impulses. Various mineral salts are involved in their passage. During pregnancy, their balance in the body is disturbed, so convulsions are common. The muscles of the lower leg are especially susceptible to this, as they experience a large load. During a cramp, the calves contract and become hard, often causing the foot to stretch out. The cramp is accompanied by severe pain that can spread to the entire leg.

Most of these spasms occur at night. When a pregnant woman lies, the uterus presses on the vessels of the small pelvis. This leads to impaired circulation in the legs. If a muscle spasm happened before going to bed, the pain is not so strong, but it still causes suffering to the woman and does not allow her to fall asleep. Cramps in the morning can cause Bad mood for the whole day and pain in the legs.

Why reduces calves

Pregnancy is different for every woman. Possible troubles may be associated with non-compliance with the daily routine, improper behavior or nutrition. Exist different reasons seizures, a woman needs to know them in order to be able to prevent this unpleasant condition.

Most often reduces muscles during pregnancy due to metabolic disorders. The child for his development takes away from the mother's body a lot of the minerals he needs. Therefore, women often have an imbalance of potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are involved in the conduction of nerve impulses to the muscles.
Cramps of the calf muscles can occur due to an increase in the body weight of a woman and a shift in the fulcrum. The increased load on the legs leads to muscle strain.
A decrease in hemoglobin in the blood causes an insufficient supply of tissues with nutrients. This leads to muscle spasms.
uncomfortable tight clothes and shoes can also cause cramps. It is especially not recommended for a pregnant woman to wear heels, tight jeans and tight elastic bands.
Muscle spasms may be due to low blood glucose levels. In women who are carrying a child, the need for this substance increases, and its intake with food may not be enough.
A common cause of cramps during pregnancy is also a violation of blood circulation in the muscles of the legs. This may be due to vascular diseases, such as varicose veins. But most often this happens because the enlarged uterus compresses the pelvic vein, disrupting the outflow of blood. It is especially harmful for a woman in late pregnancy to lie on her right side.
The use of diuretics can also cause seizures. After all, such funds remove from the body not only water, but also the necessary nutrients, disrupting mineral metabolism.
Cramps in the calf muscles happen due to the abuse of caffeine. In addition to coffee, which many women refuse during pregnancy, it is found in black tea and carbonated drinks.

A common cause of seizures during pregnancy is a lack of minerals and circulatory disorders.

What to do during a seizure

Often a woman reduces her leg in a dream. Such an awakening is very unpleasant, I want to get rid of the pain as soon as possible. Spasms prevent a woman from fully resting, which is very important during pregnancy. Therefore, you need to know in advance what to do during a cramp. In most cases, a woman can cope with the problem on her own.

If a muscle has cramped when a woman is lying down, it is necessary to stretch the muscle. You can lean towards the leg by pulling the sock towards you. But don't do it abruptly.
The pain goes away, the muscles relax when the blood circulation improves. To do this, you can do a massage, rubbing and kneading the caviar, you can pinch it or prick it with a needle, and then walk around a bit.
Thermal treatments help a lot. You can warm up the muscle under a tap with warm water, using a heating pad or mustard plaster. Heat increases blood flow and speeds up the supply of nutrients.
From folk methods treatment of convulsions in pregnant women, you can use a compress of cabbage leaves. You need to take a large sheet that was in the refrigerator, wipe it with a towel and attach it to the muscle. This will help draw out excess water and improve metabolic processes.

Massage helps with muscle spasms

Prevention of seizures

Often women do not understand why this happens. They try to relieve the pain on their own, but it is best to consult a doctor with such a problem. When the cause of the seizures is clear, the appropriate treatment can be selected so that they do not recur. Most often, doctors recommend such methods:

improve nutrition - ensure the intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium with food;
take additional vitamin-mineral complexes, for example, Calcemin, Panangin, Magne B6, Elevit, Materna;
walk daily in the fresh air so that vitamin D is produced in the body;
do not overwork, rest more;
before going to bed it is useful to make warm foot baths with sea salt;
wear loose, loose clothing and low-heeled shoes;
do gymnastics to strengthen the muscles of the legs;
after a walk, you need to lie down, raising your legs above body level, for example, putting them on a pillow;
it is best to sleep on the left side to prevent squeezing of the vessels;
to prevent hypothermia of the legs, you can wear warm socks at night;
rub and knead the calves daily to improve blood circulation, it is better to use the help of loved ones for this;
to improve blood circulation, relax muscles and relieve pain, it is sometimes recommended to use ointments; during pregnancy, Troxerutin, Fastum or Venitan are allowed.

It is useful for pregnant women to rest by raising their legs above body level.

Features of nutrition to prevent seizures

Since the main cause of muscle spasms during pregnancy is a violation metabolic processes and insufficient supply of essential nutrients to the tissues, it is very important to observe special diet. This will help prevent cramps, or at least make them less painful. What should be included in the diet of a pregnant woman:

foods rich in calcium - cottage cheese, cheese, eggs, figs, green vegetables, dairy products;
to increase the intake of magnesium, you need to eat carrots, beets, legumes, nuts, buckwheat porridge and greens;
green vegetables, potatoes, dried apricots, broccoli, sea kale, peas, lentils, bananas, millet are rich in potassium;
to increase hemoglobin, you need to eat meat, liver, yolk, pomegranates, apricots;
blood glucose levels can be increased with honey, dried fruits, grapes, and sugar and sweets should be excluded;
it is better to replace caffeinated drinks with green tea, rosehip broth, berry fruit drinks, dried fruit compotes.

Exercise and massage to prevent cramps

Often, muscle spasms occur due to circulatory disorders. You can restore it with regular execution special exercises, as well as massaging the lower leg and foot. Stroking the legs, rubbing and kneading the muscles is useful to perform several times during the day. Very effective acupressure stop. To do this, you can use needle rugs or balls that roll on the floor with your feet.

rise on toes, slowly lower to the whole foot;
roll from heel to toe;
before going to bed, you need to rotate your feet several times, flex and extend your toes, pull your socks towards you, stretching the calf muscle.

If a woman eats right during pregnancy, it is reasonable to alternate motor activity with rest and taking prescribed vitamins, it can prevent metabolic disorders. This will help to avoid frequent cramps in the calf muscles at night.

Why does it bring legs together during pregnancy? The attending physician can answer this question. Pregnant women often experience bouts of involuntary muscle contraction called cramps. At the same time, women feel severe pain, the inability to move the leg due to strong muscle tension. Often, patients complain that their legs cramp at night. However, not all women respond to these seizures and go to the clinic to see a doctor. And in order to understand why seizures are so dangerous and how to respond to them, you must first understand what is the cause of their occurrence. What to do if you experience seizures during pregnancy?

The main causes of the phenomenon

Cramps are called involuntary sharp muscle contractions, which are accompanied by sharp pain and usually last up to 1 minute.

Why do pregnant women cramp their legs? The reasons lie in the imbalance of minerals and (or) biochemical substances in the body of a woman. In particular, there may be a lack of calcium, magnesium, potassium, or calciferol (vitamin D). These elements play important role in the regulation of muscle activity and help in the conduction of nerve impulses.

Why is there such an imbalance? The main reasons lie in the following:

Firstly, during pregnancy, the required norm of all useful substances also doubles. Do not be surprised that it is at two, since the fetus inside the mother grows very quickly and the need for nutrients also increases. But it happens that a woman simply does not get the necessary elements, and the fetus takes them for herself for growth. Thus, an imbalance of biochemical substances and electrolytes occurs. This greatly affects the health of the mother and leads to the fact that it reduces the calves during pregnancy.
Secondly, common problem pregnant women - varicose veins. Due to the development of the fetus, the uterus increases and begins to put pressure on the vessels, interfering with the outflow of venous blood. This blood stagnates, swelling occurs, and due to lack of oxygen and nutrients at night. This can also occur against the background of the full repayment of the daily norm of nutrients.
Thirdly, it happens that it reduces the muscles of the legs during pregnancy against the background of congenital diseases of the limbs (for example, flat feet), as well as against the background of hormonal disorders. Often it can be hormonal failures of the thyroid gland.
Fourth, makes itself felt uncomfortable shoes. This leads to greater tension in the leg muscles throughout the day. Muscles get tired and cramps can occur at the end of the day.
Fifth, you need to understand that not always the causes of seizures in women are malnutrition or varicose veins. Sometimes it can be a manifestation of some concomitant disease, which is dangerous not only for the health of the mother, but also for the child. One of these ailments can be thrombophilia - a pathology of blood clotting, in which the body is prone to the formation of blood clots. This can lead to blockage of the vessels of both the mother and the child. Do not neglect this.

What to do if you cramp your legs during pregnancy? To prevent cramps, you need to eliminate their causes.

As mentioned above, the lack of minerals and electrolytes causes a problem. Based on this, the necessary measures must be taken.

You need to tidy up your daily ration: include in the menu products containing useful minerals and calories. In particular, potassium-rich foods - legumes, bananas, persimmons, potatoes, dried apricots; magnesium - cereals (buckwheat is best), carrots; calcium - milk, cheeses, curd masses. It is worth including meat (steamed, boiled or baked) and fish in your diet. They are high in protein, healthy fats and minerals. All this will only benefit the pregnant woman and the child.

It is necessary to start taking vitamin complexes, but it is best to consult a doctor first.

It is worth focusing on the appetite of the pregnant woman, what she is drawn to. For example, if you want chocolate, it means that the body lacks magnesium, if bread, then nitrogen (it is treated by eating meat and other protein-rich foods). When you want sweets, there are not enough carbohydrates. If you are drawn to salty, then the woman has a lack of chlorides (you need to drink milk, preferably goat, take a portion of fish and other seafood, if necessary, start using sea salt). Often you just need to eat what you really want.

It is necessary to minimize or eliminate the use of tonic drinks (coffee, energy drinks, strong teas). They usually call frequent urges to urination, which leads to dehydration, and with it - the loss of electrolytes. In addition, such drinks are constantly kept in suspense, and this is an additional burden on the muscles.

If the problems are caused by varicose veins, then you need to start wearing special compression underwear and apply therapeutic ointments, having visited a doctor before that.

At the end of the day, to relieve fatigue and tension, it is recommended to take warm foot baths and massage. Now you can find a lot of exercises for such situations, you just need to choose the right one. Sleep comfortably. Put your feet on a pillow at night. This will ensure the outflow of blood and prevent stagnation and swelling.

You need to start wearing comfortable shoes. Sometimes you even need to wear shoes 2-3 sizes larger, but do not wear a tight pair until the last, rubbing and straining your legs. After all, an infection can get into the corns and wounds, and this is much worse than convulsions. And not only for the mother, but also for the child.

And most importantly, you need to visit a doctor and tell him about the disease. He will be able to diagnose the patient's condition and solve the problem by prescribing the necessary drugs or prescribing procedures.

It is better to do this from the very beginning, since no one guarantees that the problem of cramps lies only in a lack of nutrients or varicose veins. It's best to check just in case.

What to do if convulsions are taken by surprise?

Usually people feel the approach of seizures. At this moment, you need to relax your legs as much as possible, crouching on something, and it is best to lie down.
If the cramps nevertheless began, then it is worth pulling the calves a little. To do this, you need to take the sock towards you as much as possible, then loosen it and again pull the cramped area of \u200b\u200bthe leg. This should help. It is useful to walk on a hard, preferably cool surface.

Very often apply tingling or tingling of the skin.
Experts recommend foot massage, and intense to stretch the muscles.

After the convulsive seizure has passed, you need to relax your legs, lying on the bed with your limbs raised. It is recommended to do this so that the seizure does not happen again.

Seizures are not a disease, but a symptom. If you feel pain in the calves, then you should listen to your body and give it everything it wants. After all, it is not so difficult. It is much worse if you ignore the problem, do not pay attention to what cramps your legs during pregnancy and even after it. Therefore, it is still better to go to the doctor and take everything necessary tests. If there is any problem, it will be quickly detected and cured. This is the best thing you can do to have a healthy baby.