Leg Cramps During Pregnancy - Prevention and Pain Management

Complaint that is often experienced by pregnant women are leg cramps, sometimes your fingers cramp as well. Especially when changing position from sitting to standing. Leg cramps during pregnancy usually occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy until the end. This situation may be due to a calf must withstand loads with increasing gestational age. The most frequent calf muscle cramps is below and behind the knees. Cramping pain may last a few seconds to minutes. Leg cramps can occur when we are resting, perhaps even sleeping.

Causes

Cramps can occur when the muscle is stimulated to contract in a position to contraction. This happens when we sleep on his knees half bent, and feet slightly downward. At this position the calf muscles flexed and somewhat prone to cramps. That is why the movement stretching before bed can prevent it.

It could also be because of leg fatigue of having to sustain the increased load during pregnancy. Other causes could be due to lack of blood flow to the lower body due to increased weight and pressure in the uterus.

Onset of leg cramps caused by an imbalance of some kind of mineral levels in the blood, ie, calcium, potassium and magnesium are too low, while phosphorus levels are too high. All it causes interference to the nervous system the body's muscles.

In some cases, cramps may occur due to problems or other conditions, for example:

• Several types of medications can give side effects such as cramping.
• Dehydration
• Imbalance of salts in the blood (eg, calcium or potassium levels are too low)
• Pregnancy, especially in the final trimester
• An underactive thyroid gland
• Narrowing of the leg arteries that impede circulation
• Disorders of the nervous
• Cirrhosis of the liver

Prevention

• Tell your doctor if cramps may be caused by the consumption of one of the above drugs . Doctors can provide alternative medicine .
• Drink at least six glasses filled every day , including one glass before bed . Also drink before , during and after exercise .
• Consumption of foods rich in calcium , potassium and magnesium . Eat one or two bananas a day is enough to meet the needs of potassium .
• Avoid standing for too long .
• Avoid impaired blood flow to the foot by not folding legs when sitting .
• Diligent walking as exercise is safe for pregnant women .
• pregnancy exercise
• If you often have cramps during sleep , do movement on the relaxation of the calf muscles before bed . The trick is to stand about 60-90 cm from the wall , then lean toward the wall with your foot stays in place . Do it several times . You may need a few days to do it until the effect is felt.
• Sleep with your calf muscles that prevent depressed without realizing it : o Use a pillow to support your feet while you sleep on your back . o When you sleep on his stomach , put your feet dangling on the end of the mattress . o Try to keep loose blankets in the foot so that the fingers and soles of feet are not facing down while sleeping .
• If the cramps subside , provide heating on calf and lower leg .

Pain Management

• Eliminate the pain immediately following action (if necessary ask for help from others).
• Align the heel and toe, then slowly bend your heel and toes.
• Massage leg muscles were cramping gently and slowly.
• When exposed leg cramps when sitting or sleeping, try to move your toes upward. Get out of bed and stood for a moment a few minutes, until the pain goes away.