High blood pressure can cause pain, aching and cramping in the legs due to insufficient blood flow to the muscles. When blood vessels are damaged from high blood pressure, fatty deposits, called plaque, can build-up causing blood vessels to narrow making it harder for blood to flow around the body.
Legs, Hips, and Stomach
Narrow and blocked arteries in the lower part of your body -- especially your legs -- can cause pain and cramping. Because it's affecting blood vessels that aren't near your heart, your doctor may call this peripheral artery disease (PAD).
You should seek immediate medical help if: The cramps last longer than 10 minutes and fail to improve, despite exercise.
Not enough minerals.
Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.
The second reason for arterial narrowing is spasm or thickening of the muscle walls. This is what happens in the early stages of high blood pressure and this is reversible. There are several reasons for this spasm: Hypoglycaemia.
Most often prescribed for high blood pressure, ACE inhibitors are also known to cause leg cramps through potassium buildup. This can lead to achy muscles, joints, and even bones.
Even a small dose of quinine might be helpful. Many other readers have also shared success stories with tonic water against nighttime leg cramps.
In general, they're likely the result of tired muscles and nerve problems. The risk of having night leg cramps increases with age. Pregnant people also are more likely to have night leg cramps. Kidney failure, diabetic nerve damage and problems with blood flow are known to cause night leg cramps.
Peripheral artery disease that causes leg pain can be indicative of heart issues. People that have PAD are at a higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack. This could be a sign that the coronary arteries are blocked and the blood flow is reduced.
A significant body of research has found that increasing your magnesium intake can help with the frequency of night time leg cramps, especially for pregnant women. Health experts recommend getting at least 300 milligrams of magnesium each day.
High blood pressure can lead to peripheral arterial disease (PAD), where narrowing of the blood vessels restricts the blood flow to the legs and feet, causing pain.
If you have clogged arteries, for example, it can cause a reduction in blood circulation to your legs. As a result, the muscles in your legs may cramp up, especially when you walk or exercise. In addition, vein damage can also cause leg cramping.
Poor blood flow to your leg muscles may also cause the sudden painful cramping, including varicose veins. If your leg cramps happen often and don't improve with self-care, Dr. Banda recommends you come in to see him for an evaluation to see if poor blood flow is the cause of your leg cramps.
Apply heat or cold.
Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscles. Taking a warm bath or directing the stream of a hot shower onto the cramped muscle also can help. Rubbing the sore muscle with ice also might relieve pain.
You probably know that bananas are a good source of potassium. But they'll also give you magnesium and calcium. That's three out of four nutrients you need to ease muscle cramps tucked under that yellow peel. No wonder bananas are a popular, quick choice for cramp relief.
People with PAD feel pain because of the fatty deposits in the arteries of the leg which block blood flow to the muscles, as well as the arteries supporting the heart and brain. This makes a person with PAD far more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke than someone without the condition.
Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure. Often, these are late signs that high blood pressure has existed for some time, therefore annual checks are recommended for all adults.