Can leg cramps be a sign of something serious? : Peachstate Advanced Cardiac & Endovascular: Board Certified Interventional Cardiologists

Leg cramps or spams are one-time events that generally occur as a result of overworking a certain muscle. Even while the cramps are unpleasant, they are not harmful. Muscle cramps/leg cramps, on the other hand, might indicate a serious condition in some circumstances, therefore it’s critical to know the difference between a harmless cramp and a life-threatening one.

Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome, or CFS. Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome (CFS) is a peripheral neuropathy characterized by hyperexcitability of the peripheral nerve system. Unwanted muscular cramps and fasciculation are symptoms of this illness. You may also feel additional symptoms, such as a burning sensation or numbness, which are both symptomatic of a neuropathy condition.

End-stage renal or kidney disease. Leg cramps, particularly in the calf regions, are common in people with end-stage kidney or renal illness, especially those who are receiving dialysis. Leg cramps can strike at any moment, whether at home or during dialysis. Cramps are linked to depression and sleep difficulties in this scenario, resulting in a decrease in quality of life.

Cirrhosis. Leg cramps in Cirrhosis patients occur in a variety of locations, including the thighs, cervical region, toes, calves, fingers, and abdominal muscles. Crampings, on the other hand, may affect different parts of the body in this scenario.

By running the same distance, you can detect key leg cramps symptoms that indicate severe health problems. If you often go for lengthy runs and get cramp from jogging the same distance each time, it might be a sign of a health problem. It’s known as compartment syndrome, and it affects people whose muscles in a certain location don’t have enough room to support the sort of activity they’re doing. When we exercise, our bodily muscles require more blood, which causes our blood vessels to widen. We don’t have enough area for blood vessels to expand when the muscle compartment is too tight, resulting in leg spasms or cramps.

Discoloration, redness, or swelling of the skin. If you observe discolouration, swelling, or redness on your skin, as well as muscular cramps, these might be indicators of a blood clot. When a blood clot remains in its proper location, it poses no hazard. However, if the clot breaks off, you’re more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. Cramps and excruciating pain. If your muscular spasms are interfering with your regular activities, you should consider it a serious concern. Leg cramps, in most situations, cause you to feel agony, curl your toes, and persist for roughly 10 minutes. However, if you see anything different than the above, it might be a sign of anything more serious.

Inadequate blood flow to the particular muscle, ovarian bulk, or pinched nerve are all possible reasons of severe muscular cramps.

Nausea, vomiting, and fever If you’re experiencing leg cramps along with other symptoms like vomiting, fever, or nausea, it’s possible that you’re suffering from food poisoning or dehydration. As a result, you should ensure that you eat nutritious and clean meals while also exercising often.  Your legs are tingling and burning. Because of your herniated disk condition, you may have tingling and burning sensations in your legs as well as muscular cramps. Muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications, on the other hand, may help you overcome this difficulty.

We are just a call or click away. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with PeachState Advanced Cardiac & Endovascular. We have several locations in Georgia: Newnan, Atlanta, & Griffin. 

Author

Kelly Miles
Current Director of Business Development & Operations at PeachState Advanced Cardiac & Endovascular- PACE. Kelly has a passion for helping others navigate the healthcare industry and ensuring quality outcomes. She lives in Newnan, GA with her husband and children.

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Norovirus

Category: Infections and Parasites

Topic: Viral Infections

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that can cause gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines) with diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting. Common names used for gastroenteritis due to Norovirus are ‘gastric flu’ or ‘stomach flu’, ‘winter vomiting’ and ‘viral gastro’.

Noroviruses are found in the faeces or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:

• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with Norovirus
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with Norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth
• small airborne particles from projectile vomiting
• having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).

Anyone can become infected with these viruses. There are many different strains of Norovirus, which makes it difficult for a person’s body to develop long-lasting immunity.

Norovirus illness can recur throughout a person’s lifetime.

People working in day-care centres or nursing homes should pay special attention to children or residents who have Norovirus illness. This virus is very contagious and can spread rapidly throughout such environments.

Signs and Symptoms: 

Symptoms of Norovirus illness usually begin about 24 to 48 hours after ingestion of the virus, but they can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure.

The symptoms of norovirus illness usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people also have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly and the infected person may feel very sick. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting only about 1 or 2 days, but can last longer. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults.

Treatment: 

Currently, there is no antiviral medication that works against norovirus and there is no vaccine to prevent infection. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. This is because antibiotics work to fight bacteria and not viruses.

Norovirus illness is usually brief in healthy individuals. When people are ill with vomiting and diarrhoea, they should rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is the most serious health effect that can result from Norovirus infection, and it is a particular concern in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Prevention: 

Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread easily from person to person. Both faeces and vomit are infectious. Particular care should be taken with young children in nappies who may have diarrhoea.

People infected with Norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill. If your job involves handling food or beverages or you are a childcare or health care worker you must not return to work until 48 hours after recovery (i.e. until 48 hours after you last vomited or 48 hours after your bowel motions return to normal), as this is generally regarded as the period when people are infectious.

The virus can be present in faeces at low levels for several weeks after recovery, so it is important for people to continue to use good handwashing and other hygienic practices.

People infected with Norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for 48 hours after they recover from their illness. Food that may have been contaminated by an ill person should be disposed of properly.

You can decrease your chance of coming in contact with noroviruses by following these preventive steps:

• frequently wash your hands, especially after toilet visits, changing nappies and before eating or preparing food
• carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them
• flush or discard any vomit or faeces in the toilet and make sure that the surrounding area is kept clean
• use a detergent and warm water to wipe down the area where vomit was present so that no evidence of vomit is visible
• thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness using detergent and water followed by a bleach-based household cleaner
• immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus (use a hot cycle in the washing machine).

Health outcome: 

Anyone can become infected with these viruses. There are many different strains of Norovirus, which makes it difficult for a person’s body to develop long-lasting immunity. In addition, because of differences in genetic factors, some people are more likely to become infected and develop more severe illness than others.

Norovirus disease is usually not serious, although people may feel very sick and vomit many times a day. Most people get better within 1 or 2 days, and they have no long-term health effects related to their illness.

Sometimes people are unable to drink enough liquids to replace the liquids they lost because of vomiting and diarrhoea. These people can become dehydrated and may need special medical attention. This problem with dehydration is usually only seen among the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. There is no evidence to suggest that an infected person can become a long-term carrier of Norovirus.

Other resources: 

• Clean Up for Gastroenteritis Outbreak Prevention (PDF 716KB)

Help and assistance: 

For further information, please contact your local doctor, community health centre or nearest public health unit, or contact the Queensland Health information line 13HEALTH (13 432584).

If you are in an emergency situation, call 000

Leg cramps | Causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Almost everyone has had an uncontrollable muscle contraction attack at least once in their life. When the muscle contracts, then the person experiences twitching, unpleasant contraction and pain. Painful muscle spasm continues for several minutes.

Single seizures usually go away without special medical treatment. If such episodes are often repeated, then this is evidence of health problems, which is why the help of a doctor is so important.
The most common cramps are in the calf muscles and thighs, as well as the feet and hands. Spasmodic activity in the facial and respiratory muscles leads to stuttering. When a person sleeps at night in a relaxed state, he can simultaneously reduce one or more muscles. Due to sharp pain, sleep is disturbed, and a person waking up cannot rest during the night.

Approximately 75% of people over 60 experience leg cramps during sleep. Many people think that cramps at night are just unpleasant and harmless phenomena that are associated with age. But convulsions also occur in children and young people. Women often complain of sharp nocturnal and painful cramps during pregnancy.

Contents

• What causes leg cramps
• Causes
• Which doctor to contact
• Diagnostics
• Treatment
• Conservative therapy
• Surgical treatment
• Why does the legs cramp in older men and women
• Night cramps in pregnant women

Why leg cramps occur

Cramps are sudden muscle contractions that are involuntary in nature and are diagnosed on the basis of a medical survey and during an external examination of a doctor, according to the results of analyzes and hardware research methods. Treatment includes antispasmodics and muscle relaxants, antiepileptic and anticonvulsants, physiotherapy and surgical interventions.

Causes

Convulsions occur due to peculiarities and various disorders in the body:

• stagnation of blood in the legs;
• vitamin deficiency;
• endocrine disorders;
• kidney disease;
• dehydration;
• sudden change in temperature;
• taking diuretics, anti-inflammatory drugs;
• tight footwear, clothing;
• physical and emotional overload.

Cramping in the calves is a symptom of varicose veins. It is necessary to consult a doctor if there is swelling and heaviness in the legs, which appear due to stagnation of blood. With the help of convulsions, the muscles contract, so the body activates blood circulation in the veins. There are no visible manifestations at this stage of the disease. If you start treatment in time, then protruding, swollen veins and spider veins will not appear, and muscle spasms will stop bothering you at night.

• Micronutrient deficiency

Blood electrolytes are needed to deliver nutrients and oxygen. If few microelements, such as calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium enter the cells, then the water balance is disturbed. There are uncontrolled processes that cause the muscles to contract. It is necessary to donate blood for a biochemical analysis to check its electrolyte composition. Minerals can be poorly absorbed with a lack of vitamins, or in the diet due to a large amount of protein, since when it is broken down, calcium is rapidly excreted from the body.

• Endocrine disorders

If your leg muscles cramp at night, you get tired quickly, irritability appears, then it is advisable to check the endocrine system. In case of thyroid disease or when diabetes mellitus occurs, magnesium, sodium, calcium are poorly absorbed and metabolism is disturbed. In diabetes mellitus, due to false impulses from the nervous system, the muscles of the legs contract and they feel sipping or short-term severe pain.

• Kidney disease

There are many diseases. In diseases of the kidneys, the content of potassium and calcium decreases, and sodium, on the contrary, increases. The water balance is disturbed and muscle cramps occur.

• Dehydration

Due to the lack of fluid in the body, most often there is a water-salt disorder. Due to alcohol abuse, excessive consumption of salt and coffee, also against the background of diarrhea or vomiting. Low levels of electrolytes in the blood (calcium, magnesium): low blood levels of calcium or magnesium directly increase the excitability of the nerve endings innervating the muscles.

• Extreme temperature change

If the temperature drops sharply in the bedroom at night, the muscles may also cramp. The problem is solved with the help of warm clothes, blankets, electric sheets.

• Taking diuretics, anti-inflammatory drugs

Diuretics accelerate the excretion of minerals from the body, which leads to a violation of the water-salt and electrolyte balance. When the muscles are relaxed, a contraction occurs, which is strongly felt during rest, disturbing sleep.

Treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs can have an undesirable side effect – muscle spasms, which manufacturers warn about in the instructions. When a person stops taking the drug, they stop bothering him.

• Tight shoes, clothing

Tight, tight clothing, dress shoes that compress the foot, high heeled shoes disrupt the blood circulation of the muscles, due to their contraction to increase blood flow.

• Physical and emotional overload

Leg cramps occur when working while standing or walking frequently and for a long time. Muscle stretching exercises can help relieve tension. Also, muscle contractions can provoke severe unrest and stress.

Cramps in the muscles of the thighs and calves are due to an electrolyte imbalance due to decreased absorption of calcium, and not due to problems in the nervous system. Therefore, sedatives will not help.

Which doctor to contact

If it’s not the first time you’ve been cramping your legs, in order to understand why cramps occur, you need to contact a therapist. The doctor will send you for studies of a general and biochemical blood test, which will identify problems and check the amount of microelements in the body.

Depending on their results, the therapist will prescribe treatment or give a referral to a surgeon or phlebologist if there are problems in the vessels, to an ophthalmologist if the eyelid tremors torment you, to an endocrinologist if there are malfunctions in the endocrine system.

Diagnosis

When determining the causes of seizures, the doctor conducts an examination and history taking, instrumental and laboratory tests: general and biochemical blood tests, blood tests for hemoglobin.

According to the testimony of a neurologist, patients can be referred to an orthopedist, phlebologist, gynecologist, and other medical specialists.

• Poll. Finds out the patient’s lifestyle, as well as when the spasms first appeared, how often they recur and what can provoke seizures. Asks about existing illnesses and medications that the patient is taking to determine the causes.
• Physical examination. During the examination, the doctor reveals signs of flat feet in the legs, hypertrophy and decreased muscle tone, dilated veins and edema. Assesses sensitivity, pulsation, explores reflexes.
• Electrophysiological studies. Electroneurography and electromyography help to determine the state of muscle transmission, the speed of passage of nerve impulses, the presence of spontaneous muscle activity, due to which convulsions often occur.
• Laboratory tests. Screening examination includes a complete blood and urine test, a blood test for sugar and protein, the determination of liver enzymes, creatinine, urea. In case of violations of the water-electrolyte balance, the level of electrolytes is assessed, in case of hypovitaminosis, the content of vitamins is examined, in case of endocrine pathologies, an analysis is made for hormones. In case of poisoning of the body, toxicological tests are taken.
• Hardware methods. Dopplerography and duplex scanning of the lower extremities are indicated for vascular disease. With flat feet, X-rays are performed with a load. In endocrine diseases and kidney pathology, an ultrasound examination of the glands of the lesion is performed. In case of neurological diseases, an MRI of the brain is recommended.

Treatment

It is necessary to treat leg cramps in a complex: eat right, take vitamins, drink up to 2 liters of water a day, do not drink alcoholic beverages, do not overwork.

Conservative therapy

Treatment depends on the specific cause of the leg cramps. Taking into account the pathology, methods are applied:

• Crampy syndrome. Treatment of the disease is indicated for convulsive symptoms. Calcium channel blockers, antiepileptic drugs, quinine are used to eliminate seizures. To stop the activity, muscle relaxants are prescribed. In case of pain syndrome, NSAIDs are included for the treatment of seizures; in case of sleep disorders, hypnotics are used.
• Flat feet. The leading role is given to non-drug therapy. Patients usually need to bring their weight back to normal, choose comfortable or orthopedic shoes, and avoid static prolonged loads. Walking, special massages and exercises, magnetic therapy, sinusoidal modulated current therapy and other physiotherapy procedures are useful for strengthening the foot.
• Vascular diseases. In the elderly, atherosclerosis obliterans is often diagnosed with painful sensations of burning, numbness of the feet, increased sensitivity to cold and cramps in the calves. After a short time, lameness may join. Young men often suffer from obliterating endarteritis, the symptoms of which are numbness and chilliness, paresthesias and spasms, sometimes accompanied by lameness and resemble atherosclerosis. But with this disease, trophic disorders develop rapidly.
• Bilateral thromboangiitis obliterans. Simultaneously with increased painful sensitivity of the legs, hemorrhages and convulsions in the fingers, thrombophlebitis of the legs and Raynaud’s syndrome with severe trophic disorders are detected. Treatment of varicose veins in order to reduce the load on the legs is carried out with the help of venotonics, physical exercises, compression agents, sclerotherapy methods. As part of the medical treatment of arteries, thrombolytics, antispasmodics, analgesics, anticoagulants are taken. With non-drug therapy, ozone therapy, intravenous laser blood irradiation, oxygenation, as well as balneological and physiotherapy are prescribed.
• Endocrine diseases. Hypoparathyroidism is treated with diet, calcium and vitamin D, sedatives, and anticonvulsants. Useful ultraviolet radiation. Hypothyroidism is corrected with hormone replacement therapy, patients undergo thyreostatic therapy. In diabetes with macroangiopathy, it is necessary to take antiplatelet agents in combination with insulin therapy.
• Fluid disturbances are treated with intravenous electrolyte solutions. Patients with hypovitaminosis recommend vitamin complexes. With intoxication of the body, detoxification therapy is required. Pregnant women with Parhon’s syndrome are advised by doctors to sleep on their left side and moderate physical therapy exercises. Eclampsia during pregnancy is a disease for a complex of resuscitation measures.

Surgical treatment

Surgery for pain with convulsions:

• Flat feet: foot deformity correction, tendon grafting, bone removal.
• Varicose disease: phlebectomy, miniphlebectomy, adhesive obliteration, laser and radiofrequency coagulation, cryophlebectomy.
• Obliterating vascular diseases: endarterectomy, stenting, dilatation or prosthesis of arteries, bypass interventions, arterialization of the veins of the foot, profundoplasty, thromboembolectomy.
• Endocrine pathologies: removal of the thyroid gland in hyperthyroidism, endarterectomy and plasty of trophic ulcers in diabetes.

Why does the legs cramp in older men and women?

With age, the ability to absorb vitamins and trace elements decreases. In the elderly, muscle cramps due to a lack of calcium, dilated veins, and taking certain medications, such as diuretics, cause muscle spasms. A sedentary image leads to overwork, cramps several times a night can interrupt sleep.

What should I do if my child’s legs are cramping?

Children grow up fast. For a growing body, tight shoes and clothes are more harmful than adults.

The cause of cramps can especially be a lack of vitamin D and minerals due to an unbalanced diet and lack of water in the body. Seizures often occur and greatly disturb a child who plays sports, so it is necessary to reduce the load, take more time to rest and avoid stress.

Night cramps in pregnant women

During pregnancy, the amount of trace elements is consumed more. Calcium and magnesium are necessary for the growth and development of the fetus. If the expectant mother does not have enough of them, then the body signals with muscle spasms. Eat right, limit the amount of salt. With an increase in weight in a pregnant woman, the legs experience a load, the blood circulation process becomes more difficult. When spasms appear, perform special exercises with stretching and stretching exercises. Do not take medicines without medical advice.

If you have cramps in your legs, we recommend that you make an appointment for a consultation at the My Doctor medical center in Volgograd. Qualified doctors of the highest category will establish the cause and draw up a personalized treatment and rehabilitation program. Our medical center has a large number of services in various fields: neurology, gynecology, ultrasound (abdominal organs, vessels of the head, neck, upper / lower joint) and much more. You can also read other useful articles on our blog.

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One of the causes of seizures in dogs is hypoparathyroidism.

– Veterinary clinics Dr. Vet

Seizures are perhaps the most terrible symptom that a pet owner may face. Often an animal with convulsions is a kind of challenge for the attending physician, since they not only pose an immediate threat to the patient’s life, but are also the result of a wide variety of disorders occurring in the body.

We often associate convulsions with diseases of the central nervous system, but they can also be caused by internal diseases, including endocrine pathologies.

Our patient – Dearest – was picked up by her mistress at the age of about 5-6 months. A few days later, the dog had the first seizure, manifested by convulsions, thrashing, disorientation and vocalization. Between attacks, Mila was inactive, she had frequent gastrointestinal disorders (vomiting, diarrhea), loss of appetite, muscle twitching and general weakness.

The dog was fully examined to find the cause of the seizures. A cardiac examination, a neurological examination, an abdominal ultrasound, a chest x-ray, and several blood tests were performed. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (conducted in Moscow) did not reveal pathological changes.

We noticed a low level of calcium in the biochemical analysis of blood. Moreover, in each subsequent study, it was lower and lower. It became clear that a decrease in calcium most likely leads to the appearance of seizures in a dog.

Calcium is the most important element that takes part in almost all biochemical reactions in the cells of a living organism (primarily in the processes of neuromuscular transmission), and is also necessary for the normal functioning of cell membranes. Calcium deficiency affects all organs and tissues, but clinical symptoms are most often associated with neuromuscular disorders, simply because they are more noticeable.

Hypocalcemia causes tremors, involuntary muscle contractions or twitches, generalized convulsions, muscle pain, gait stiffness, behavioral changes (restlessness, anxiety, aggressiveness), gastrointestinal disorders (vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia).

Hypocalcemia may result from impaired functioning of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, intake of certain drugs (for example, diuretics) or toxins (antifreeze), as well as primary pathology of the parathyroid gland.

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disease in which atrophy (often idiopathic, i.e. for an unknown cause) or destruction of the parathyroid glands occurs, which leads to a decrease or cessation of the secretion of parathyroid hormone. The lack of this hormone causes a number of physiological disorders, which eventually manifest themselves in the form of neurological and neuromuscular symptoms.

Mila was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism based on low levels of calcium and parathyroid hormone, as well as high levels of phosphorus in Mila’s blood, and after ruling out other possible pathologies.

Although parathyroid hormone replacement is theoretically the most appropriate therapy for hypoparathyroidism, this is not practical due to the lack of appropriate commercial preparations.