Leg Cramps

Last night my wife had a sudden cramp in a thigh muscle that would not go away. Fortunately I had blogged about this very topic two years ago.
http://perpetualpreparedness.blogspot.com/2010/06/nocturnal-leg-cramps.html

 

I did not remember the exact details but I did remember there was a chemical imbalance and that pickle juice often helped although no one really understands why. People report results within a minute of drinking vinegar and that's way too fast for the stomach to process it and move it to the blood stream.

 

So I mixed up a cocktail of chemicals - a tablespoon of vinegar, another of lemon concentrate, some clear soda for sweetness and a dash of salt. This was followed by a water chaser since the taste was so awful. And it worked. We have no idea which item was essential, my wife was in pain and not interested in a lab experiment testing each item one at a time.

 

If the drink has failed I would have tried milk (for calcium) or a banana (for potassium). The required mineral is different for different people.

 

According to the Mayo Clinic ...

For most people, night leg cramps are merely an annoyance ... But in some cases, you may need to see a doctor.
Seek immediate medical care if you:

• Experience severe and persistent cramping
• Have night leg cramps after being exposed to a toxin, such as lead

Schedule an office visit if you:

• Have trouble functioning during the day because leg cramps interrupt your sleep
• Develop muscle weakness and atrophy along with leg cramps

See also http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/nocturnal-leg-cramps-nighttime-calf-muscle-pain.html

Nocturnal Leg Cramps

“For this, be sure, tonight thou shalt have cramps, side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up”- William Shakespeare, The Tempest

This morning I was awoken by a painful leg cramp. It’s an odd feeling to have one or more muscles do their own thing and completely disregard what you want. So what causes nighttime leg cramps and what can you do about it?

Nocturnal leg cramps are true cramps and not spasms. The muscle remains in a cramped and contracted position, which accounts for the intensity of the pain. If you touch the affected region, you may be surprised to discover that your muscles feel very hard, almost like concrete.

Leg cramps usually occur in one of the calf muscles, below and behind a knee, but painful cramps can also occur in the feet, ankles, shins, and big muscles of the thigh (quads). It can be caused by diabetes, hypertension, fibromyalgia, and as a side effect to some medication so if you have frequent cramps, see a doctor to discover if any of these apply. For instance, my wife experiences terrible muscle cramps when taking a statin to lower cholesterol.

There is some evidence that cramps are also caused by a chemical imbalance in the body - some say potassium and recommend bananas, etc.; others magnesium and swear by a nightly dose of Milk of Magnesium; for some a 1/4 cup of pickle juice or vinegar does the trick or Tums for a dose of calcium. Other studies say dehydration is the cause and a glass of water helps.

Tips to Relieve a Cramp

• Pull your toes back towards you (don't point them).
• Try putting your foot on the floor and lean forward to stretch a calf cramp.
• Apply a hot compress to the cramp or take a hot shower/bath
• Massage the cramped muscles

Bottom Line

The most common treatment to prevent leg cramps in bed is stretching exercises. Regular stretching of leg muscles, especially those in the calf, is effective. You should also examine your sleeping posture. If you sleep on your back with tight fitting sheets then your toes are forced to point downwards, compressing the calf. When something triggers the calf to compress even further, there is pain.

Update: June 9

The NY Times has an article today on a similar subject:
Phys Ed: Can Pickle Juice Stop Muscle Cramps?

The conclusion of a scientific study is yes. But no one knows why. The pickle juice or vinegar works within a minute - far too fast for the juice to leave the stomach or enter the bloodstream.

Web Sites

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/nocturnal-leg-cramps-nighttime-calf-muscle-pain.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/leg-cramps-in-bed.html
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cramps-in-the-Leg.htm