Severe Foot Cramps

Severe foot cramps are the painful and unpleasing sensations that can actually be caused in any muscle due to various reasons, like fatigue and certain nutrient deficiencies. Unlike any other symptom or ailment, they do not have any symptoms. You will not experience a little pain in the feet, which will then become severe, like any normal cramps. The ones on the feet occur anytime. So, it becomes really difficult to prevent them. But knowing their causes can actually help in preventing them.

It is one of the most common cause. If you stand continuously for a long period of time, or walk a lot, you are likely to experience this condition by the end of the day. So, it is necessary to rest your feet after every half an hour, or one hour.

To get rid of this, massage your foot for about 10 minutes. Using essential oils like eucalyptus can provide more relief, especially if there is swelling.

Most of them are caused due to the deficiency of potassium. Potassium helps to regulate the body chemistry, which avoids cramps. Besides this condition, dry skin, constipation, insatiable thirst, confusion, etc., are some of the signs of potassium deficiency.

To avoid this, include foods high in potassium, like cashews, great northern beans, halibut, prunes, passion fruit, buckwheat, etc., to your diet. Make it a point to include at least one food item that is rich in potassium to your every meal. Normal levels of potassium is 3.5 - 5.0 mmol/L. This level should maintained.

It is actually the lack of water in the muscles that may lead to this problem.

This can be avoided by drinking sufficient water throughout the day. One should drink about 8-10 glasses of water everyday. Also, avoid things that can lead to dehydration, like excessive caffeine. If your caffeine intake is too much, how much ever water you drink, it will be of no use.

Pinched nerve is one of the main causes. If the electrical impulse fails to reach the muscle, a severe cramp can be caused. The other symptom is numbness. If you experience these symptoms, it is better to contact your doctor, as he will be able to prescribe the right treatment.

Consumption of alcohol and tobacco can cause this problem. Alcohol causes dehydration and also increases the toxicity, which leads to this condition. If this happens with you on a regular basis, cut down on smoking and alcohol.

Besides the above mentioned reasons, this condition can also be caused due to hormonal imbalance, poor blood circulation, injury, foot problems, like tendonitis, diseases, like Parkinson's disease, allergy caused due to certain chemicals, etc. Chamomile tea is a good remedy. Applying warm compresses to the foot reduces the pain.

So now you know what causes these cramps, what steps can be taken to prevent them, and also how to stop them from occurring. As you must have observed, avoiding them is not difficult, so try to avoid them; if you have to face them, use only natural cures.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.