I get severe leg cramps at night, not in my calf muscle, but on the outside of my lower legs, any suggestions?

Question

The cramps I get are nothing like a typical muscle cramp in the leg, which I have had many times. These cramps don't feel like they are in the muscle at all. The pain is much worse and they last longer. Walking on it only makes it worse. The cramping occurs on the outter side of my legs from my knee to ankle and only at night. Any ideas?

Could my problem be more severe than a "leg cramp"?

Answer 1

Eat more bananas or take a potassium supplement, also some water wouldn't hurt. You're probably dehydrated or have a potassium deficiency.

Answer 2

I've got a few ideas. First, have the cramps gotten bad enough to make you see a doctor? Or are you going to try home remedies first?

Some great home remedies depend on the cause of the cramps. I'm not a doctor, but I've suffered the same kind of cramps for several years. They are, usually, caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. (in my case sciatic nerve) A chiropractor can adjust the back to relieve the pressure on the nerve.

If you're not ready for that, yet, I suggest Leg Cramp pills, available at your local Wal-Mart, normally on the bottom shelf of the vitamins isle. They work really well for those night time leg cramps.

I've also, in a pinch, drunk pickle juice if I was out of Leg Cramp pills. (Dill or kosher taste great and help the cramps enough to get to sleep.) It's basically vinegar and salt. I've heard of people drinking an ounce or two of apple cidar vinegar for same.

If it's not skeletal, it could also be a calcium or potassium deficiency. Either can be supplemented with pills or foods like milk, bananas, juices with calcium added; potatoes are also good sources of potassium. But out of all of these, the best, by far, are the Leg Cramp pills.

Answer 3

Well there can be a variety of things that may be causing these symptoms. First for most consult with a doctor before taking any ones advise.
Now when we or when certain people sleep, their bodies can often get very tense.No different when people sleep and grind their teeth, that can be a problem also. A cramp is a sign or a reaction that your body is trying tell you something. Like lack of exercise,(do you work out,do stretch exercise?). A body needs regular maintenance daily. Plus exercising can surly relief stress,which can also be a contributing factor. Then take a look at your diet. With rising temperatures every where, your body will deplete its body fluids very quickly, thus causing cramps. So, increase your fluid intake. I live in Vegas. Being hydrated is a part time job all into its self here,lol. Buts that how we adapt. I recommend Gatorade. My favorite water is "Smart Water" its a bit pricey but I drink lots of it with out feeling bloated. Now also cramps can be a sign of a lack of a nutrient call "potassium" , which also can cause cramps. You can take supplements but try eating bananas instead. Finally, worst case take a over the counter muscle relaxant(if there is one?) before going to bed.Good Luck.

Answer 4

The cramps could be due to side effects from medications, particularly if you're taking medications such as diuretics or cholesterol medications.

If you're on a cholesterol medication, the problem could be more severe than a leg cramp. In some cases, muscle starts breaking down due to the medication-- this is called rhabdomyolysis and is a serious condition.

There could also be an electrolyte imbalance causing this problem. Diuretics and poor nutritional intake can cause electrolyte imbalances. You may need to increase your potassium or magnesium intake. However, you should check with a doctor first.

Answer 5

Leg cramps happen for many different reasons. When some people tuck the bottom of their sheets in between the mattress and box spring, this restricts leg movement during sleep and can cause cramping. By the same token, if you don't have enough leg room--like say, if your bed is too short, that too can cause cramping. Being overweight can cause similar problems.

To play it safe, you should make an appointment with your primary care physician.

Answer 6

Outer Lower Leg Pain

Answer 7

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Charlie Horse is the leg muscles responding to not enough calcium. If the bones aren't getting enough, they will take it from the muscles in order to fulfill their needs. Calcium is also necessary for healthy heart contraction. Might want to knock off the phosphates (sodas) which also deprives your bones from much needed calcium. Calcium/magnesium (nature's muscle relaxant) is a great daily nutritional supplement, and with the added Vit D, the calcium will be better absorbed. Do drink lots of milk as well.

Answer 8

I've had that a few times in the last few months - I know what you mean about the pain! I'm not certain, but I think it has something to do with you suddenly contracting the muscle after it has been relaxed for a long time. To avoid it know I try and slowly start to move my legs when I wake up - sounds silly I know but I haven't experienced it for a while!

Answer 9

I would say to check with your doctor. Sometimes, leg cramping can be a symptom of something more. Also, it could mean you are not getting enough potassium. Drinking a glass or two of orange juice for a week to see if that helps could be useful. Again though, I say check with a doctor. There is a variety of things that could be going on.

Answer 10

I badly sprained my ankle about 3 weeks ago. I was in a hurry going down the stairs, lost my balance and landed on a bad side of my left foot, causing my left ankle to be stretched going on the inside. The first 48 hours were excruciating and the pain was un-believable. I've never had a serious ankle injury before.

So I immediately treated it using the RICE method. The following day, the bruising and swelling were so horrible. I found out that I got a second degree sprain and immediately panicked after that. I had a football game on that week and it been looking forward to it because I've been training for rt. I had teammates that had similar injuries and it took them months to fully recover, some of them stopped playing altogether. So I kinda had a short-term depression because I can't imagine myself not being able to run and play sports anymore.

Because I was so desperate to recover again, I contacted a lot of people that I know who do sports and asked them if they had similar injuries. One friend of mine, from the boy's football team in my university, told me about H.E.M. Ankle Rehab. I got a copy 4 days after I got injured. I immediately read and followed what was instructed and felt improvement on the first day. I was able to walk a bit, but I was in pain.

A couple of days after that, the swelling and bruising were subsid-ing significantly and on the fourth day, I was walking comfortably again. Although I've had felt a bit of stiffness, I continued doing what was instructed. My sister was surprised that I have recovered this fast. I told her about this book and was shocked on how effective the procedures were. I'm just so happy that this book was shared to me and how effective it is.

Heal your ankle fully & fast?

Answer 11

Reduce your caffeine intake and salt intake
Drink more water
Stretch your legs

Get checked out for Restless Leg Syndrome.