Leg cramps during pregnancy: causes, symptoms, what to do

During the period of gestation, many patients complain that they had a leg cramp at night. During pregnancy, painful spasms of the muscles of the lower extremities are noted quite often. This is usually associated with an increased load on the legs or with improper nutrition. But in some cases, this symptomatology may indicate a pathology of the venous vessels or severe gestosis. In the article, we will consider the possible causes of seizures and first aid techniques for cramping leg muscles.

Etiology

Why cramps legs during pregnancy? Prolonged and painful muscle spasm can be triggered by the following factors:

1. Excessively frequent pulsation of the cerebellum. This part of the brain is responsible for motor function. If signals from the cerebellum are fed into the muscles too often, then a constant reduction in muscle group occurs. This type of seizure is observed in pregnant women with eclampsia.
2. Excess acetylcholine. This substance is a mediator, it is involved in the transmission of a signal from nerves to muscles. If an excessive amount of acetylcholine accumulates in the gap between the muscles and nerve endings, convulsions may occur. During pregnancy, excess mediator is most often formed due to a deficiency in the body of magnesium and potassium.
3. Increased excitability of muscle cells (myocytes). The threshold of muscle sensitivity largely depends on the water-salt balance in the body. It can significantly decrease with dehydration. Therefore, patients often cramp their legs during pregnancy, accompanied by toxicosis and vomiting. Avitaminosis also leads to increased excitability of muscle tissue.
4. Decrease in concentration of adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP). This substance is produced inside the cells. It promotes muscle relaxation. ATP deficiency can trigger leg cramps. A lack of acid during pregnancy is due to the fact that the growing fetus compresses the vessels of the abdominal cavity. In addition, the concentration of ATP decreases sharply with varicose veins and thrombophlebitis, overstrain of the leg muscles, and also due to a deficiency of calcium in the body.

Non-pathological causes

Painful cramps in the muscles of the lower extremities are not always a symptom of various pathologies. There are cases when in absolutely healthy women during pregnancy they cramp their legs. The following conditions may cause this:

1. Avitaminosis. Vitamin deficiency leads to metabolic disorders in muscle tissue, which often causes spasms.
2. The lack of trace elements. Often patients complain that they have cramps in their legs at night. During pregnancy, a growing fetus takes trace elements from the mother’s muscles. As a result, acetylcholine accumulates and ATP levels decrease. This becomes the cause of cramps, which intensify at night. If at the same time the patient does not eat properly and does not receive useful substances with food, then the situation is aggravated.
3. Physical overload. If a patient cramps her leg during pregnancy, then quite often the cause of this is overstrain of the legs. Most often, cramps appear in the second and third trimester. As the fetus grows, the load on the spine and lower limbs increases. Long standing can provoke an attack of night cramps. Overweight and rapid weight gain during pregnancy increase the likelihood of cramping.
4. Uterine enlargement. During the growth of the embryo, the internal organs of a woman are displaced and often compress the nerves and blood vessels. For this reason, muscle tissue is disturbed, which can provoke involuntary muscle contractions.
5. Dehydration. With the development of the embryo, dehydration often occurs, since the fetus absorbs water from the woman’s body. Loss of fluid also occurs during vomiting in toxicosis. As a result, the threshold of muscle excitability decreases and convulsions occur.

The above reasons are easily removable. To get rid of cramps, you need to rethink your diet, consume enough fluid and avoid excessive overload of the lower extremities. After a change in lifestyle and nutrition, painful cramps are significantly reduced.

Possible diseases

If during pregnancy the leg cramps after a long walk or in a standing position, then this is not a sign of the disease. Periodic cramps can be triggered by random causes. However, if convulsions occur constantly, then this may indicate the following vein diseases:

1. Varicose veins. Pathology is accompanied by stagnation of blood and expansion of the veins of the lower extremities. Deformed vessels bulge through the skin, there is a heaviness in the legs. Seizures usually occur in advanced stages of the disease, when ATP synthesis is impaired in muscle cells. During pregnancy, varicose veins often worsen due to increased load on the legs.
2. Thrombophlebitis. This disease is accompanied by inflammation of the venous vessels. Most often, thrombophlebitis is a complication of varicose veins. Night cramps occur due to stagnation of blood in the vessels of the limbs. In the daytime, the patient is worried about acute pain that spreads along the affected vein. Blueness and cooling of the skin at the site of inflammation is noted. Soreness increases while walking.
3. Syndrome of the inferior vena cava. This pathology is found only in pregnant women. It is usually observed in the second and third trimesters, when the embryo reaches a fairly large size. Fetal growth leads to displacement of the abdominal organs. In this case, the inferior vena cava is compressed. There is stagnation of blood in the lower extremities, which causes seizures. In addition, patients complain of weakness, decreased blood pressure, dizziness and tachycardia.

It is important to remember that muscle cramps in some cases can indicate dangerous conditions that require emergency care. If a woman has high blood pressure, swelling appears and cramps her legs at night during pregnancy, then this may be a sign of eclampsia. This is a severe form of gestosis, in which the work of the kidneys and the central nervous system is disrupted. Pathology is accompanied by generalized convulsive attacks. Often spasms begin with the muscles of the legs, and then move to other muscle groups and spread throughout the body.

Symptomatology

If a woman cramps her leg during pregnancy, then spasm is always accompanied by severe pain. Involuntary muscle contractions usually occur with awkward movements during sleep, but can also occur in a state of complete rest.

During the maximum compression of the muscles, a sharp pulling pain appears. The muscle becomes hard to the touch, sometimes under the skin there is a pulsation. Seizures may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. Bursting in the area of ​​the feet. Usually this sensation appears before or after cramping.
2. Heaviness in the legs. Such symptoms most often occur in the evenings and precede an attack of night cramps.
3. Weakening of the pulse on the lower extremities. This is a sign of vascular compression and stagnation of blood.

After muscle relaxation, discomfort disappears. With severe seizure, pain may persist for a while when resting on the leg.

First aid

What to do if cramped leg during pregnancy? How to relieve pain and relax muscle? The following measures will help stop painful cramps:

1. During a cramp, you need to try to raise your legs. This will ensure blood flow and eliminate congestion.
2. You need to hold your toes with your hands, bend your foot towards the knee and release. Then the bending must be repeated and the lower part of the leg held in this position until the cramp disappears. This will help stretch and relax the muscle.
3. In some cases, an injection with a needle or pinching of a compressed muscle helps. However, with severe convulsion, this technique does not always work.

After relaxing the muscles, it is useful to massage the affected area. This will enhance blood microcirculation.

If cramping occurs constantly, then it is necessary to find out why during pregnancy he cramps his legs. Only a specialist can answer this question. You should report similar symptoms to your obstetrician-gynecologist, and also visit a phlebologist and check the condition of the veins. You can get rid of seizures caused by varicose veins or thrombophlebitis only after curing the underlying pathology.

If a woman has signs of eclampsia or compression of the inferior vena cava, it is necessary to call an ambulance team. These are dangerous conditions that require immediate treatment.

Drug treatment

There are many anticonvulsants, but most of them are contraindicated in pregnant women. Therefore, in such a period, doctors try to use gentle drugs that do not adversely affect the fetus. Most often prescribed medications based on magnesium and potassium, which compensate for the lack of minerals in the body:

• Asparkam
• "Panangin";
• "Potassium Orotate".

If the patient has signs of vitamin deficiency, then vitamin-mineral complexes are indicated:

• "Magnesium B6";
• Magne B6 Forte;
• "Calcium D3".

The use of analgesics, antispasmodics and local anti-inflammatory ointments during pregnancy is prohibited. These medications can adversely affect fetal development.

Diet

Often during pregnancy, he cramps his legs at night, and during the daytime no unpleasant sensations are noted. These manifestations most often indicate a deficiency of trace elements in the body. In such cases, diet helps to get rid of spasms. You must include in the daily menu foods rich in the following minerals:

1. Magnesium This trace element is found in raw vegetables and dried fruits.
2. Potassium. To saturate the body with this useful substance, you need to eat seafood, dried apricots and bananas.
3. Calcium. In the diet of a pregnant woman, dairy products, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes must be present.

Drinking plenty of fluids should also help to avoid dehydration. During pregnancy, it is recommended to drink boiled water or mineral water without gas. It is necessary to abandon fatty foods, convenience foods and fast food.

Gymnastics and massage

If during pregnancy cramps the calves of the legs, then regular gymnastics can help. In this case, you must be careful not to expose yourself to excessive stress, so as not to harm the fetus.

With leg cramps, it is useful to perform the following types of exercises:

1. Flexion and extension of the foot. Such movements contribute to the relaxation of the calf muscles.
2. Skating foot cans or dumbbells. This exercise is especially useful for cramps in the plantar muscles.

Gymnastics should be completed with a small massage of calves and feet. This stimulates blood circulation and reduces increased muscle tone. Classes of exercise therapy and massage should be carried out 2-3 times a week.

Physiotherapy

During pregnancy, physiotherapy is prescribed with caution. Before the course of treatment, it is necessary to undergo an examination to make sure there are no contraindications. With leg cramps, the following procedures are most effective:

• magnetotherapy;
• laser treatment;
• shock wave therapy (UHT).

These types of physiotherapy stimulate blood circulation and improve muscle tissue nutrition. On average, about 10 procedures are required to completely get rid of seizures.

Acupuncture also effectively relaxes muscles and prevents cramping. However, acupuncture sessions are indicated only in the early stages of pregnancy. In the second and third trimesters, acupuncture is not recommended.

Folk remedies

It is impossible to completely get rid of leg cramps with the help of folk remedies. However, home treatment may complement other therapies. For leg cramps in pregnant women, the following recipes are recommended:

1. Chamomile broth. Petals of the flower need to be poured with boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Then the composition must be cooled and taken before meals in 1/3 cup.
2. Honey. This beekeeping product helps to saturate the body with vitamins and minerals. Honey from seizures take 2 teaspoons with food.
3. Decoction of birch buds. You need to take 2 teaspoons of plant material and place in a glass of boiling water. The drink is infused for 10 minutes and consumed instead of tea.
4. Salt baths. A medium-sized basin will require 3 tablespoons of sea salt. Water should be warm, but not hot. Take the foot bath for 10-15 minutes.

Prevention

Special prevention of leg cramps has not been developed. After all, muscle cramps are always secondary in nature, they are only one of the manifestations of trouble in the body. However, the following recommendations will help reduce the risk of painful muscle contraction:

1. During pregnancy, the diet must include foods high in vitamins and minerals.
2. Periodically, do exercises to stretch the calf muscles.
3. Excessive overloading of the lower extremities should be avoided, especially prolonged standing. Comfortable shoes should also be worn. With a tendency to cramps, you need to refuse to wear high-heeled shoes.
4. With varicose veins, special compression garments should be worn.
5. Pregnant women are advised to sleep on their left side. This will help prevent squeezing of the vessels of the abdominal cavity.

If convulsions are constantly disturbing and are accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, you must visit a doctor. Timely diagnosis and treatment will help prevent the development of diseases of the venous vessels or gestosis.