charlie horse?

Question

ok, about a month ago i woke up in the middle of the night and got this really really really, like excrushiating pain in my calf! i ask my friend about it and she said it was a charlie horse? well anyways, happend again on monday, and again last night. this has been the worst one... i could barely walk this morning and all day have been struggling with the pain of walking, or moving, or stretching my legs. is there any reason for this? i was wondering if it is some sort of vitamin deficience or somthing... this has never happend to be before, and its like extreamly painful! please help!

Answer 1

I have heard two things about charlie horse's. The first on like somebody else answered is potassium. The second one is it could be a sign of dehydration. So drink lots of water.

Answer 2

I get them all the time and I recommend that you drink a bit of tonic water every day. The quinine in the tonic water will help release the knots in your muscles. When you do get them though if you can get up and go to the restroom and put your foot in the cold tub it will help take them away. Or if you can't get up...pull back on your toes towards you it will help to stretch the muscle out. I know it hurts like heck the next day like someone punched you in the muscle but that is because it was in a huge knot. You might also want to eat more foods that are high in potasium...Bananas, orange juice, melons..etc. I hope some of these tricks work for you...Good luck

Answer 3

-sometimes it might be not enough potassium...you could try orange juice or bananas...esp. if you are taking lasix (a water pill)
-you could be low on calcium which relaxes the muscles...if so try oscal D calcium pills or milkshake or cheese.
-Stretch the calf muscle when it happens by leaning against a wall at an angle (like runners do)
If this doesn't help, see a doctor to make sure it isn't something more serious like a blood clot or something...not a bad idea to ask the doctor first anyway.

Answer 4

Sounds like a cramp to me..... It's when lactic acid builds up in a certain part of your body and makes your muscles .... contract (I think) improperly, so you get the feeling you're decribing.
Lactic acid is a poison, but it's naturally produced by the body (a waste product of exercise, if I remember rightly) and can be remedied by massaging the 'charlie's horse' area.

Never heard one called that! I thought you were on about a toy in the Louise Rennison series of books until I read this!

Answer 5

Well I get these about once a month. I've learned is if you can relax the muscle when it happens there is no pain afterword. It hurts really bad but try to take a deep breath and concentrate on getting the muscle to relax. It usually takes me about 30 seconds to do this and once it relaxes its gone and no pain not even the next day.

Answer 6

i'm getting fairly undesirable charlie horses at nite sum cases and its actually because of the fact im relatively dehdyrated my suggestion whilst it happens positioned some salt on the top of ur tongue i dont kno why besides the undeniable fact that it works and it facilitates soothe the discomfort. oh and drink sum greater water have faith that ought to assist

Answer 7

eat a banana before going to sleep the potassium is good for helping charlie horses also a mild pain releaver such as tylonal or bayer.

Answer 8

Psh that happens to me all the time.
It's a pain in your leg...as you know...
but i dont know what from.
I do know how to get rid of it.
Take a heating pad and place it on the area that hurts for about an hour.
If not longer.
It will go away.

Answer 9

You may need some potassium in your diet. Try eating bananas and oranges.

Answer 10

I was told as an old remedy that if you put a plate of salt under your bed right about where your legs are positioned when you lay down it usually helps. It helped me when I was pregnant with my children