Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Leg Cramps At Night?
Question: I live in Mexico City (high altitude) and suffer from leg cramps, particularly at night. I make sure that I stay hydrated and have no problems when I go to places with a lower altitude. Is there a reason for this and is there anything more I can do to help?
Brief Answer:
Potassium and Magnesium deficiency to blame
Detailed Answer:
Hi there.
Welcome to Healthcare Magic.
Thanks for the query.
Muscle cramps can be caused due to variety of conditions but commonly dehydration, Riboflavin vitamin deficiency, Potassium and Magnesium deficiency.
Altitude doesn't have any direct influence on causing cramps but journeys can make you prone to dietary fads.
Eat a diet rich in Potassium like Bananas, Fish. Also Magnesium rich diet like Yoghurt, Spinach and Avocado. Also drink 1 to 2 litres of water daily. Avoid caffeine, colas and smoking witch can cause nerve irritation and indirectly muscle spasms and Myokymia. Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep daily. Reduce stress with Yoga.
Kindly try these remedies for a couple of weeks and let me know on your progress.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Potassium and Magnesium deficiency to blame
Detailed Answer:
Hi there.
Welcome to Healthcare Magic.
Thanks for the query.
Muscle cramps can be caused due to variety of conditions but commonly dehydration, Riboflavin vitamin deficiency, Potassium and Magnesium deficiency.
Altitude doesn't have any direct influence on causing cramps but journeys can make you prone to dietary fads.
Eat a diet rich in Potassium like Bananas, Fish. Also Magnesium rich diet like Yoghurt, Spinach and Avocado. Also drink 1 to 2 litres of water daily. Avoid caffeine, colas and smoking witch can cause nerve irritation and indirectly muscle spasms and Myokymia. Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep daily. Reduce stress with Yoga.
Kindly try these remedies for a couple of weeks and let me know on your progress.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Thank you for the response. However, I already follow the dietary recommendations you suggest including eating bananas, avocados, daily, fish 3-4 times a week. I drink a minimum 2 liters of water a day. I have recently been away from the city for 9 days and had absolutely no problems. This has been the same each time I have travelled to lower altitude locations and the problem reoccurs when I return to Mexico City. I would sleep better if I could prevent the cramping at night.
Brief Answer:
Need proper extra hydration while climbing heights. Also use hot water bag
Detailed Answer:
Hi there.
There is an entity called Acute Mountain sickness, where the person who climbs an altitude of now than 2400 metres at a time experiences fatigue, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, Muscle cramps.
This occurs because you lose more water on exhalation dus to increased metabolism for the energy required on climbing higher altitudes. Hence, your hydration may not be optimal which is why you experience this problem.
You should drink Electrolyte rich drinks in climbing high altitude. Drinks which contain Vitamin B complex are helpful like Gatorade. Also eat plenty of fresh fruits. You can also take Multi vitamin mineral tablets.
Also apply hot water bag to the area of cramps aa this increases the blood supply and provides great relief to muscle spasms.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Need proper extra hydration while climbing heights. Also use hot water bag
Detailed Answer:
Hi there.
There is an entity called Acute Mountain sickness, where the person who climbs an altitude of now than 2400 metres at a time experiences fatigue, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, Muscle cramps.
This occurs because you lose more water on exhalation dus to increased metabolism for the energy required on climbing higher altitudes. Hence, your hydration may not be optimal which is why you experience this problem.
You should drink Electrolyte rich drinks in climbing high altitude. Drinks which contain Vitamin B complex are helpful like Gatorade. Also eat plenty of fresh fruits. You can also take Multi vitamin mineral tablets.
Also apply hot water bag to the area of cramps aa this increases the blood supply and provides great relief to muscle spasms.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I am neither climbing or participating in holiday activities. I have lived in Mexico City for nearly three years. Whilst in the city I get cramps in my legs and feet at night. At lower altitudes this does not happen. I have a diet rich in bananas, advocados, fish etc. and am well Hydrated. I also take regular exercise and stretch etc. what I EP want to know is what I can do about this on a day to day basis. Thanks
Brief Answer:
Hot fomentation, Muscle stretching exercises, pain killer muscle relaxant tablet
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
In this context where we cannot narrow down the cause, I would suggest that we get a few laboratory tests done like Serum Calcium, Serum Vitamin D, Serum Potassium, Serum Magnesium and Serum Uric acid and complete hemogram. I would like to rule out the common nutrient deficiencies, the disease Gout and anemia which can cause similar complaints.
I am not sure if you have already had these tests. If they were normal, then I would refer you to a neurologist. But if they aren't done yet, I would ask your treating doctor to order it. In the meanwhile kindly perform hot fomentation with hot packs over your areas of spasm daily. This will help to increase the blood supply. You can also take pain killer with muscle relaxant during your travel like Diclofenac and Thicolchicoside combination tablet when you experience the pain not more than twice a day. Try this for a week. Also perform muscle stretching exercises to reduce the chances of muscle cramps by standing in your toes and then on your heels alternatively upto 10 times a day. Also flex and extend your knee about 10 times a day. Dieing the cramp, apply a hot water bag over the painful region to resolve the cramping pain.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Hot fomentation, Muscle stretching exercises, pain killer muscle relaxant tablet
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
In this context where we cannot narrow down the cause, I would suggest that we get a few laboratory tests done like Serum Calcium, Serum Vitamin D, Serum Potassium, Serum Magnesium and Serum Uric acid and complete hemogram. I would like to rule out the common nutrient deficiencies, the disease Gout and anemia which can cause similar complaints.
I am not sure if you have already had these tests. If they were normal, then I would refer you to a neurologist. But if they aren't done yet, I would ask your treating doctor to order it. In the meanwhile kindly perform hot fomentation with hot packs over your areas of spasm daily. This will help to increase the blood supply. You can also take pain killer with muscle relaxant during your travel like Diclofenac and Thicolchicoside combination tablet when you experience the pain not more than twice a day. Try this for a week. Also perform muscle stretching exercises to reduce the chances of muscle cramps by standing in your toes and then on your heels alternatively upto 10 times a day. Also flex and extend your knee about 10 times a day. Dieing the cramp, apply a hot water bag over the painful region to resolve the cramping pain.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Dr. Aashish Raghu
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
