How do I prevent extremely painful cramps in my calf muscle when sleeping?

Question

I have tried drinking more water, taking magnesium supplements, stretching. Sometimes I can see the muscle throbbing. Only ever happens on the left calf muscle - if I panic because of the pain when it happens, it gets much worse so I try to relax. Pain is almost unbearable - I'd rather give birth or cut off my leg ....! Only started last year since the death of a very close family member. Can anyone help please? Thanks.....

Answer 1

'Charley-horses' is the first place your body targets when you are dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I recommend purified water and Mineral Water mixed 50/50. The Mineral Water is going to put back into the muscles the minerals they are losing on a daily basis. You must drink beyond your thirst to get the benefits of hydration.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day. Realize that exercise, ambient temperature, and state of health affect the water needs of your body.

In the evening take a hot bath with 2c. of dissolved Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. Afterwards, if you have something shaped like a cylinder and made out of hard material (think of a large rolling pin you would use for pizza dough or something) place it under your leg and push down and roll it back and forth...this should massage the spasms out of your leg. It will hurt while you're doing it, but more so the type of pain that actually feels good, in the long run. Afterwards massage an analgesic cream into the area. You will start feeling better very quickly.

Answer 2

Wow! I am so sorry to know that you are experiencing leg cramps ouch. They are painful contractions of the muscle that happen involuntarily (ie. the calf muscles). Possible causes may be from
Dehydration (not taking on enough water, especially in hot conditions).
Low potassium or sodium (salt) levels.
Low carbohydrate levels.
Very tight muscles.
If you are getting these muscle cramps everyday or night your muscles can become damaged and we do not want that to happen but the best remedy is to find a very good Sports Massage Therapist. The massage therapist will perform various techinques in helping you recover from this. This would be very beneficial to you. Trust me it works!

Answer 3

You're low on sodium, which is needed to make the potassium (bananas) and calcium work: for quick relief until you can get some Gatorade, try drinking a glass of salt water about a quarter hour before you go to bed.
Just don't do it every day, since that might not be a healthy practice.
For long term, drink the Gatorade and maybe some cranberry juice.

Answer 4

What the hell is Magnesium going to do for your charlie horse? Turn into a banana fiend, and quick....potassium (vitamin K) is a leg cramp's kryptonite.

PS yeah, i agree with all the others on here that say you might be low on sodium...maybe a combo of sodium and potassium and see if that helps.

Answer 5

Sounds like it could be stress related. Try stretching a little before bed, and also, this may sound weird...eat more bananas or take a potassium supplement. That can help lots.

Answer 6

You are suffering from Nocturnal Cramping.You try Vitamin 400 once daily for 2 weeks.

Answer 7

Try drinking gatorade. You might be missing electrolytes, etc thats found in gatorade. An old coworker of mine used to get "charlie horses" extremely bad in her calves and thats what the doctor told her to do. She drinks one gatorade everyday and she hasnt had them since.

Answer 8

SOmething to do with lack of salt...keep a dish of it by the bed and when it starts dab a fingerful on your tongue...I heard it makes the cramp go away fast.

Answer 9

Try a Yahoo search for "calf cramps" + "natural remedies".