Do you have leg jerks at night? Here are 3 reasons why this might happen.
Leg jerks are also called “leg cramps,” or sometimes “restless leg syndrome.” These are involuntary movements of the leg that usually occur at night. Occasionally, these movements are painful.
Leg jerks are actually quite common and often happen to older people. Most people that have this problem suffer only a few per night, but some people suffer five or more episodes each night.
What Causes This Condition?
There are many causes of leg jerks, with the three most common causes being medication, age, and having generally poor health.
Medications are thought to contribute to a significant degree toward this problem. Serotonergic reuptake inhibitors are a common medication seen with leg jerks. Other medications include long-acting inhaled beta-agonists, statins, and diuretics. This makes sense as statins are known to cause muscle pain to a great degree. Likewise, diuretics could cause dehydration and that could predispose to leg cramps as well.
Passage of time, or advancing age, is associated with more frequent nighttime leg cramps. Aging itself is not a disease but may actually be a proxy for poor health in general. The frequency of leg cramps increases with age and with the number of medical illnesses. Some conditions seen often in older people include peripheral arterial disease, peripheral neuropathy, and anemia.
Regarding poor health, there are a few conditions that seem more associated with leg jerking at night than others. Asthma, elevated HbA1C, and cardiovascular risk are the most prevalent health problems associated. Depression is also a condition associated with more frequent and more painful leg cramps. Anemia seems to be an independent risk factor, too. The frequency of cramping is related to a drop in iron levels in the serum fairly strongly.
What Can You Do?
One of the first steps you can take to prevent leg cramps is to promote your daily health. Exercise, balanced nutrition, and hydration help to keep your body performing optimally. As a best practice for health, supplement with a multivitamin like our Immunity-Boosting Multivitamin from Well Theory.
Dr. Meredith Warner herself developed this multivitamin complex to both aid patients both pre- and post-surgery as well as to help boost your health every day of the week. With Hemp, Vitamins C & D, and Zinc, you can alleviate pain, strengthen your body against disease, and promote overall health which can go a long way in preventing leg cramps.
View the full line of surgeon-designed products here.
See A Medical Professional
If you have frequent leg cramps and think you may have one of these risk factors, seek professional opinion. At Warner Orthopedics and Wellness, we are dedicated to helping you live a healthy, pain-free lifestyle and can help to pinpoint the cause of your condition.
Contact us today to schedule an in-person or telemedicine appointment!
