These severe muscle pains – often referred as “charley horses” – are commonly felt in your thigh, calf, or foot, lasting between a range of a few seconds to numerous minutes once at a time. However, they appear to have a disturbing effect on your sleep pattern and normal routine, particularly if they occur frequently. Luckily, several ways are available to provide ease, treat and protect from leg pain at night. In severe cases, there is a demand for an appropriate consultation by a pain specialist in Dallas.
Symptoms And Types Of Leg Pain At Night
Individuals may feel muscle cramps, severe discomfort or aching legs at night among various areas. Different levels of leg pain during sleeping include:
- Calf cramps at night – They are found to be the most general. They usually consist of your muscles including the gastrocnemius or soleus muscles, but may also have an impact on other areas of your leg also.
- Foot pain – the relative muscles present in the sole of your foot act in a method similar to your calf muscles, so few nocturnal cramps might lead to a tightening.
- Thigh aches – There may be an experience of thigh pain during night due to nocturnal cramps
- Aching knees at night – Such conditions could be an indication of injury, inflammation. A mixture of ankle and knee pain at night might also serve as an indication
- When we talk about the symptoms, they vary according to the level of nocturnal leg pain. Some individuals might observe sore legs, sharp knee pain or may also experience bone pain in the leg.
- Accordingly, an initial muscle spasm or tightening from the leg cramps, approximately 20% of patients face daily signs too
- If the condition persists or someone experiences severe cramps, he or she should talk to an expert provider as soon as possible.
Seven Common Causes of Aching Legs at Night
Achiness and pains in your legs do not always show a sign of any severe condition. An individual may simply experience pain from utilizing muscles and joints all day long. Pain in legs can occur due to side effects associated with certain medications or lifestyle options such as alcohol addiction. Some of the prominent and common causes of painful legs at night are as follows:
Restless leg syndrome: Restless leg syndrome is not always a cause of leg pain. Despite that, it’s marked by feelings in the legs, like a wish and need to mobilize your legs. You might also have a wish of crawling, pulling, burning sensations, along with restlessness.
Daytime activities: Your way of using your legs throughout the day can impact what you go through at night. Rough exercise, long durations of standing or sitting for prolonged periods in an awkward position affect your legs to feel fatigued and react at night. Being too lazy can also cause leg discomfort.
Pregnancy: Most of the population experience leg cramps, achy feet and legs and restless leg feelings during pregnancy. The restlessness typically vanishes away as they give birth.
Certain medications: Drugs such as diuretics, antidepressants, and steroids are related to nighttime leg pain along with cramping.
Alcohol consumption: Few individuals experience pain in their legs as they consume alcohol. In various cases, it may be associated with problematic drinks or extra drinking.
Dehydration: Some individuals experience pain in legs due to less consuming fluids throughout the day.
How To Stop Leg Cramps At Night
Here are tips that help you to protect from leg pain during sleeping:
- Drink excess of fluids. Fluids permit for routine muscle function. Some people might need to maintain how much liquid they drink according to factors like the weather, activity type, your age,and drugs you’re taking.
- Stretch your legs. Stretch exercises for hamstrings and calves before bed decreases the frequency and condition of leg pain.
- Ride a stationary bike. Some minutes of comfortable pedaling might facilitate loosening up the leg muscles as you experience sleep.
- Modify your sleeping position. Individuals should ignore sleeping in postures including your feet to be pointed downward. Go to a sleeping posture with your back , having a pillow below your knees.
- Avoid tough or tucked-in bedding. Thick or tucked-in bedding may push your feet in below direction while you sleep. Go for a loose, untucked covering, and a comforter that permits you to have your feet and toes straight while you sleep.
- Adopt supportive footwear. Bad footwear can trigger issues associated with nerves and muscles of feet along with legs, particularly if you possess flat feet.
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider?
Queries you may require to ask by pain management in Dallas include:
- Do you feel my leg pain is a symptom of an associated underlying issue?
- Can you show me the top exercises that can be done for stretching my muscles?
- Can you identify the best massage methods used to help with my leg pain at night?
- Is it comfortable for me to have medication to treat my leg pain? Which medications will you suggest then?
- Do you suggest that I go for therapist or sleep specialist
