Leg Cramps

What are the signs of leg cramps?

Leg cramps, or charley horses, are a sudden, painful involuntary contraction of your leg muscles. The common problem can affect your calves, feet, and thigh muscles.

The average length of a leg cramp is nine minutes, but some last just a few seconds. Leg cramps not only wake you up at night, but they also leave you with painful feelings in your calf or leg muscles for days following.

What causes leg cramps?

Leg cramps occur due to a wide number of conditions. Although some of these conditions are relatively mild, others can be much more serious. Leg cramps may be a sign of an underlying disorder, such as:

• Diabetes
• Addison’s disease
• Alcohol abuse
• Peripheral artery disease
• Vein disease

It’s important to speak to a vascular specialist at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine if you experience leg cramps. The cramps could be a sign of vein disease, even if you don’t have varicose or spider veins.

What are the signs my leg cramps are due to varicose veins?

Three signs indicate your leg cramps are due to varicose veins. These signs are:

• You have leg veins that look bulbous and rope-like.
• Your lower legs are frequently itchy and/or swollen.
• You’re pregnant, overweight, or obese (common risk factors for varicose veins).

Varicose veins are usually due to a problem with the valves controlling normal blood flow in your vein. Because of this, varicose veins often lead to cramping, aching, and a feeling of heaviness in your legs.

How are leg cramps treated?

Your doctor at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine may recommend a procedure called radiofrequency ablation. The benefits of the treatment include:

• Little to no discomfort
• No anesthesia
• No significant downtime

Radiofrequency ablation is performed at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine’s office. Your doctor inserts a small tube into your damaged vein, then heats the vein with an electrical current from a radio wave. The heat leads to scarring, your vein collapses, and blood flow is rerouted to surrounding veins.

Because blood can no longer get stuck in your vein, the procedure alleviates pain and leg cramps while improving the appearance of the vein.

You don’t need to suffer from leg cramps when effective treatment is available at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine. Call today or book a consultation online.