Most of us remember being told by a parent or guardian that our nighttime aching in our legs is simply the common problem of growing pains.<\/p>\n
What exactly are growing pains and how do they affect the life of a child? How long do these pains last and how can we relieve the aching feeling which usually occurs at night?<\/p>\n
As 25 to 40 percent of children suffer from this issue, it important all adults understand how to deal with this common problem.<\/p>\n
The problem those who feel they are affected by growing pains have is a lack of a common cause for the pain which generally affects the thighs, calves, and the area behind the knees.<\/p>\n
Kidspot<\/strong><\/a> reports the term “growing pains” was first coined in the 19th-century but has no standard medical definition.<\/p>\n One if the earliest definitions of growing pains were of discomfort caused by the bones growing as a child ages.<\/p>\n However, the pain described by medical professionals and patients is focused on the muscles with medical researchers finding no evidence of the growth of a child causing pain such as those described.<\/p>\n According to The Mayo Clinic<\/strong><\/a>, the most common symptom of growing pains is a throbbing or aching feeling in the muscles of the legs.<\/p>\n The majority of symptoms are confined to the legs with the thighs, calves, and area behind the knees the most commonly cited in research into growing pains.<\/p>\n However, the symptoms commonly reported are not solely confined to the legs of the child who feels they are suffering from growing pains.<\/p>\n Instead, headaches have also been reported among those affected by this common medical condition which is often linked to restless leg syndrome.<\/p>\n One of the most common factors of growing pains is the fact the painful condition is most commonly seen during the nighttime disrupting sleep patterns.<\/p>\n The reasons for the symptoms commonly striking during the late afternoon and night has resulted in the thought from many medical professionals that heavy exercise is to blame for symptoms arriving.<\/p>\n Many medical professionals have formed links between heavy exercise during the day and nighttime aches and pains.<\/p>\n Although no definitive cause for growing pains has ever been definitively proven it is thought the overuse of muscles during the developmental phase could be a common cause of pain.<\/p>\n The common activities associated with regular levels of play among children including running, jumping and climbing have all been linked to the overuse of muscles leading to overnight pain.<\/p>\n Parents may notice a child has more instances of growing pains following a particularly active day with the more physical activity that would normally be common.<\/p>\nWhat are the symptoms of growing pains? <\/span><\/h2>\n
Pain strikes during the night<\/span><\/h2>\n
Who is affected by growing pains? <\/span><\/h2>\n