An elderly friend in his 60s told Hanako that his legs always cramped, cramping when he walked too much during the day, and cramping when he went to bed at night. He thought he was old and deficient in calcium, but after taking calcium tablets for several months, it still did not alleviate.
Hanako suggested that he go to the hospital for examination, because he had symptoms of leg pain when he walked too much, and there may be problems with the blood vessels in his lower limbs. Soon after, he had feedback that he had found atherosclerosis in the lower extremities in the hospital, that one section of the artery had been severely narrowed, and that after the doctor had placed a stent, his cramps disappeared.
First, calcium deficiency can lead to "cramps"
If anyone says that he has leg cramps, people around him will definitely say that he is deficient in calcium. Because if the serum calcium level is reduced, it will make the neuromuscular hyperreactivity, resulting in increased muscle tone. At this time, a slight stimulation will cause the muscles to move involuntarily and enter a state of spasm.
Muscle spasms caused by calcium deficiency not only affect skeletal muscles, but also spasm in smooth muscles. If it occurs in the bronchi, it will lead to bronchial contractions and asthma, and if it occurs in the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, it will weaken the digestive function and even induce gastrointestinal obstruction.
Second, the arterial occlusion of the lower extremities is also a common cause
On the mainland, the incidence of arterial occlusion of the lower extremities can reach 20% and is also a common cause of "cramping" symptoms. Atherosclerosis caused by risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes can occur not only in important organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, but also affects the arteries of the lower extremities.
Atherosclerotic plaques can cause arterial stenosis or occlusion of the lower extremities, blood supply is reduced, when the amount of exercise increases, the lower limb muscles do not get enough blood supply, there will be pain, fatigue, the patient will be forced to take a short rest before continuing to walk, known as intermittent claudication, is a typical symptom of arterial stenosis of the lower limbs.
You can check yourself for arterial stenosis of the lower extremities, touch the highest point in the middle of the dorsal back of the foot with your hand, you can feel the pulsation of the dorsal artery, if the pulsation is weak or disappears, it indicates that the artery of the lower limb has narrowed.
People with arterial stenosis in the lower limbs should quit smoking, control the "three highs", and use statins, aspirin and other drugs under the guidance of doctors to delay the progression of the disease. Use drugs such as alprostadil and beprost sodium to dilate blood vessels and improve symptoms.
In severe cases, the effect of the drug will be very poor, and it is necessary to use the specific situation of color ultrasound to confirm the stenosis, and use arterial stents for treatment to restore blood supply.
Third, other causes of "cramping" of the lower limbs
1. Ambient temperature stimulation: cold in the lower limbs will stimulate vasoconstriction, muscle nerve abnormalities, and also induce cramp symptoms. The elderly should pay attention to the warmth of the lower limbs, the summer air conditioning should not be too cool, and the fan should not be blown directly.
2, lumbar spine disease: lumbar spine disease will also lead to cramps, leg pain symptoms, the common reason is a long period of incorrect sitting posture caused by lumbar disc herniation, so that the spinal canal narrowing, compression to the sciatic nerve. It will cause the muscles of the lower limbs to be out of balance and spasm. Correction of sitting posture, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and in severe cases, surgery is required to restore the position of the lumbar spine.
3. Body temperature stimulation: when infected by viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, if high fever occurs, it will also lead to muscle spasms, and antipyretic drugs should be used in time to reduce body temperature.
4. Central neuropathy: cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, epilepsy and other central system diseases, which will lead to tonic spastic seizures and cramps.
To sum up, there are many underlying diseases in the elderly, and when symptoms of leg cramps occur, they are not necessarily calcium deficiency. It is recommended to seek medical attention in time and determine the cause before treatment. Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor, if you have any doubts about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am a pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.