Leg Cramps From Diabetes

 Seizures in diabetes mellitus: causes, symptoms, treatment

The most common disease after cardiovascular and oncological pathologies is diabetes. According to medical statistics, about 8% of the world's population is affected by this disease, and a double growth over the next 20 years of patients diagnosed with the disease is predicted.

Diabetes is a group of pathological disorders in the endocrine system, the basis of which is a lack of insulin. Complete absence are scarce of hormones are the reasons of increase in blood sugar

In diabetes, the production of the protein hormone insulin, which is required for the processing of sugar into glucose, is significantly disturbed, which is associated with pathological processes in the pancreas. Hormone deficiency also causes a characteristic violation of the metabolic processes of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, as well as disturbances of water-salt and mineral balance.

As the disease is chronic there is a chance of getting it and increases with age.

Reasons for the development of the first and second type

There are many reasons for the development of diabetes, but basically, all of them have pathological disorders in the functioning of the glands of the endocrine system, especially the pancreas. There are two main types of disease, the lack of production of the hormone insulin and its immunity by other body tissues:

1. Destroying the cellular structure of the glandular tissue responsible for insulin production leads to a complete lack of hormones, it is not enough to even process small amounts of glucose that enters the body. In the complete absence of hormones (absolute deficiency), an insulin-dependent pathology called type 1 diabetes (IDDM) is formed. The main reason for the development of pathology is genetic predisposition. As a result of autoimmune processes, antibodies are produced that destroy their own cells that are responsible for making insulin. Viral infections are external variables that contribute to the development of diabetes. After the disease with mumps (mumps), infectious mononucleosis, rubella, acute hepatitis in 20% of cases the development of IDDM is recorded.
2. Heredity is also a dominant factor in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes - non-insulin-dependent (NIDDM). The main reasons are the immunity of pancreatic hormones to the tissue structures of the body and the relative insufficiency of its production. This type of diabetes is diagnosed much more often, about 4 times.

Signs of illness

The development of diabetes occurs gradually, in rare cases the disease is formed transiently, with a sharp jump in sugar to diabetic coma. The symptoms of the disease can be divided into primary and secondary. The main primary signs of the disease include:

• development of polyuria - increased and frequent urination. The pathology is associated with the influx of sugar into the urine and the intense extraction of water from the tissue structures;
• occurrence of polydipsia - difficult to quench, intense thirst, as a consequence of the first symptom;
• development of polyphagia - the uncontrolled feeling of hunger;
• rapid weight loss. Typically type 1 diabetes.

Minor signs of diabetes include:

• occurrence of itching and discomfort on the genital mucosa;
• increased fatigue and muscle weakness;
• feeling dry mouth;
• persistent headache;
• the appearance of the smell of acetone in the discharge of urine and glandular taste in the mouth;
• the feeling of limb stiffness, loss of vision;
• increased susceptibility to fungal infections.

The symptoms are typical of diabetes of both types, but in cases of IDDM, they are more pronounced. The disease also has a number of specific symptoms. For example, the symptom of another diabetes in men is an inflamed foreskin on the penis, as a result of frequent urination.

Other characteristic features of NIDDM include:

• occurrence of frequent convulsions of the legs and arms;
• insensitivity to mild pain;
• long healing of wound surfaces;
• occurrence of problems with potency and decreased libido;
• the disappearance of hair on the legs and the intensity of its growth on the face;
• appearance on the skin of yellow growths (xanthoma), as a result of impaired fat metabolism;
• reduced immunity.

The main problem in recognizing the disease is mild symptoms. The diagnosis of other diabetes is often made by accident when laboratory tests of blood and urine are taken.

Danger of diabetes

Disorders in the endocrine system affect most organs of the human body and cause many serious complications. The danger of diabetes lies in the development of:

• diabetic neuropathy, with pain, cramps, and tingling in the limbs;
• diabetic nephropathy, with local edema, almost throughout the body, indicating renal dysfunction;
• diabetic microangiopathy, with severe pain in the legs during movement and physical activity;
• diabetic angiopathy, with the formation of trophic ulcers on the legs. The danger is a decrease in the sensitivity of the feet, which in the future will be met with gangrene and amputation;
• diabetic dermatopathy, with significant skin damage - furunculosis, lipoid necrobiosis, xanthomatosis and various fungal infections;
• diabetic retinopathy, a serious complication with a significant decrease in visual acuity;
• pathology of the cardiovascular system, with hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis of blood vessels, which inevitably leads to cardiovascular disease;
• coma, whose onset of diabetes can be very rapid.

Symptoms of diabetic spasms

When diabetes is diagnosed, a person often experiences convulsive pain in the muscles and joints of the limbs. More often, convulsive syndrome manifests itself at night and in the evening. Night cramps deprive a person of complete sleep, which in combination with other manifestations of the disease causes additional exhaustion. Symptoms of diabetic cramps include:

• feeling of "hot" tingling in the calf muscles;
• feeling of acute pain in the affected area;
• "Goosebumps" on the skin;
• stiffness and stiffness.

Why do cramps occur in diabetes?

The negative impact of diabetes extends to all systems and organs of the human body, and their defeat causes a convulsive symptom.

The most serious and life-threatening cramps are those in which all the muscles contract. Generalized convulsions lead to loss of consciousness. With such convulsions you need to call an ambulance, otherwise, the person may die.

Convulsions with endocrine disorders

Anomalies of the endocrine system cause an increase in reflexes to shrink muscle fibers, especially in the calf legs. The lack of formation and assimilation of adenosine triphosphate, necessary for the normal functioning of the entire muscular skeleton, significantly reduces the relaxing function of the muscles and causes convulsive convulsions.

Diabetic nervous system damage

Nervous system damage in diabetes spreads mainly to the peripheral parts - feet, calves, hands, facial nerves. The fall in glucose causes starvation of nerve cells, and the rise - the call of free radicals that oxidize the cellular structure. Elevated sugar stimulates the accumulation of carbohydrates (fructose and sorbitol) in the tissues, which interferes with the absorption of the aqueous component in the cells and causes the processes of edema and atrophy of nerve endings. As a result, neurons cease to adequately coordinate inhibitory and excitatory signals that reach muscle fibers.

Muscle weakness

Muscle weakness with feelings of pain is accompanied by both an increase and a decrease in sugar. The affected peripheral side of the nervous system, along with the damaged blood supply, contributes to the accumulation of toxins in muscle mass. Dietary and gas exchange procedures in the muscles are significantly reduced and, in addition to weakness, the patient may have a seizure.

Vitamin deficiency and micronutrient deficiency

Impaired metabolism in diabetes does not allow the body to fully absorb useful trace elements and vitamins, which causes their deficiency. Lack of the elements potassium, magnesium, and sodium required for normal muscle function causes frequent cramps.

Vascular problems

Regularly elevated sugar index damages the blood supply system. The defeat of small vessels with the development of the disease flows smoothly towards problems with large arteries. The pathology causes disturbances in the blood supply to tissue structures and, as a result, a convulsive symptom. At the same time, at the site of spasms, the skin becomes blue.

Disposable factors include diabetes mellitus, smoking, high blood pressure, prolonged exposure to cold, and general intoxication of the body. Intense smoking causes an increase in total carboxyhemoglobin levels in the body. The result is cell starvation and the development of arterial spasms.

Overheating and muscle warming

The summer heat is an occasion to raise sugar levels. It can increase 1.5 times, which causes the development of vascular insufficiency and frequent convulsive attacks. Visiting baths, saunas and hot baths also causes muscle overheating and increases the likelihood of cramps.

Dehydration

Dehydration in diabetes is the most common cause of seizures. With endocrine disorders there is a water imbalance: excess glucose is removed by the body in urine, which leads to increased excretion of water, as the main component of urine. Exhausting sports training, strenuous physical work, which causes increased sweating and loss of large amounts of fluid, can lead to dehydration.

Possible negative consequences

A convulsive symptom is a signal of the development of neuropathy with damage to nerve endings on the periphery of the nervous system. This pathology requires treatment, and constant limb pain and loss of mobility can be neglected. The progression of the disease abounds in negative consequences in the form of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest.

What to do for first aid?

Convulsive spasm always occurs unexpectedly and causes palpable pain. If it is impossible to take an anticonvulsant, you should:

• lean into a comfortable position;
• try to relax your muscles as much as possible;
• he stretched out his convulsive leg and withdrew his toes.

For first aid, you can use the old way - to prick a cramped muscle with a needle or needle. There will be a reflex contraction of the muscle fibers and the spasm will be relieved.

Methods of treatment

To diagnose the causes of convulsive conditions, the specialist conducts research on heat and sensitivity to pain, checks with the help of a tunnel the presence of a reflex reaction, its speed. Having established the cause of the pathology, the doctor determines the methods of treatment.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

The application of physiotherapeutic procedures has a beneficial effect on blood vessels and the peripheral system:

• electrophoresis;
• magnetotherapy;
• electrotherapy;
• pulse therapy.

The physician should be careful when performing these procedures for patients diagnosed with diabetes. The person may not be sensitive to heat and mechanical stress.

Recently, the acupuncture method, which triggers the healing mechanism, has often been used to treat seizures.

physiotherapy

The complex of physical exercises helps in the treatment of convulsive contractions. Before performing therapeutic exercises it is necessary to consult with a specialist, he may prescribe individual exercises. The following specific sequence will help smooth load distribution:

• first, perform a slow “rolling” (transfer of body weight) from heel to sock and vice versa;
• then perform alternating lifting on the toes and smooth lowering on the entire foot;
• they eventually assume a supine position and tense the muscles, slowly swinging their legs upward. One or both.

At the end of gymnastics, it is nice to walk barefoot on the floor. Performing simple exercises improves blood circulation in the leg muscles and gives them the necessary energy.

In order to maintain the normal functioning of the muscular system, human muscles must maintain the necessary elasticity. However, in some situations, for example, with stretching, excessive physical effort, and others, the stress lasts longer or is too strong, it can lead to spasms. One of the most effective remedies for cramps is massage.

How to treat diabetes attacks

Treatment of convulsive manifestations in diabetes should be carried out after consultation with an endocrinologist, who is better aware of the cause of their occurrence. Therapy is always complex, involving the normalization of sugar levels, curative anticonvulsants, and preventive measures.

anticonvulsants

The patient should keep in mind that there are no universal pills that would immediately affect muscle cramps and pain symptoms. Anticonvulsant therapy is carried out with venotonic drugs that remove blood stasis in the leg muscles and normalize the speed of metabolic processes. Frequent use is practiced:

The drugs have a tonic effect on the vascular system, preventing the formation of blood clots, heaviness, and cramps in the legs.

The action of anticonvulsants is aimed at eliminating muscle cramps and epileptic seizures. Some of these medications are taken comprehensively for best results.

Pain medications

Leg cramps cause quite severe pain, but their duration does not exceed 2-3 minutes and there is no point in taking an anesthetic pill. However, with frequent convulsions, pain medications are recommended in complex treatment. Tablets "Analgin" and "Paracetamol" have a moderate analgesic effect and minimal contraindications. In addition to seizures, they often take Aspirin, as a means of diluting the blood and improving its circulation.

Drugs with potassium and magnesium

If metabolic processes with potassium and magnesium are disturbed, the use of Asparkam as an absolutely safe agent is recommended. It is used for cardiovascular pathologies, insufficiency of peripheral blood circulation. The drug is adjusted in ampoules and tablets. Severe forms of convulsive syndrome suggest intravenous administration over 10 days. Treatment with tablets is carried out for a month: 1 tablet 3 times a day.

The medication should not be used in diabetic individuals who have acute or chronic organ failure. The drug has a number of analogous substituents - Panangin, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium, and Magnesium Aspartate.

Traditional remedies for the treatment of seizures

The success of alternative ways of therapy is based on the utilization of therapeutic qualities of plants and minerals. The use of folk remedies in the treatment of seizures helps relieve pain and stimulate muscle tissue. Offer of alternative medicine:

• dissolve in a glass of warm water 1 teaspoon - honey, apple cider vinegar, and potassium lactate. Take 10 to 14 days once daily before meals;
• Consuming chamomile tea daily helps reduce the pain of spasmodic contractions. Decoction helps increase levels of glycine and amino acids, which have a sedative effect on the vascular and nervous systems;
• mix celandine juice with Vaseline grease 1x2 and rub the places exposed to attacks. The procedure is best performed daily in the evening, for 14 to 15 days;
• the yeast drink restores potassium and minimizes seizures. Take dry rye bread and pour hot water, leave for 5-6 hours. Strain and add a little dry yeast, leave to rise overnight. Add honey or sugar to taste, and drink half a glass before meals.

It allows you to remove the hot compress of a single seizure. Warming the afflicted region for 15 to 20 minutes with a hot water bottle or a basic hot water bottle is adequate to relax the muscles and alleviate the convulsive spasm.

Laurel oil helps a lot in treating calf muscle cramps. Its application is carried out by rubbing the calves, for this, it is necessary to take 50 grams of dried bay leaf, break the letters and pour unrefined sunflower oil in the amount of a quarter of a liter. The jar in which the ingredients are mixed should be closed and placed in a dark dry place for twelve days. After time has elapsed, the contents of the jar should be filtered. If it shrinks the calf muscle, you can wipe the place of information with cramps.

prevention

Frequent seizures significantly worsen the quality of everyday life. In addition, there is a tendency to increase their frequency and the development of some complications with inadequate treatment. To prevent seizures you should:

• give preference to comfortable shoes with low heels, in the home environment to organize the feet more rest;
• if possible, get rid of excess weight, excess weight additionally burdens the leg muscles;
• change your diet, fill it with products with potassium, magnesium, and vitamins of groups "B" and "C";
• increase the intake of liquid and clean water to 2 liters per day, it is useful to dilute with lemon juice and honey;
• beware of hypothermia and overheating of the extremities, do not swim in cold pools, and do not visit steam rooms;
• if necessary, wear compression underwear, especially knitted tights or socks.

It is worth remembering that therapy and prevention of seizures should not forget to normalize glucose levels and take medication for diabetes.

Why do diabetics have leg cramps? How to deal with it?

Leg cramps in diabetes why

Leg cramps, especially of the lower legs, is serious symptom that occurs repeatedly, including at night. Overtraining or a shortage of trace elements is one of the most prevalent causes of seizures.

However, leg cramps sometimes occur as a symptom of diseases such as chronic venous insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, or restless legs syndrome.

Causes and treatment of leg cramps in diabetes

Overtraining or a shortage of trace elements is one of the most prevalent causes of seizures. The defeat of such nerves leads to severe pain and muscle contraction in the legs and calves. Therefore, leg cramps in diabetes mellitus are a common occurrence that can be eliminated only with timely and comprehensive treatment.

What is a cramp?

Cramps are contractions that occur in a person's muscles. They come involuntarily, which brings the patient strong, sometimes unbearable pain. Such decreases might last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 47. I gained over 15 pounds in a matter of weeks. Constant tiredness, sleepiness, weakness, and eyesight that began to sit.

By the time I turned 55, I had already been injected with insulin, everything was very bad. The disease continued to develop, occasional seizures began, ambulances literally brought me back from the next world. The whole time I thought this time would be the last.

The onset of diabetes leaves unpleasant sensations and tenderness in the affected areas over a period of time, so many patients are unable to get out of bed or stand on their feet after this phenomenon. Today, doctors record the most common cramps in the legs, back, and hips, while contraction can occur as a single muscle or muscle group.

What causes pain?

Pain and unpleasant symptoms occur because in a short time the muscle must excrete a large amount of waste, which in the best way does not affect the state of the organism. Such waste causes irritation of the nerve endings, so the person feels severe pain.

What are the characteristics of seizures in diabetes?

Seizures that occur during diabetes show the patient the presence of complications in the body, so this phenomenon should be given special attention. To overcome the causes and unpleasant symptoms of seizures, it is important to take medication on time, and also strictly follow a diet so as not to cause a rise in blood sugar - then this phenomenon is less likely to bother the patient.

To avoid seizures, whose symptoms are not only unpleasant but also painful, it is important to follow some rules:

treat all diseases on time, including diabetes; eat only healthy foods; avoid stress and nervous states; give up bad habits; adjust your motor activities and try to dedicate as much time as possible to sports.

Why do cramps occur during diabetes?

Due to the fact that diabetes negatively affects the work of all human organs, the causes of seizures are the malfunction of their functioning. The most common causes of this unpleasant phenomenon are dehydration because high glucose levels require the absorption of large amounts of water.

Also, this phenomenon occurs when there is a lack of certain trace elements in the body, which include:

magnesium; potassium; sodium; zinc.

Due to the lack of nutrients, the mechanism responsible for the work and relaxation of muscles is violated, which causes their sharp and unpleasant contraction. With diabetes, there is a violation of the conduction of nerves - because of this, an imbalance occurs in them, which is responsible for relaxation and excitement.

As a result, they have nowhere to go and the muscles begin to contract, giving the person severe pain. In any type of diabetes, there is a disorder in the synthesis of ATP. This leads to a decrease in the amount of acid, which causes a violation of metabolic processes that occur in the muscles.

As a result, pathological processes in diabetes lead to the accumulation of metabolic waste products in the muscles, which causes excessive activity and causes a decrease. If a person with diabetes engages in heavy physical work and does not rest properly, it leads to damage to the muscle structure.

They are unable to relax and rest in this situation. It also causes seizures, which become more painful every day.

Seizure symptoms

During sleep or when the position of the body changes, the muscles are forced to change their tension, causing cramps and severe pain. As a result, it is impossible to "use" the limb. If leg cramps occur at night, the person will not be able to rest and sleep completely, because even a light touch of the placenta will burn the eggs and fry them.

Symptoms of leg cramps in nervous system disorders:

• the feeling of goosebumps;
• muscle tension;
• calf thorns;
• violation of the sensitivity of the lower extremities, as well as their prolonged stiffness.

If you notice symptoms of this phenomenon, as well as suggest what causes this condition, it is important to inform the doctor who will prescribe after the examination a treatment that can relieve the patient from severe and severe pain.

What is the risk of diabetes cramps?

Squeezing the leg muscles has always been considered an alarming bell, as they indicate the onset of diabetic neuropathy. As a result of the development of this pathology, the patient will not be able to walk, he will experience severe pain, the treatment of which for some time will give only a positive effect.

As a result, neuropathy threatens the patient with cardiac arrest, which will happen if the heart is disturbed. Symptoms of neuropathy, in which you should immediately consult a doctor and carry out complex treatment:

tingling in the legs; increased sensitivity of calves; dagger pain; muscle-burning; leg stiffness; "Strange" move.

Methods of helping the patient

It is important to start treating seizures before providing medical care. Every patient with diabetes should be introduced to first aid that will cope with this unpleasant phenomenon on their own:

change body position (preferably sitting); hold both legs together while exerting a strong strain; lower the limbs to the floor; try to stand barefoot on a cool surface.

If this phenomenon has caught you while walking, you need to tighten your muscles as much as possible and then try to pull your toes towards you.

Treatment of diabetes attacks

Treatment of this phenomenon is carried out under the supervision of an endocrinologist since this doctor knows best the causes and symptoms of calf seizures. First of all, the specialist will prescribe drugs that belong to the group of "anticonvulsant drugs".

They will also prescribe the intake of vitamins and minerals, adjust the diet. In case of severe pain, the doctor has the right to prescribe painkillers that are compatible with the previously prescribed medication. Patients with mental disorders are prescribed antidepressants and muscle relaxants.

In severe cases, as well as in the absence of therapeutic effect, patients are prescribed:

• magnetotherapy;
• impulse therapy;
• electrotherapy;
• electrophoresis.

Treatment for seizures should not affect insulin and other medications that support the body in treating diabetes. Patients should not forget to take medications that will help normalize blood sugar levels, as this often leads to unpleasant consequences.

Cramps at night - what is the reason and what is the treatment?

Nocturnal calf muscle spasms or muscle spasm is an uncomfortable and strong contraction of one muscle or a whole group, followed by severe pain. At the same time, cramps can affect all the muscles of the body, but most often those responsible for the work of the two joints.

Attention! The gastrocnemius also belongs to them. This condition is very common, and sooner or later almost everyone encounters it. At the same time, the question immediately arises - what is the cause of this pathology, and can the attacks be called a disease, or are they just manifestations of other pathological conditions that still do not show their symptoms?

At the same time, the intensity of muscle contractions can vary from a small tick - twitching to a very strong one, which is accompanied by intense pain. A cramp might last anywhere from a few seconds to 15 minutes or more. In this case, several such attacks can occur during the night.

And if they were particularly strong, within a few days after the attack, the pain in the calf muscle may persist and even the inflammatory process may begin.

The etymology of seizures?

No doctor can yet give an accurate answer to the question of why cramps occur. However, throughout the study of this unpleasant phenomenon, several reasons have been identified that may contribute to their occurrence. Among them can be considered the most common:

Calf muscle overload due to intense exercise or long walks. Professions are associated with constant standing. Most often, such pathology is observed in salesmen, hairdressers, guides, flight attendants, scrapers. Occupations are associated with prolonged sitting, especially when a person also throws one leg over the other or just crosses them under a chair. Dehydration Taking some medicines, such as those used to treat high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Also, the cause of night cramps in the calf muscles can be some diseases. For example, this condition is often seen in diabetes mellitus, low blood sugar, and Parkinson's disease.

Hormonal malfunctions in the body can also lead to this, for example, thyroid dysfunction or an imbalance of trace elements, especially potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Also, cramps in the calf can occur during pregnancy.

Types and risk factors

To date, there are 2 types of cramps in the calf at night. The first type is called idiopathic. The cause is unknown to them, so they call them idiopathic. They most often occur after strenuous physical exertion, as well as in the case of a sudden violation of blood flow in the lower leg.

Idiopathic convulsions can occur in both children and the elderly. In this situation, the reason is referred to be tendon shortening as a result of aging. Secondary convulsions occur in the background of some pathology of pregnancy.

The most common are neurological diseases or peripheral neuropathy. This also includes liver disease, poisoning, and dehydration. There are certain risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of such attacks. This includes the following:

Age over 50 years. Physical overload. Pregnancy. Flat feet. Leg deformity. treatment.

Of course, not all pregnant women have such problems, and not all people with flat feet can manifest them. However, these factors are worth paying a lot of attention to.

Which causes seizures in the human body

Nocturnal cramps in the calf muscles most commonly occur at night. The person wakes up from a sudden sharp pain in the form of a spasm or compression in the calf. In this case, the cramp may be just as tender as it can be with severe pain.

Important: Muscles that are tight become thick and hard. They can be well palpated under the skin of the lower leg. In addition, their shape also changes greatly. If the cramp is small, then the person may feel a muscle twitch under the skin.

The attack itself can last only a few seconds, or maybe 15 or even more minutes. A sharp muscle contraction can cause very severe pain and a person even has to take pain medication.

Sharp pain and frequent seizures lead to the fact that the person stops sleeping normally and insomnia gradually begins to develop. To prevent this, you should definitely consult a doctor after the first such attack.

Drug therapy

If the cause of nocturnal calf muscle cramps is not determined, then the doctor will not be able to prescribe the appropriate treatment. Therefore, during such an attack, you can try to alleviate the condition yourself. To do this, just try to pull your leg forward or lift it and also stretch.

Also, in some cases, standing on one leg helps - on the one where the cramps have occurred. Well, a massage and a contrast shower will help the muscles to relax and release the tension that has formed in them. As far as medicines are concerned, such tablets are most often used here, such as:

• Diphenylhydramine hydrochloride.
• Calcium preparations.
• Magnesium preparations.
• Quinine sulfate.
• meprobamate.
• Sea otter.
• Aralen.
• plakenyl.
• Tegretol.
• dilantin.

These medicines, however, should only be used under the close supervision of a physician and only after the source of such disease has been established.

prevention

The first thing to do is to increase your intake of substances like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. To do this, you can take special multivitamins or add more dairy products to your diet. However, it is important to note that fat-free meals contain no beneficial ingredients.

There is no point in including them in your diet to treat this problem. Potassium is found in bananas, avocados, and fish meat. But magnesium is well absorbed from nuts, legumes, spinach, and oatmeal. Be sure to do gymnastic exercises every day, but in no case do not burden yourself.

You can also take a massage course, and it is good to take a bath with contrasting legs every night before going to bed. To prevent cramps and cramps, it is also worth refusing to wear high-heeled shoes, limit the use of coffee and tea, and give up bad habits.

Everything you need to know about leg cramps in diabetics

It’s no secret that with a disease like diabetes, patients often have leg cramps. The reason for the appearance of leg cramps is an excessive amount of blood sugar.

The fact is that the high content of sugar increases the content of urine, and with it, all the necessary trace elements come out of the body, the lack of which can cause seizures. If a person with diabetes is convulsive, then you can try adding foods rich in magnesium and calcium to your diet.

If you consume enough of these micronutrients, then you need to add foods that contain vitamin D to your diet as it contributes to better absorption of calcium and magnesium. Do not use dairy products because they contain a large amount of phosphorus, which will only increase the effect of seizures.

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that causes disorders in the work of various organs. In diabetes, the peripheral nerves are affected. These lesions lead to pain in the legs, calves, and feet. Such pains last long enough, they usually occur at night.

Also, diabetes mellitus is characterized by a burning sensation in the legs and crawling. After a long walk, the calf muscles spasm, this usually happens at night. In case of further development of the disease, other symptoms may appear, more serious and more dangerous.

Caution Leg cramps are sharp and involuntary muscle contractions that cause acute pain. The duration of the seizure varies and varies from a few seconds to 10 minutes. Rather sharp pain is possible after which the muscles remain sensitive for a long time.

Of course, in the case of frequent attacks due to diabetes, first of all, the disease itself must be treated. But a few simple and straightforward rules will help you deal with night cramps. If you feel a cramp, you need to sit on the bed, get your feet out of bed and then stand carefully on the cold floor.

The position of the body should be straight, the feet should be held together. In addition to the cramp, the following procedure will help: you must take a deep breath, take your toes with your hand and pull them towards you. After removing the cramps, a gentle massage of the calf muscles will not interfere.

The basis of treatment of this disease in diabetes is physical therapy. However, before beginning any fitness program, you should speak with your doctor because there may be contraindications. Sample list of exercises for leg cramps in diabetes:

perform slow-rolling from heel to heel; we rise to our toes, then slowly lower our heels to the floor; while lying on your back, lift your legs up, possibly straightening at the knees, and then do light circular movements with your legs. If fatigue occurs quickly, stop exercising. After exercising, you have to walk around the room barefoot, bending your toes.

Necessary physical activity stimulates blood circulation in the legs, nourishes the muscles with energy, helps against cramps in diabetes. In addition, a specific compression bandage can help increase blood circulation in the lower extremities. Diabetic shoes should be comfortable and comfy, they should not squeeze the foot and lead to curiosity.

About diabetic foot and cramps

Due to sclerotic changes in capillaries and the composition of interstitial fluid, the inevitable companions of hyperglycemia in diabetes, metabolic processes, and the normal supply of cells with essential nutrients worsen. Affects muscles, bones, skin, and nerve fibers.

This leads to edema, dry skin, itching, cramps, and pain, which are briefly called angiopathies and neuropathies. In this case, the body cannot effectively fight the attack of fungi and microbes. Therefore, diabetics are advised to wash their feet daily, avoid injuries and be especially vigilant so as not to lead to gangrene and limb amputation.

Diabetologists have estimated that 75% of diabetics complain of cramps in the limbs, which give very strong pain. In this case, you cannot do massage and pressure on the nerve trunks, because that increases muscle irritability and pain. However, such manifestations can be disturbing even without diabetes.

Such complaints occur due to acidification of the body (acidosis) with a lack of absorption of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. They are called the basic alkali metals vital to man. The main opponent of the assimilation of these elements is toxic metallic aluminum.

Because of its cheapness, aluminum has taken a leading place in the kitchen: pots, pans, pans, military bowlers and plates. This soft metal is easily cleaned with iron chips when washing dishes, as a result, super-permitted doses of toxic metals enter the food (as well as when heated).

Tip: Run your finger over the surface of the cut metal chips - black marks of harmful metal oxide will remain on the skin. If you monitor the "cleanliness" of aluminum cookware in this way, then cramps in the muscles of the lower extremities can occur. In addition, the production of parathyroid hormone is indirectly activated by aluminum intoxication.

This causes osteoporosis and bone fractures because in this case calcium is intensively removed from the bone tissue. You can't find advice on how to avoid drinking aluminum and nickel in any book on diabetes. So, it is called another powerful source of acidification of the body - acidosis, from which, according to the new concept of the authors of these lines, diabetes of the second type arises.

Based on the above, it is appropriate to quote from the book "Bioelements in Medicine" by professors AV Skalnoy and IA Rudakov.

The main manifestations of magnesium deficiency:

Fatigue, irritability; Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation; Diseases of the cardiovascular system (magnesium-dependent arrhythmia, angiospam, angina pectoris, hypertension with risk of thrombosis and heart attack); Exhaustion of adrenal function; Early stages of diabetes; Muscle weakness, muscle cramps; Initial stages of development of urolithiasis and gallstones; Immune deficiencies (possible increased risk of tumor diseases).

Atherosclerotic vascular disease is a common companion of the elderly. A new look at the causes of diabetes was published in the author's book on the causes of diabetes - an addition to the theory of atherosclerosis, which leads to the appearance and progression of diabetes in the elderly, significantly reducing life expectancy.

With atherosclerosis, not only the islets of Langerhans that produce insulin weaken or stop functioning but other endocrine glands as well. Insufficient absorption of calcium, and thus a prerequisite for acidosis in the body, is possible not only with a lack of vitamin D, but also with hypofunction of the parathyroid glands that regulate the absorption of this alkali metal.

Both circumstances are the cause of unpleasant attacks such as tetany, whose first signal is the so-called. "Cramp writing" fingers. If you notice "inconspicuous" toes in the evening, then at night or in the morning you can expect small muscles of the feet and lower legs, if you did not drink kefir or 1-2 tablets of calcium gluconate at night.

In severe and frequent cases, they resort to magnesium preparations, first-generation antihistamines, including diphenhydramine. The absorption of aluminum increases with the increasing acidity of the food. Therefore, some aluminum cookware cannot be cooked. It is forbidden to bake bread in aluminum molds.

It is not recommended to cook jam, especially from berries and fruits that contain various organic acids, in aluminum pans.

Leg pain, stiffness, calf muscle cramps as symptoms of diabetic neuropathy

In diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy is more common, which can manifest itself in the form of symmetrical peripheral polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, and autonomic (visceral) neuropathy. Symmetrical peripheral neuropathy is most often detected.

Important! The distal parts of the lower extremities are mainly affected, sometimes the upper extremities are involved in the process. Leading in the clinical picture is the pain syndrome, which is preceded by paresthesia (numbness, tingling, crawling, late loss of sensitivity or hyperesthesia).

Cramps in the calf muscles are common, occurring at rest, especially at night. The pain intensifies at rest, at night. In severe cases, patients complain of pain throughout the body, suffer from hyperesthesia, when even a touch of tin causes a sharp burning sensation.

In neurological status, there is a decrease and then the absence of periosteal tendon reflexes, mainly Achilles and knee. Soon there is a loss of vibrational sensitivity, when the process extends to the entire nervous abdomen, there can be a loss of all kinds of sensitivity - tactile, painful, positional.

These stages are very dangerous due to the possibility of trauma, burns on the legs, which the patient does not feel. Such patients often have deep neuropathic ulcers. Diabetic neuropathy can appear in the form of individual asymmetric lesions of one or more nerve trunks (femur, sciatica, median, ulnar).

A severe manifestation of peripheral neuropathy is proximal diabetic amyotrophy. The basis of this form is a combined lesion of the anterior horns of the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, characterized by a syndrome of damage to the pelvis, shoulder girdle. Its main features are:

• severe weakness,
• muscle atrophy of varying severity,
• fasciculations and pain,
• loss of sensitivity is usually absent,
• asthenia and emotion are common.

Less commonly, mononeuropathy may occur in the form of isolated or multiple paralysis and paresis of the cranial (trigeminal, facial, and oculomotor) nerves.

Leg cramps: what to do?

General practitioners regularly encounter complaints from patients with leg cramps, and this phenomenon worries people of completely different categories - young and old, men and women, pregnant women, and children.

More often, cramps occur during sleep or at night, during someone’s sleep, causing them to wake up and experience a few very uncomfortable moments. What are leg cramps, why they occur, and how to deal with them, we will discuss in our article ..

Mechanism for cramps

Involuntary contractions of one or more muscle groups, accompanied by pain, are called seizures. The most common occurrences are leg cramps, more precisely calf muscle spasms - it is located on the back of the legs.

For some reason, this muscle is suddenly spasmodic, which entails the maximum possible extension of the foot - a person seems to be standing on tiptoe. As is clear from the definition, muscle spasm is accompanied by intense, often unbearable pain.