There are some health issues that absolutely must be taken to your doctor before they are treated with home remedies or nutritional supplements, because they can indicate a serious underlying problem. One of these issues is leg cramping, which many people have suffered from at one time or another. Much of the time the causes are minor muscle issues, and are treatable. However, sometimes they can be symptoms of a serious underlying problem with leg circulation or nerve function. First and foremost, if you are experiencing leg cramps you should mention these to your doctor and get a personal health history taken, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or if you are pregnant.

     If you are feeling the cramps with short periods of walking, and they let up after a short period of rest, this may be a symptom of narrowing or blockage of the arteries. This pain is "claudication", and is the result of the muscle not receiving enough oxygenated blood flow. Cramping of muscles with minimal exercise is not normal. If the cramping is accompanied by deep severe pain, this may indicate a blood clot, which is an emergency situation. Early detection of serious health problems always improves your chances of successful treatment, so your first line of action with unexplained leg cramping is to consult your doctor immediately.

     After serious problems are ruled out by your doctor, you can begin to think about the more minor causes of leg cramps and self-care can begin. Leg cramping can be a side effect of fatiguing exercise, such as running, biking, or other aerobics that include a leg workout. This cramping occurs when the waste product of muscle work is building up faster than the circulation can clear it away. Simple muscle fatigue, occurring after vigorous exercise, goes away with rest. However, as mentioned before, leg cramping with light exercise is not normal and can indicate arterial narrowing.

     Nighttime leg cramps can have more manageable causes, such as sleeping in an uncomfortable position, general muscle tension from lack of exercise and stretching, dehydration, or an electrolyte imbalance. Nighttime leg cramps are common but can be very severe, even waking sleepers with the pain. Normally stretching and light massage of the muscle will help. However, if you are getting them every night it may mean that the electrolyte balance in your body is disrupted.

     Your muscles and nerves work on a gradient of necessary minerals that cause your nerves to initiate muscle movements. The main minerals involved are sodium, potassium, and calcium. Some people are deficient in potassium, which can be easily remedied by eating a banana or two every day. This simple addition also adds some great soluble fiber and other valuable vitamins to your diet. Some anecdotal evidence within my own practice has shown that this, plus an extra glass or two of water each day has helped their leg cramps.

     The electrolytes your body needs have interactions with other minerals that help your body use them efficiently. One of these is magnesium, which helps your body use the calcium necessary for proper nerve function. There has been some clinical indication that magnesium supplementation has helped decrease muscle cramps. Magnesium, in the form of magnesium citrate at roughly 250-300 mg. per day, has shown some promise. This supplementation will take a couple weeks to have a noticeable effect. The FDA advises consumption of 350 mg. of calcium per day, but most American diets only get to about 200 mg. Some extra supplementation may be necessary if you suffer from chronic recurring nighttime cramping in your legs.

     Another common reason for leg cramps is an overly tight muscle. Adding a 5-10 minute regimen of stretching before bed may prove to be the best remedy if this is your problem. Since it's hard to tell what the source is, I usually advise patients to try a combination of supplementation, increase in water intake, and stretching as a threefold approach to self-care of leg cramps. However, if a month of this approach is unsuccessful a referral to a neurologist for further testing is warranted.

     Sometimes the "wait to see if it goes away by itself" attitude can be dangerous, so it's better to be safe and talk to your doctor about any type of abnormal symptoms you may be experiencing. As always, the best approach to any health concern is excellent communication with your healthcare providers, and having the knowledge of what questions you should ask.

     Dr. Amy Allen has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh, and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West. Her private practice is located at 3880 S. Bascom Ave. Suite 117, phone 408-559-4059. You can e-mail questions to dramyallen@yahoo.com, or mail them to her practice address.