| Cramps - shake a Leg
Alternative therapist, Pat Thomas looks at ways to stop the cramps and jitters that can seize you up in pregnancy You may not always be able to see your legs when you are pregnant, but they can certainly make their presence felt. As pregnancy progresses many women find that they suffer from either leg cramps or an uncomfortable jittery sensation running up and down the length of both legs. Sometimes these conditions are intermittent and are easy to cope with. But sometimes they can make the last few months of pregnancy tiring and uncomfortable, particularly if they wake you at night. While these two conditions produce very different symptoms, they share some common roots. You can get muscle cramps almost anywhere in your body during pregnancy, but the most common site is your calves. Often these painful spasms seem to come out of nowhere and, although the spasms may only last a short time, they can be very severe. Cramp can be the result of the extra weight you are carrying. Stretching in bed in the morning and pointing your toes can also bring on quite severe, unexpected muscle spasms. No amount of dutiful rubbing by your partner seems to help. If this happens, try extending your heel to stretch the muscle and bring your toes towards you. This can bring a bit of quick relief. No one knows for certain what causes leg cramps in pregnancy, though there are some intriguing theories:
To prevent these problems, try to stay active. Pregnant or not, regular exercise is one of the best ways to keep your blood circulating. Consider including plenty of calcium rich foods (leafy green vegetables, dairy products, sunflower seeds, salmon and dried beans) and magnesium rich foods (nuts, dates and figs, yellow corn, green vegetables and apples) in your diet. Also boost your intake of vitamin C rich foods (citrus fruits, watercress and other leafy green, potatoes and tomatoes) and don’t be afraid to salt your food to taste. For some women it is not cramp, but a more persistent problem which affects them. Late in pregnancy it’s not uncommon to develop a strange jittery or crawling sensation in your legs, rather like having an electric current running through them. This is known as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). RLS occurs mostly in the early evening and can make relaxation and even sleep difficult, since it produces an irresistible urge to move around. The condition is not dangerous, however, and usually disappears after birth. According to the latest data, restless legs are much more common than previously thought. Some researchers estimate that as many as 1 in 10 of us may suffer in varying degrees from this condition. You don’t have to be pregnant to have RLS, but pregnancy does seem to bring it on or aggravate an existing condition. Conventional drugs used to treat restless legs are similar to those given to patients with Parkinson’s disease, and are not appropriate for the transient RLS that often occurs in pregnancy. It’s worth considering some of the safer alternatives. There are several contributory factors to this condition.
Low levels or iron and magnesium can also contribute, so make sure you eat plenty of iron rich foods, such as eggs, dark green vegetables, dried peaches and raisins, red meat, nuts and seeds, beans, asparagus, molasses and oatmeal. Adequate levels of folic acid (as part of B-complex) may help, since the RLS (as well as leg cramps) is thought to be related to a deficiency in folate. You could also try increasing your intake of Vitamin E. There is evidence to show that doses of around 300 iu daily can be effective in treating restless legs. To keep your energy levels high try, decreasing your intake of tea and coffee and opt instead for water and herbal teas. A varied wholefood diet will help to provide a steady flow of energy and keep your blood sugar levels even. Regular exercise can also help alleviate the condition. A warm bath, strategically applied heating pads, hot water bottles or gentle leg massage before bed, perhaps with warming sandalwood massage oil, can also ease symptoms. References Calcium and magnesium status in pregnant women. A comparison between treatment with calcium and vitamin C in pregnant women with leg cramps, Hammar, M, et al, Int J Vitamin Nutri Res, 1987; 57: 179-83 Clinical characteristics and frequency of the hereditary restless legs syndrome in a population of 300 patients, Winkelmann J, et al, Sleep 2000 Aug 1;23(5):597-602 Nutritional Influences on Illness, Melvyn Werbech, Los Angeles: Third Line Press, 1994 Clinical characteristics and frequency of the hereditary restless legs syndrome in a population of 300 patients, Winkelmann, J et al, Sleep, 2000; 23: 597-602 Clinical EEG, electromyogrpahic and polysomnographic studies in restless legs syndrome caused by magnesium deficiency, Popoviciu, L, et al, Rom J Neurol Psychiatry, 1993; 31: 55-61 Effect of caffeine on the recognition of and responses to hypoglycaemia in humans, Kerr, D, et al, Ann Intern Med, 1993; 119: 799-804 Endocrine regulation of calcium homeostasis during pregnancy, Pitkin, RM, Clin Perinatol, 1983; 10: 575-92 Epidemiology of restless legs symptoms in adults, Phillips, B et al, Arch Intern Med, 2000; 160: 2137-41 Iron status and restless leg syndrome in the elderly, O’Keefe, ST, et al, Age Ageing, 1994; 23: 200-3 Restless legs and caffeinism, Lutz, EG, J Clin Psychiatry, 1978; 39: 693-8 Restless legs syndrome responsive to vitamin E (tocopherol), Ayres, S and Mihan R, Calif Med, 1969; 111: 87-91 Restless legs syndrome. How to provide symptom relief with drug and nondrug therapies, Paulson, GW, Geriatrics, 2000; 55: 35-8, 43-4, 47-8 |