It is widely believed that calf cramps are caused by calcium deficiency, but in fact, this is not entirely the case.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), calf cramps are referred to as "convulsion syndrome," and their occurrence is attributed to poor circulation of the body's meridians and qi (vital energy), or malabsorption. Clinically, cramps in the gastrocnemius muscle of the calf are more common in the elderly, often occurring during deep sleep at night, and recurrent episodes can affect sleep.
For this condition, TCM has a prescription: Take 40 grams of white peony root and 20 grams of licorice root, decoct them in water to make a soup, take one dose daily, divided into two administrations in the morning and evening. Relief can be achieved after taking it for three consecutive days. In the prescription, white peony root is bitter and sour in taste, and cool in nature. It enters the liver and spleen meridians, and has the effects of nourishing blood and softening the liver, relieving pain in the middle jiao, and astringing yin to control sweating.
In addition, patients with calf muscle spasms can massage the Shangqiu and Diji acupoints for 3-5 minutes each, both in the morning and evening, to strengthen the spleen, unblock the collaterals, and promote transportation and transformation. Generally, symptoms can be alleviated in 3-5 days.