Foot Cramps Sleeping

Dr. Gott: Is stress to blame for sleeplessness?

DEAR DR. GOTT: In early March 2010, my husband broke his ankle in three places and shattered his heel. Despite the fact that he is now mobile and has passed through the worst part of recovery, he struggles with horrid sleep problems. Each night, he falls asleep almost immediately but is awake about two hours later and cannot fall back to sleep. Needless to say, this lack of sleep is taking its toll on him, as during the day he is completely drained. We have consulted our family physician, who has tried unsuccessfully prescribing various sleep medications. We have also tried melatonin, lavender, chamomile and more. You name it, he has tried it, to no avail. Is there anything else he can do at this point?

I also have had sleeping problems since his foot injury, but medication is working for me. We were both very much stressed after his injury because he was nonweight-bearing for three months and ran the risk of actually losing his foot due to the severity of the injury. Thank you for any help you can provide.

DEAR READER: Given that your husband's sleeping difficulties followed a serious injury, it is likely the two are related. Stress could certainly be to blame, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but certain medications can also cause unwanted sleep disturbances. Because you don't provide a list of what medications he is taking (likely an antibiotic and/or pain relievers), I cannot determine whether this is a possibility.

Because he has unsuccessfully tried so many prescription and home remedies, there is little left to recommend. I suggest that he review his medications with his physician to determine if one or more may contribute to the problem. Beyond that, he should learn some relaxation and stress-dealing techniques. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, deep breathing and more are all beneficial to calming both mind and body. In addition, yoga and tai chi are gentle exercises that may reduce his pain levels and allow him to regain some of the leg strength he lost during his injury and recovery. He may also benefit from counseling with someone who can help him deal with aspects of the trauma and recovery that may still be bothering him.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am so glad you have your column online, but your "search" function is worthless. I was looking for "restless legs syndrome" and got an article about menopause, so I tried leg cramps. Again, a totally unrelated article. I also searched "ingrown toenail" and got the correct article, but the bottom of it was cut off.

How to Prevent Foot Cramps :: Foot Cramps

CLICK HERE For Your Solution to Cure Foot Cramps

Have you ever been sitting someplace and all of a sudden experienced this kind of tingling numb sensation in your foot? How about when you’ve been sitting down at your desk for hours and, your foot begins to feel sore and you have difficulty moving it? If you have encountered these feelings before, it’s possible that you have experienced the signs and symptoms to foot cramps. There are various warning signs that may arise while you’re attempting to determine if you have foot cramps or not. Several of the symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling, swelling, trouble moving your foot, stiffness, and in many cases weakness. The symptoms can be periodic or continual.

Some individuals who are currently suffering with chronic foot cramps usually describe the symptoms as burning, throbbing, sharp stabbing pains, and more. Some people have moderate cramps, while others acquire severe cramps. Regardless, there is a method to reduce your likelihood of developing foot cramps. The one foremost factor that will almost guarantee whether you start having foot cramps or not is your intake of water. We all are advised to obtain at the very least eight full glasses of drinking water on a daily basis. Many people drink soda or some other high sugar beverage that does not supply your body with the hydration it requires. Based on how active you are, you may need to increase your water intake. Consuming enough water prevents dehydration and electrolyte imbalances in the body.

There are numerous strategies you can begin putting into practice that will help prevent foot cramps from occurring. Try to always ensure that you have stretched the muscle tissue in your foot. You can do this by using your hands to gently pull back on your toes and stretch the muscle. If you have had foot cramps you will feel the muscle stretching in the bottom of your foot, which may be slightly sore or tender. Many times people do this stretch only when they are experiencing a foot cramp, but neglect to continue stretching their muscles group in the bottom of their foot regularly. It is always recommended that you stretch any muscle in your body only after you have warmed up, got your heart beating, and provided blood circulation to your body. At the most basic you could walk around your house or living room for about five minutes. Certainly, there are several other ways to stretch these muscles in your foot. If you have a step or a ledge you can place you toes on the edge of that and put your body weight back on its heels. Another method is to stand on your toes and slowly sit down on your heels. This is a slightly more advanced stretch, but can really have the desirable effect. If you are consistently getting foot cramps before while you are asleep you can do these stretches before you got to bed. Remember this is the opposite position of pointing your toes down which could be causing your foot cramps.

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