Foot cramps are a very common symptom of sciatica, often experienced while lying in bed or sitting with the feet elevated. Feet cramps can be a recurring problem for patients and might lead to some rather serious consequences, such as insomnia and increased pain when standing or walking.
Cramps in the feet are greatly misunderstood in their cause, but are usually easy to remedy in the short-term. However, when they recur over and over again, most patients find themselves desperate for a cure that will last and this is where it pays to know why you have foot cramps in order to effectively end them forever.
This discussion explores the causes, symptoms and cure for feet cramps that may be related to a sciatica pain syndrome. If you are suffering from chronic foot spasms and cramps, then this is the right dialog for you.
Symptoms of Foot Cramps
Cramps in the feet can occur unilaterally affecting one foot or in both feet. A cramp describes an uncontrollable tightening of muscles in the foot, with the toes typically spreading out strangely and painfully. The foot may feel as if it is ripping itself apart in severe expressions.
Patients often report feelings of tingling or muscular spasms just prior to a cramp starting. When patient become more aware of the precursor signs of cramping, they can usually avoid suffering these terribly painful events by following the guidance provided in the relief section below.
Causes of Cramped Feet
There can be a variety of causes of cramps in the feet. All of the following scenarios can cause cramping in one or both feet:
Sciatica and pseudo-sciatica are major causes of foot cramping. When the sciatic nerve or the nerve roots which form it are affected by a compression condition, the muscles in the foot might experience innervation problems that may lead to recurrent cramping.
Poor circulation can cause foot cramps due to structural ischemia. However, mindbody ischemia is a far more common source of cramping, with the reduction in blood being linked to repressed emotional issues often attempting to gain conscious recognition during sleep or “twilight” sleep (when falling asleep).
Diabetes commonly leads to innervation problems in the feet that can create cramping, muscular spasms, ulcers and other complications.
Obesity is a leading cause of feet cramps due to poor general health and poor circulation. It does not help that many obese people are also diabetic.
Simply getting older increases the risk for suffering cramps in the feet. Aging deteriorates the body’s nerve and muscle systems and can encourage cramping.
Lying down or elevating the feet while sitting exponentially raises the chance of suffering foot spasms and cramps. Most people experience foot cramping in bed or when sitting with their feet up. Of course, all of the risk factors above also increase the odds of suffering cramps when elevating the feet even more.
Relief from Foot Cramps
Finding relief from feet cramps is generally easy for acute presentations, but can be hampered by particular factors that facilitate the expression of cramps. Here is our advice on ending foot spasms and cramps:
If you can become aware of the precursor signs of a cramp and stop it before it begins, you will not have to suffer any pain. Usually the foot will suffer paresthesia or pins and needles right before cramping up. If you can stand up and put weight on the foot, the cramp will virtually always be prevented.
If the cramp already began, such as when it wakes you out of a sound sleep with terrible pain, you can also usually just stand up and put full weight on the foot to restore normal function and relieve the cramp.
When standing to put weight on a cramped foot, be sure to steady yourself so that you do not fall down and potentially injure yourself. The foot may be painful and unsteady when first attempting to bear weight on it.
If you get recurrent cramps when sleeping, consider utilizing knowledge therapy to address the mindbody issues that are likely causing you to suffer cramps most often when fully or partially asleep.
If you have diabetes or are obese, definitely talk to your doctor about ways to manage and reverse these conditions, since you will likely suffer far worse effects than just foot cramps. In fact, obesity is the greatest heath risk a person can demonstrate and is a leading cause of disability, as well as premature death.
