An elderly friend in his 60s told Hua Zi that his legs were always cramping. He would get cramps when he walked too much during the day, and cramps when he went to bed at night. He thought he was old and lacked calcium, but after taking calcium tablets for a few months, it still didn’t relieve him.
Hua Zi suggested that he go to the hospital for a check-up. Because of the symptoms of leg pain after walking a lot, there may be a problem with the blood vessels of the lower extremities. Soon after, he got feedback, saying that atherosclerosis of the lower extremity was detected in the hospital, and that a section of the artery had been severely narrowed. After the doctor placed a stent, his symptoms of cramps disappeared.
One, calcium deficiency can cause “cramps”
If anyone says he has leg cramps, the people around him will definitely say he is deficient in calcium. This is because if serum calcium levels decrease, neuromuscular hyperresponsiveness results in increased muscle tone. A little stimulation at this time will cause the muscles to move involuntarily and enter a state of spasm.
The muscle spasm caused by calcium deficiency affects not only skeletal muscles, but also smooth muscles. If it occurs in the bronchi, it will lead to bronchoconstriction and asthma. If it occurs in the gastrointestinal smooth muscle, it will weaken the digestive function and even induce gastrointestinal obstruction.
Second, lower extremity arterial occlusion is also a common cause
In my country, the incidence of lower extremity arterial occlusive disease can reach 20%, and it is also a common cause of “cramping” symptoms. Atherosclerosis caused by risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, etc., not only occurs in the heart, brain, kidney and other important organs, but also affects the lower extremity arteries.
Atherosclerotic plaques can cause stenosis or occlusion of lower extremity arteries and reduce blood supply. When the amount of exercise increases, the muscles of the lower extremities cannot get enough blood supply, which will cause pain and fatigue. Being forced to take a short rest before continuing to walk, known as intermittent claudication, is a classic symptom of lower extremity arterial stenosis.
You can check for stenosis of the lower extremity arteries by yourself. Touch the highest point in the middle of the dorsum of the foot with your hand, and you can feel the pulse of the dorsal artery. If the pulse is weak or disappears, it indicates that Narrowing of the lower extremity arteries.
People with lower extremity arterial stenosis should quit smoking, control the “three highs”, and use statin, aspirin and other drugs under the guidance of a doctor to delay the progression of the disease. Use alprostadil, beraprost sodium and other drugs to dilate blood vessels and improve symptoms.
Severely ill, the effect of using drugs will be very poor, and it is necessary to use color ultrasound to confirm the specific situation of stenosis, use arterial stents for treatment, and restore blood supply.
Three, other causes of lower extremity “cramps”
1. Ambient temperature stimulation: Cold in the lower extremities will stimulate vasoconstriction, muscle and nerve abnormalities, and also induce cramp symptoms. The elderly should pay attention to keeping their lower limbs warm. In summer, the air conditioner should not be too cold, and the fan should not be blowing directly.
2. Lumbar disease: Lumbar disease can also cause cramps and leg pain symptoms. The common reason is that improper sitting posture for a long time causes lumbar disc herniation, This narrows the spinal canal and compresses the sciatic nerve. This can cause muscle spasms in the lower extremities. Correction of sitting posture, physical therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion are required, and in severe cases, the position of the lumbar spine needs to be restored through surgery.
3. Body temperature stimulation: When infected by pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, if high fever occurs, it will also cause muscle cramps, and antipyretic drugs should be used to reduce body temperature in time.
4. Central neuropathy: Central system diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, epilepsy, etc., can lead to tonic spasms and symptoms of cramps.
To sum up, the elderly have many underlying diseases, and when they have leg cramps, they are not necessarily calcium deficiency. It is recommended to seek medical attention in time to determine the cause before treatment. The medicine should be used under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any doubts about the medicine, please consult your doctor or pharmacist. I am Huazi, a pharmacist. Welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.