When they were younger, muscle cramps usually only occurred during times when they were being strenuously active, like running a marathon, playing a long game of soccer, or taking a day-long bike ride. Now, unfortunately, your senior may experience frequent muscle cramps even when he’s doing nothing but sleeping or sitting and watching TV. Senior home care services can help.
These muscle cramps can be extremely painful and even make the area tender for hours after the initial cramping issue, but why are seniors more likely to experience painful muscle cramping?
Where Do Seniors Experience Muscle Cramps?
Before we talk about why cramps occur, it’s important to understand where they are most likely to occur in seniors. Three types of muscle cramps or spasms generally affect seniors the greatest – nocturnal leg cramps, and hand and foot spasms. Both are painful and interrupt the daily activities (or nightly sleep) of seniors.
They can also become so common, your senior may become fearful of the next one occurring.
What Leads to Muscle Cramps in Seniors?
A muscle cramp is an unexpected and sudden muscle tightening that usually seems to come out of nowhere. It can immediately stop a person in their tracks as they relate to the pain and focus on trying to relax the muscle(s).
For seniors, this unfortunately is a natural part of aging, and many seniors struggle with having nighttime leg cramps at least monthly. If your senior also has arthritis, hand and foot cramps can be quite common as well.
Factors that may increase cramps or the intensity of cramps can include:
- Being dehydrated. Heat can easily dehydrate older adults, who have less of a fluid reserve to begin with. Even just being at home, but forgetting to drink enough water can lead to dehydration, especially in the winter months when the inside of homes is dry due to forced heat.
- Muscle changes. With age, muscle mass declines, and nerves may become more sensitive. These two factors can lead to more unwanted muscle cramping and contractions.
- Medications. Some commonly used medications, such as statins used to lower high cholesterol, can increase the risk of cramping.
- Inactivity can lead to cramping as much as excessive overactivity. This is a common cause for cramps while sleeping or during an extremely long plane ride.
- Vitamin D deficiency can often occur in the winter months when it’s difficult to get outside and soak up the natural vitamin D that comes from the sun.
- Health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, thyroid disorders, and arthritis can all increase the likelihood of muscle cramps.
Three Tips for Preventing Muscle Cramps
- Stay hydrated. Your senior may need reminders to drink enough fluids throughout the day. A senior home care provider can help encourage fluid intake during the day to prevent nighttime cramps.
- Make sure their diet is rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Senior home care providers who assist with meals can support nutritional needs by helping with both shopping and preparing.
- Stretch it out. Your senior should stretch before activity as well as before inactivity (such as going to bed).
If your senior struggles with cramps that affect their ability to complete some daily living activities, talk to a senior home care team about how they can step in and help your senior around the home so they can remain independent.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care in Sun City, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings! for Seniors Companion Care today. Call (623) 594-0819
Blessings! for Seniors Companion Care is a top provider of home care services in Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Peoria, Litchfield Park, Sun City, Sun City West, Tolleson, Phoenix, Youngtown, Surprise, and surrounding areas.
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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