There are a lot of reasons for insomnia, but in cases where he twists his legs at night, it is impossible to fall asleep, and measures must be taken to get rid of pain and discomfort.

Why does he twist his legs

Unpleasant sensations in the legs at rest, usually at night, can be of a different nature and intensity, but the discomfort delivered interferes with normal sleep and rest.

The phenomenon, when after a busy day the muscles of the legs pull and ache so that it is impossible to relax and fall asleep, is called "restless legs syndrome". This psychological anomaly is understood as a condition when a sensorimotor disorder makes itself felt by pain in the legs from the soles of the feet to the knees.

The disorder manifests itself in different ways: a feeling of numbness in the legs, "goosebumps", burning, tingling, pulling and "shooting" pains. The calves go numb, they turn to stone. Pain is not always directly related to physical activity, outdoor games, running, long walking. But in all cases, patients note an increase in pain and discomfort at rest: in the evening, at night, when the load on the legs is minimal.

It is characteristic that even a small physical activity - walking around the room, relieves tension from the legs, but it is worth calming down, going to bed - and the discomfort will return again. The more intense the physical tension on the legs the day before, the more the muscles hurt: it feels like the legs are twisting, pulling, it is impossible to sleep and you need to somehow “calm down” the muscles.

Causes of Restless Leg Syndrome

Among the causes of pulling tearing pains in the muscles of the legs, one can note:

• Dehydration occurring in the body as a result of a prolonged increase in body temperature (fever, infectious diseases). Restless legs syndrome often appears with influenza, tonsillitis, and other diseases;
• In women, restless legs syndrome appears during pregnancy, this is due to a lack of magnesium in the body. Muscle pain is a frequent companion of pregnancy, it is very important to start taking medications such as Magnesium B6 or its analogues in a timely manner;
• During menstruation or on the eve (during) menopause, pain in the legs in women is associated with serious hormonal changes that the body undergoes. During this period, most pain disorders are considered a variant of the norm;
• Quite often, the legs hurt due to the presence of psychosomatic disorders.

In a child, the appearance of night pains in the legs is associated with an intensive, but uneven growth of the muscular apparatus and blood vessels.

Restless legs syndrome is especially pronounced during the period of sharp growth spurts and is directly related to physical activity. It must be said that the “correct” loads - training under the guidance of a professional trainer, for example, do not cause night pain in the legs. Depending on the type of load, the muscles of the thigh or calves may ache, but the nature of the pain is different and it can be removed with a warm bath, massage. Over time, the legs get used to training and the pain stops.

Night "twisting" in adults can be associated with diseases of the internal organs, joints, blood vessels (insufficient blood supply leads to weakened tissue nutrition and discomfort). In weather-dependent people, the legs twist at night “for the weather” - climate change responds in the body with discomfort.

It is impossible to exclude night pains, as a consequence after suffering leg injuries.

Separately, it is necessary to single out cases when fear, uncertainty, and anxiety are reflected through muscle pain.

How to treat restless legs syndrome

Treatment must begin by establishing the cause. First of all, it is necessary to exclude the possible pathology of the muscular apparatus, trauma, sprain.

When collecting an anamnesis, the doctor pays attention to concomitant diseases of blood vessels and blood: anemia, atherosclerosis, thrombosis. Inadequate nutrition causes pain in the legs and in this case, it is the cause that needs to be treated.

Legs hurt at night with diseases of the joints - arthritis, arthrosis, gout, injuries. How to treat joints the doctor will tell after the examination and this is the topic of another article.

The situation is similar in the presence of kidney disease, thyroid dysfunction, heart failure.

But if there are no mentioned pathologies and we are talking about excessive physical or mental stress, then you can remove the discomfort yourself.

Medical treatment

1. Special preparations may be recommended to improve blood supply and thin the blood for nighttime pain in the legs. These include acetylsalicylic acid tablets. Detralex improves microcirculation, has an angioprotective and venotonic effect. Prevents venous congestion, increases the tone of the venous walls. Drugs can be taken after a doctor's prescription.
2. The drug Normaven contains an extract of chestnut, green tea, ginkgo biloba, cowberry, arnica, wormwood, menthol and panthenol, lemon oil and a complex of vitamins. Due to its composition, the ointment reduces the fragility of capillary walls, increases their tone, has a venotonic and antioxidant effect, relieves swelling, inflammation, softens the skin, protects against dryness and irritation. Menthol cools the tissues, relieves pain. The ointment is rubbed into the skin with light massage movements before going to bed. The medicine in the form of a spray is sprayed from a distance of 10 cm onto the skin of the legs.
3. Relieves pain and heaviness in the legs Lioton gel. It contains heparin, a substance that thins the blood and restores blood microcirculation. The main contraindication to the use of Lyoton is individual intolerance to heparin and reduced blood clotting. Before use, seek medical advice. Lyoton's analogues are heparin ointment, contratubex, trombless and other drugs.
4. Rumakar gel contains diclofenac, thanks to which the drug relieves pain and inflammation. Its use blocks the formation of prostaglandins, suppressing pain. Rumakar is used in the post-traumatic period, with local pain in soft tissues, osteoarthritis of the joints. The drug is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy and lactation, for systemic use in children under 12 years of age, with individual intolerance to diclofenac. It is recommended to apply the gel only on intact skin areas. A small amount is rubbed into the skin of the legs with massage movements and left overnight. Hands should be washed after the procedure.
5. Ketonal is a warming ointment, a strong analgesic, relieves swelling and inflammation. A small amount of ointment is applied to the skin in the area of ​​pain localization.
6. Non-steroidal (hormone-free) warming preparations of local action include Fastum gel. It is designed to relieve pain and discomfort in muscles, joints, ligaments. Easily penetrates tissues and acts quickly. The course of treatment should not exceed 10 days, for single use it is indicated for adults and children, systemic use is contraindicated for people who are allergic to ketoprofen.
7. For pain in the legs of any nature - diseases of the joints, rheumatism, injuries, dislocations, non-rheumatic pains of unknown etiology, including restless legs syndrome, Dolgit cream is used. The active ingredient in it is ibuprofen, which has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
8. Kapsikam ointment has a warming and analgesic effect. Dimethyl sulfoxide, the main active ingredient of the drug, easily penetrates into tissues, has a local irritant effect. Can be used as a prophylactic (for athletes before training).
9. Turpentine ointment has a strong irritating effect locally, which leads to a rush of blood at the site of pain. Indicated for muscle pain, neuralgia, sciatica.

Folk remedies

Baths with decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs will help relieve muscle tension before bedtime:

• 1 st. l herbs cudweed pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 40-50 minutes. Add the infusion to the bath, keep your feet for 15 minutes, dry with a towel, grease with a fat cream;
• 2 tbsp. l. willow bark pour 1 liter of boiling water, simmer for 5 minutes, strain and add to the foot bath. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes;
• Pour 2 liters of hot water into a basin, grate and dissolve laundry soap in water (so that the water turns white), add 2 tbsp. l. salt and drinking soda, 10 drops of iodine. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes, the water should be constantly hot. A course of 10 baths daily is recommended. After the bath, wipe your feet dry and grease with a greasy cream or a small one, put on woolen socks and go to bed.

Foot massage

Self-massage of the legs before going to bed will relieve fatigue and tension. Movements should be smooth. You need to start the massage from below, from the ankle, gradually rising to the knee.

• Rubbing the muscles from the bottom up and in circular motions;
• Stroking with light pressure;
• Patting on the calves;
• Pressure on the muscles with a force of different intensity.

End the massage with strokes. For massage, it is recommended to use a fat cream or a warming ointment.

As a prevention of night muscle pain, you can use relaxation before bed - listening to calm music, passive rest. The sleeping room should be well ventilated, bright lights and harsh sounds should be excluded.

If the pain is the result of psychological overload, then you need to try to calm down, relax, chamomile tea, a decoction of valerian or motherwort, a sedative collection is useful. Smoking and alcohol adversely affect vascular health and can cause nighttime muscle pain.

In the event that muscle pain in the legs becomes a constant companion of sleep, procedures and drugs do not bring relief, you need to seek medical help and undergo a comprehensive examination.