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Leg pain during pregnancy: Why you have leg cramps in pregnancy

Many women experience leg cramps during pregnancy, but no one knows exactly why. The leg pain could be related to carrying around extra weight, not moving as much, or being deficient in certain vitamins. The good news? Most leg pain in pregnancy is minor and short-lived. However, pain that sticks around could be a sign of nerve compression, varicose veins, or a more serious blood clot. Stretching your calf muscle and massaging the leg can relieve cramps when they hit. Taking regular walks, staying hydrated, and having a warm bath before bed are easy ways to prevent leg cramps.

Why am I having leg cramps during pregnancy?

No one really knows why pregnant women get more leg cramps. It's possible that your leg muscles get tired from carrying extra weight. Cramps could also be related to a vitamin deficiency, a lack of exercise, or swelling from fluid buildup in your legs (called edema).

You may first develop leg cramps during your second trimester, and they may get worse as your pregnancy progresses and your belly gets bigger. These cramps can occur during the day, but you'll probably notice them most at night because they can interfere with your ability to get a good night's sleep.

Is there a difference between leg cramps and leg pain?

Leg cramps can be painful, but fortunately they're usually short-lived. Pain in your legs that doesn't go away quickly could be a sign of something else.

One possibility is that you have varicose veins. You'll see these thick, ropey, and often twisted veins on your legs. During pregnancy, pressure from your growing uterus allows blood to back up and pool in your veins, causing them to swell up.

The pain might also be sciatica, which is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve in your lower back. It feels like a sharp or shooting pain that radiates down your legs.

Rarely, leg pain can be a sign of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in your leg. Pregnancy can increase your risk for one of these clots. Because DVT can be serious if the clot breaks off and moves into your lungs, it's important to see your doctor if you have signs like swelling, warmth, and redness in your leg.

How can I relieve leg cramps during pregnancy?

These steps can help to ease your discomfort when you get a leg cramp:

1. Stretch your calf muscles immediately by straightening your leg, heel first, and gently flexing your toes back toward your shins. (Try not to point your toes while stretching. It can make the muscle contract and worsen the cramp.) This stretch might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and gradually make the pain go away.
2. After you stretch, gently massage the muscle, walk around for a few minutes, or warm the leg with a hot water bottle to relax the tissue.

How can I prevent leg cramps while pregnant?

Unfortunately, there's no surefire way to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. But these tips might help make them less likely:

• If you can, avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
• Try to stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
• Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes whenever you sit down, eat dinner, or watch TV.
• Take a walk every day (unless your healthcare provider has advised you not to exercise).
• Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.
• Drink water regularly to stay hydrated during the day.
• Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.

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In some studies, taking a magnesium supplement reduced the number of leg cramps during pregnancy. In other studies, these supplements did little or nothing to help. Until we know more about the effects of supplements, a safer way to bump up your magnesium is to add foods like beans, dried fruits, and nuts into your diet.

You may have heard that leg cramps are a sign that you need more calcium, and that calcium supplements will relieve the problem. Though it's certainly important to get enough calcium, there's no good evidence that taking extra calcium will help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. The same goes for vitamins C and D.

It's always a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any kind of supplement during pregnancy. If they do say it's ok, ask them to recommend a reputable brand.

Will leg cramps or leg pain cause any problems for my baby?

Though leg cramps during pregnancy can feel uncomfortable for a few seconds or minutes, they usually don't cause any long-term problems for you or your baby. The same goes for most causes of leg pain.

DVT is a different story. Although these blood clots are uncommon, they can be life-threatening if not quickly treated.

You're more likely to get blood clots during pregnancy, because the weight of your baby puts pressure on your blood vessels, and because your blood clots more easily now to prevent you from bleeding too much during delivery. If you sit still for many hours at a time your risk increases. This means things like flying or traveling during pregnancy could increase the risk, so just be sure to check in with your doctor if you've had blood clots in the past, or if they run in your family.

When should I call my doctor about leg cramping or pain during pregnancy?

One thing you can do if you have constant leg pain during pregnancy is to talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask them what you can do to prevent leg cramps, and some of the ways you can relieve them when you do get them. Wearing comfortable shoes and drinking plenty of fluids can also be helpful.

Give your healthcare provider a call right away if:

• Muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp.
• Pain is intense.
• You notice swelling, redness, or tenderness in your leg.
• Your leg feels warm to the touch.

If these symptoms don't improve after certain treatment options, like stretching, massaging, or hydrating, it could mean you have a blood clot, which needs immediate medical attention.

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Parete

updated 26 Jan 2022

Content:

Causes of

pain, which doctor will help solve the problem of

How to get rid of pain in the calves of the legs

How to prevent the appearance of pain in the legs

During the period of bearing a child, the body experiences an increased load. Chronic diseases are aggravated and new ones may appear. If the calves of the legs hurt during pregnancy, this is not always associated with pathology. But you need to find the right way to reduce discomfort, which depends on the cause of the condition. nine0005 A woman has pain in her calves due to varicose veins

Causes of pain in her legs

All changes in the body of the expectant mother are aimed at preserving the fetus and preparing for childbirth. From early gestation, the concentration of progesterone and the hormone relaxin increases. Together they act on the connective tissue, which leads to the following effects:

• the ligamentous apparatus relaxes;
• reduced vein tone;
• worsens the outflow of blood; nine0028
• increased fluid retention.

Connective tissue is part of the ligaments. Under the influence of relaxin, it relaxes, becomes loose. This is an adaptive reaction, which leads to a divergence of the pubic joint and an increase in the volume of the pelvis. But the action of the hormone is universal, it extends to other parts of the body.

Venous walls and valves are formed by connective tissue cells and fibers. During pregnancy, there is a decrease in tone, the valves do not close completely. Blood in small quantities flows in the opposite direction, which leads to vasodilation. At the same time, the calves of the legs hurt in women, and later swelling appears, spider veins appear under the skin. nine0005

If not treated early, varicose veins develop. The risk of getting sick increases in the following situations:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• overweight;
• work in a standing position;
• large weight gain during pregnancy;
• hereditary predisposition;
• smoking;
• initial degrees of varicose veins before conception;
• connective tissue pathology. nine0028

Pain may appear when walking. Sometimes it extends not only to the calves, but also to the arch of the foot. This is a sign of developing flat feet. An additional symptom is a flattening of the foot, a decrease in the clearance and an increase in the size of the shoe. With longitudinal flat feet, you can notice that one of the toes has become longer.

Women's calves hurt due to micronutrient deficiencies. In pregnant women, the need for potassium, magnesium, and calcium increases several times. These substances are involved in the transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, maintaining vascular tone. If the pain appears at night and is accompanied by cramps, a feeling of crawling, it is necessary to tell the doctor about this. nine0005

The cause of pain in the calf muscles is sometimes a shift in the center of gravity. This becomes noticeable in the later stages as the abdomen grows.

At the same time, the pelvis is shifted back, and the lumbar region is forward. The load on the muscles changes, spasm and pain appear. Less often, pain in pregnant women occurs due to myositis. This is inflammation of the muscles, which can develop after injury, hypothermia.

Which doctor will help solve the problem

Pain in the legs does not need to be endured - if you eliminate its provocateur, the discomfort will also go away. Which doctor should a pregnant woman consult:

• gynecologist;
• surgeon;
• orthopedist;
• phlebologist.

The first specialist to examine a woman should be a gynecologist. It is necessary to indicate the time of the onset of pain, whether it worries after sleep or at the end of the day. To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a biochemical blood test and electrolytes. A decrease in calcium, potassium or magnesium is a direct indication for the appointment of vitamin and mineral preparations. Pregnant women are recommended the following combinations:

• calcium with vitamin D3;
• magnesium with vitamin B6;
• potassium as part of vitamin complexes.

Magnesium is recommended to be taken throughout pregnancy in courses of three weeks with a short break between them.

In case of swelling on the legs, the appearance of spider veins, you need to consult a surgeon or phlebologist. Signs of varicose veins are:

• the appearance of cyanotic stripes under the skin; nine0028
• swelling after prolonged standing or sitting;
• cold extremities;
• heaviness in the legs;
• convulsions;
• paresthesia - a feeling of crawling goosebumps;
• pain in the legs.

To make a diagnosis and choose the right method of therapy, the doctor will prescribe the following examination methods:

• Ultrasound of the veins with Doppler;
• duplex scanning;
nine0027 bandage samples.

MRI, occlusal plethysmography, scintigraphy for pregnant women is performed only in severe cases.

If a woman is suspected of having developed flat feet, she will need to consult an orthopedist-traumatologist, who will be able to choose the necessary treatment.

How to get rid of pain in the calves

Correction of the condition depends on the cause of the pathology. Women with micronutrient deficiencies are prescribed vitamin-mineral complexes. nine0005

In case of varicose veins, the doctor will select compression stockings. Pregnant women should not wear medical stockings due to pressure on the abdomen. Therefore, stockings are selected for them. The compression class depends on the symptoms of varicose veins:

• 1st class - with the initial degree of pathology, with the appearance of swelling, pain in the legs and spider veins, pressure 15–22 mm Hg. Art.;
• 2nd class - used for severe symptoms of varicose veins to prevent complications, pressure up to 32 mm Hg. Art.; nine0028
• 3rd class - in severe forms of the disease, pressure up to 46 mm Hg. Art.

Compression underwear is put on in the morning immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed. This allows you to avoid the appearance of pressure on the veins, reduce their blood supply.

Drug therapy is selected individually. The doctor prescribes phlebotonics, which include diosmin. It increases the tone of the veins, improves microcirculation, reduces venous congestion. The action extends to the lymphatic vessels, improves lymphatic drainage. nine0005

Women who are prone to thrombosis due to varicose veins may need anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, which reduce blood clotting.

Pregnant women stop giving them one week before the expected date of delivery. Repeatedly prescribe anticoagulants on the next day after childbirth.

Elimination of flat feet involves the choice of shoes with a small heel and the use of orthopedic insoles. They are selected by the doctor individually, taking into account the type of flat feet and the curvature of the arch of the foot. Helps foot massage, walking barefoot and hardening. nine0005 If the calves of the legs in women hurt due to flat feet, you need to choose special insoles

How to prevent the appearance of pain in the legs

Pregnant women need special exercises to prevent leg pain. They will help maintain muscle tone, improve venous blood flow.

Shoes with high heels worsen the condition of the feet, increase the load on them. It is discontinued in the first trimester. But a flat sole is also harmful. Recommended heel height 2-2.5 cm.

Women who are expecting a child should stop smoking and drinking alcohol, tobacco smoke components and ethyl alcohol have a bad effect on the state of blood vessels. Food should be varied and contain a large amount of vegetable fiber. This will prevent constipation, which impairs blood flow in the pelvis and contributes to venous congestion. Pain in the legs while carrying a child is a sign of increased stress. For treatment, you need to make an appointment with a doctor and undergo an examination. nine0005

Read also: what to do if your lower back hurts during pregnancy

May 21, 2019 13:43 | Edited: January 26, 2022 12:24

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