A doctor has shared a video of a patient with extreme muscle cramps to remind people to properly hydrate and get enough vital nutrients like magnesium.
Dr Paul Wischmeyer, an anesthesiologist at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina, shared a video showing the ‘alien-like’ leg cramp.
The shocking clip shows the unnamed patient’s leg writhing around and caving in, like something is living inside of it.
Dr Paul Wischmeyer, an anesthesiologist at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina, shared a video this week showing a patient suffering an ‘alien-like’ leg cramp
Leg cramps are usually harmless, but they could indicate issues like dehydration and magnesium deficiency
‘Severe leg muscle cramps!! That calf wriggles like an alien creature,’ Dr Wischmeyer wrote.
He did not release any details about the patient, but he used the video to urge people to drink enough water before and after a workout and get enough essential magnesium.
Leg cramps, also known as charley horses or muscle spasms, are involuntary contractions that can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
These usually occur in the calf, foot, or thigh. They can happen at any age or time of day, though they’re most common in the middle of the night, disrupting sleep.
Additionally, older patients are also more likely to have leg cramps, as tendons shorten with age, making the legs and other limbs less flexible.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, one in three adults over age 60 will experience a nighttime cramp at least once every two months.
Pregnant women may also be at an increased risk, as pregnancy puts more strain on muscles.
‘They’re extremely common, and can be very frustrating for patient and physician alike, in part because most cases of leg cramps are idiopathic (unknown cause),’ Dr Wischmeyer said.
‘Fortunately they’re usually harmless.’
One major cause, Dr Wishmeyer noted, is not getting enough magnesium, an essential nutrient that works alongside calcium to regulate muscle contractions. Calcium triggers contractions, while magnesium helps the muscles relax.
Without the magnesium, muscles are more prone to cramping.
In addition to supplements, magnesium can be found in several foods, such as spinach, nuts, avocados, seeds, peanut butter, and black beans.
Dr Wischmeyer also said that dehydration increases the risk of leg cramps, as it reduces blood volume and circulation to the limbs. This lack of blood flow can lead to fatigue and cramps.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, nighttime cramps could also be due to sitting for long periods of time throughout the day, standing or walking on concrete floors, and having poor posture.
In rare cases, leg cramps could be a sign of peropheral neuropathy, a condition in which nerves are damaged and send abnormal signals throughout the body, resulting in numbness, pain, or weakness. The condition affects about 20million Ameircans, though it’s most common in older people and diabetics.
‘No specific medical treatment is indicated for leg cramps, but several drugs can be used. Calcium-channel blockers, such as diltiazem, are effective to treat nocturnal leg cramps,’ Dr Wischmeyer said.
