Calf soreness during pregnancy

1. See a doctor promptly

Since RLS is not obvious in the early stages, many expectant mothers do not take it seriously. However, as time goes by, the symptoms of restless legs syndrome will seriously affect your life. Therefore, if expectant mothers feel soreness, pain and itching in their calves when they are resting or sleeping at night, patting and walking can slightly relieve the pain, but if the soreness and swelling reappears after a while, they should consider seeing a doctor as soon as possible.

In addition, we would like to remind all expectant mothers not to believe in some so-called "folk remedies" and not to take medicine on their own. Many drugs for treating restless legs syndrome cannot be taken during pregnancy, and some drugs used to treat allergies and colds (such as some antihistamines) may aggravate the symptoms of RLS. So never take any medicine on your own without your doctor's permission.

2. Reduce caffeine intake

Some expectant mothers may have the habit of drinking coffee or cola, but if you have restless legs syndrome during pregnancy, you should try to reduce your caffeine intake, because caffeine may aggravate the discomfort of restless legs syndrome and make you more painful.

3. Avoid sitting still for long periods of time and maintain moderate exercise

In the late stages of pregnancy, expectant mothers begin to become bulky and become less active, but sitting still for long periods of time can lead to poor blood circulation in the legs, thereby aggravating restless legs syndrome. Therefore, it is recommended that expectant mothers get up and walk around for a while after sitting for a while, which is beneficial to maintain smooth blood circulation in the legs.

4. Take iron, folic acid and other supplements appropriately

Iron deficiency may aggravate the symptoms of restless legs. Expectant mothers can go to the hospital to check the iron level in their body. If they are iron deficient, they may need to take iron supplements appropriately. They can also take some folic acid, magnesium and B12.

5. Perform relaxing activities before bed

Expectant mothers can take a warm bath before going to bed to promote blood circulation throughout the body. You can do a leg massage before going to bed and apply a warm towel to your legs to help you relax. After lying down on the bed, you can imitate the relaxation exercises done after a yoga class. Lie down flat, start to relax from your toes, maintain steady deep breathing, and then gradually relax each part of your body from bottom to top until you feel completely relaxed. This is very helpful for improving sleep quality.