What causes cramps? What causes cramps while sleeping?

Cramps occur frequently, especially at night when you sleep. If you have cramps frequently, you should pay attention to whether you are suffering from calcium deficiency, which is also the most common cause of cramps. If you are worried, you can go to the hospital for relevant examinations.

1. Calcium deficiency: If elderly people often suffer from leg cramps, it may be caused by calcium deficiency. Because the elderly have a weakened ability to absorb calcium, they are more likely to lose calcium, leading to osteoporosis and cramps.

2. Intermittent claudication If you experience leg cramps while walking or climbing, it is likely caused by intermittent claudication. This is because fat accumulates in the arteries of the legs, reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the legs. This is a condition called peripheral arterial disease, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.

3. Atherosclerosis: If elderly people often experience leg cramps while sleeping, they should be alert to the possibility of atherosclerosis. If this happens, you can use some drugs that can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis and improve microcirculation under the guidance of a doctor to actively prevent and treat risk factors that may aggravate leg atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, diabetes, etc.

4. Deep vein thrombosis If you often experience cramps in the same leg and suddenly feel muscle tenderness, deep muscle pain or swelling, skin discoloration and other signs, you should be alert to deep vein thrombosis, which can be life-threatening. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a large vein. If the clot breaks off and is propelled by the bloodstream to the heart and lungs, it can be life-threatening.

5. Tips: Cramps are not a trivial matter. If you experience cramps frequently at night, do not take it lightly. You should go to the hospital for examination in time to determine the cause and receive symptomatic treatment as soon as possible.