Therapy
Since the cramp is mainly caused by a combination of incorrect strain on the musculature and an unbalanced mineral balance, this knowledge can also be used to cleverly prevent a calf cramp. The tightening of the toes and thus the stretching of the calf muscles is both a prevention and an acute treatment. Since a magnesium deficiency is often the cause, a calf cramp can be prevented by taking magnesium tablets.
Magnesium as a preparation is available in different versions and doses. The effervescent tablet available in every supermarket is particularly popular. However, it is recommended that you consult a pharmacist or doctor for advice on this.
Many people like to resort to alternative medical treatment methods. For calf cramps the Schüßler salts are especially suitable. According to experience reports, many complaints can be alleviated, even if a medical effect is rather controversial.
Symptoms
The calf cramp is noticeable in the form of a very strong, stabbing pain that occurs suddenly. Only about three to five seconds elapse between the first signs of a cramp and the fully developed muscle cramp. If you touch the calf at the affected area, you can feel from the outside that the muscle is very tense and hardened.
The cramp can be released within a few seconds by pulling the foot towards the upper body. However, until then there is an almost unbearable, highly acute and sudden stabbing pain. If it occurs at night, which is not exactly a rarity, it tears the person concerned directly from sleep.
If the muscle is pressed from the outside, the pain does not increase or trigger. This separates the calf cramp from inflammation in the leg, for example. At night in particular, the calf cramp is a nuisance for those affected. People who are frequently affected by cramps sometimes have to struggle hard with the nightly interruptions of their sleep.
Diagnosis
Most people experience calf cramps from time to time, even at night. They are by no means a cause for concern. They are often caused by overexertion of the muscles the previous day.
As suddenly as they come, they stop again and usually do not occur any further. At the latest when the person concerned suffers calf cramps continuously or without any apparent cause, it is advisable to consult a doctor. An exact anamnesis (interview) of the patient allows many conclusions about potential causes. The type of pain, the time and situation of its occurrence, but also the activities of the previous day can usually provide a diagnosis of the calf cramp and determine the cause.
