Cramp

Mike

Mike

Well-known Member
Location
London
Muscle Cramp to be more precise, I never experienced
cramp until this morning when I woke up, I rolled over
to get out of bed and my left leg ceased up, with the
calf solid and sore!

It is not nice, I hope that it never happens again, but my
leg has been a bit sore all day.

Mike.
 

I tried stretching my calf before bed. It seems to work - only an occasional mild cramp.
There are a couple of ways to do it.
Stand a foot away from the wall with your hands on the wall & slowly lean toward the wall while keeping your heels on the floor.
Or sit up in bed, keep your legs straight & slowly try to reach your toes.
 
My wife always says it can be due to not enough calcium (i.e. one possible cause, not the ONLY possible cause). Since she is lactose intolerant, she has calcium chewable white tablets.

Tony
 
A trick that worked for me was to put an unwrapped bar of Ivory soap under the covers at the foot of my bed. When I felt the first twinge of a cramp I rubbed the bar of soap with my feet and it prevented the cramp from getting worse.

I asked my PCP about it and he said that he had heard of other people doing it but did not have any explanation to offer other than if it works keep doing it.

Good luck!
 
I drink plenty water, and I'm not diabetic.. and my calcium levels are high... but I get the Charley Horse occasionally..:eek:

Mike, if you feel it coming on and it almost always happens during the night, pull your toes up very hard towards your shin, and keep them there until the muscle spasm is relieved which should only take a few seconds, but it's horribly painful while it's happening

people will tell you all sorts of things, like standing on a cold floor etc will relieve it or putting magnesium on your feet before bed will prevent it... ..but your immediate action should be to pull your toes up towards your shin when it happens .

It's agonising pain, and will leave you sore for hours, and even anxious it'll happen again...

They do talk about cramps being caused by the lack of salt in the body... make sure to have enough salt in your diet, but only pure salt...I use Maldon sea salt...
 
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Thank you all for your thoughts and advice, I have heard
during my lifetime, that it is caused by, lack of salt, lack of
water (de-hydration), lack of calcium, too long in the same
position, not enough electrolyte, salt again in that list, I have
no idea as I never had it before.

No warning, I woke up and moved "Bingo" pain.

I will try the extra salt and drink water tomorrow to see if that
helps.

Thank you all.

Mike.
 
I've been getting leg and foot cramps for some years now that I'm older. I always have some Magnesium Oil handy at home, a bottle in the bathroom and a small one on my end table in the bedroom. Applying it give almost immediate relief, if you feel one starting but it isn't too bad yet, putting on the oil will make it never get intense. I also take Magnesium every day, relaxes the muscles. Recently started taking a Potassium supplement, but I don't think I'll continue on that, no noticeable difference.
 
Mike said:
Muscle Cramp to be more precise, I never experienced
cramp until this morning when I woke up, I rolled over
to get out of bed and my left leg ceased up, with the
calf solid and sore!

It is not nice, I hope that it never happens again, but my
leg has been a bit sore all day.

Mike.
Click to expand...
I get woken up with those 2 or 3 times almost every night. They are excruciating! I attribute mine to problems in my lower back. Surgery fixed some of the problems but it's still pretty messed up.
Pinky said:
Diabetics often get leg cramps ..
Click to expand...
Really? I didn't know that. Last visit my doctor said I'm borderline diabetic. Coulda been the waffles and syrup I had for breakfast before the blood test, though.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I've been getting leg and foot cramps for some years now that I'm older. I always have some Magnesium Oil handy at home, a bottle in the bathroom and a small one on my end table in the bedroom. Applying it give almost immediate relief, if you feel one starting but it isn't too bad yet, putting on the oil will make it never get intense. I also take Magnesium every day, relaxes the muscles. Recently started taking a Potassium supplement, but I don't think I'll continue on that, no noticeable difference.
Click to expand...
I'm gonna try that, if I can find it. The cramps I get are nearly intolerable. And yes, it goes to my feet. They twist and my toes curl up and it freaking hurts like hell.

About 5 weeks ago my doctor prescribed Sertraline because she thinks I'm too stressed out, and I've only had those cramps twice since I started taking it. Twice in over a month. I was getting them 2 or 3 times a night and sometimes once or twice during the day as well.

I always suspected my cramps are neurological; that they happen because of my spine being messed up. Now I'm sure of it.
 
Ah yes, the good ol' calf cramp. I talked about this on another thread so won't bore you to tears once again. The suggestions mentioned are all good. I agree they hurt like hell and the soreness can last a long time. For me it's not a case of getting older as I've experienced them since my teenage years of surfing too much. (Surfing too much?????) Yes, overexertion as in Lewkat's tennis will get ya every time.
 
Murrmurr said:
I get woken up with those 2 or 3 times almost every night. They are excruciating! I attribute mine to problems in my lower back. Surgery fixed some of the problems but it's still pretty messed up.

Really? I didn't know that. Last visit my doctor said I'm borderline diabetic. Coulda been the waffles and syrup I had for breakfast before the blood test, though.
Click to expand...
2or 3 times every night ?:eek:OMG I'd have lost my mind by now,..you poor man.. how horrendous
 
Aunt Bea said:
A trick that worked for me was to put an unwrapped bar of Ivory soap under the covers at the foot of my bed. When I felt the first twinge of a cramp I rubbed the bar of soap with my feet and it prevented the cramp from getting worse.

I asked my PCP about it and he said that he had heard of other people doing it but did not have any explanation to offer other than if it works keep doing it.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
I’ve heard of that too! In fact I tried it and it DID work! Can’t remember now what was hurting that made me put it there in the first place...this was years ago... but I remember it cured whatever it was and I was amazed.
With all of the aches and pains and muscle cramps I have now, I should probably put a case of Ivory soap under my sheets and see what happens 😁
 
Murrmurr said:
I'm gonna try that, if I can find it. The cramps I get are nearly intolerable. And yes, it goes to my feet. They twist and my toes curl up and it freaking hurts like hell.
Click to expand...
The site I bought it from, the best brand I've used, GlobalLight.com is no longer there. These bottles are pricey, but they last a long time, you don't use much. Anyway, the last bottle I have is Essence of Life from that website, they have it here on this site.
https://www.needs.com/product/Essence_of_Life_Magnesium_Oil_8/b_Essence_of_Life

The other brand I've used is Swanson Vitamin brand, checked their site and they're out of stock on it. It was cheaper, and worked okay, but not as good as the Essence of Life. I have both brands at home, the Essence of Life is on my end table, and that is what we take with us on camping trips.
 
SetWave said:
Ah yes, the good ol' calf cramp. I talked about this on another thread so won't bore you to tears once again. The suggestions mentioned are all good. I agree they hurt like hell and the soreness can last a long time. For me it's not a case of getting older as I've experienced them since my teenage years of surfing too much. (Surfing too much?????) Yes, overexertion as in Lewkat's tennis will get ya every time.
Click to expand...
Some years back when I was still doing Zumba classes, the cramps started being apparent more than ever and haven't stopped since then. I'll get them in my foot while driving (clutch) and when at home doing something in a squatting or floor position like cleaning a lower cabinet, will often trigger a cramp. I imagine when you're surfing you leg muscles are definitely tense and is weird positions, could easily see that triggering cramps.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I've been getting leg and foot cramps for some years now that I'm older. I always have some Magnesium Oil handy at home, a bottle in the bathroom and a small one on my end table in the bedroom. Applying it give almost immediate relief, if you feel one starting but it isn't too bad yet, putting on the oil will make it never get intense. I also take Magnesium every day, relaxes the muscles. Recently started taking a Potassium supplement, but I don't think I'll continue on that, no noticeable difference.
Click to expand...
I second the magnesium. It’s a mineral that helps the muscles relax and helps calm the nerves.
 
the pickle juice is bad tasting but according to the report I read, you didn't even have to swallow it for it to take affect. cramps are caused by the brain telling your muscles they are tired and incorrectly positioned. when you drink the pickle juice it hits the back of the throat and causes a motor neural response to the brain and the brain tells the muscles to stop cramping.....
 


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