Leg cramps at night

[Moscyn]

A I grow older, I realize I am getting more leg cramps at night. Yesterday was the worst - recurring leg cramps on both legs! I hardly had any sleep. In fact, I am afraid to sleep tonight. Having done Internet search on preventing leg cramps, I started taking magnesium today. Just wanted to know what works for you?

 

[MichaelB]

DW swears by magnesium. I've tried it, but it does have some side effects. My night-time leg cramps happen when the temperature drops, so some light socks work.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

There are remedies available which are both effective and safe but the first step is determining the cause. While mg and other deficiencies sometimes appear to be a cause, most often this is not a case. Restless leg syndrome usually has a pain/restlesss different from yours.

I'd get seen for it at least for a basic eval, and proceed accordingly.

 

[Tom52]

I have occasionally experienced mild to severe leg cramps starting in my mid forties and it continues today. I had medical evaluations, tried every type of remedy known to man and nothing ever reduced or eliminated the condition.

Looking back on my experiences, cramping normally only occurs either after going to bed, but sometimes even when I first sit down in the evening to relax. I noticed that the worst/most freequent cramping was experienced when my legs were overly fitigued. Examples were standing for extended periods on ladder rungs during the day, or even long period of physical exertion beyond normal.

I have to admit the best way for me to lessen the cramps was to increase leg strength. For the last few years I take a brisk walk of 2 to 3 miles daily, plus bike riding when the weather cooperates. My legs are much stronger than before and I also now have fewer occurances of night time leg cramps.

Sometimes I can tell when my legs are going to be cramping even before bed-time because I experience a lot of twitching of my leg muscles. The best thing I can do is some serious leg stretching before bedtime, the same sort of stretches I do each day before my walks. As a last resort a heating pad helps a bit.

 

[SumDay]

I inherited this trait from my mother and it drives me nuts. I also swear by magnesium. And I also swear by quinine, which can easily be attained by drinking tonic water. And since I like Gin, I add a little of that in there too. And some lime. Not sure if the last two help, but they make me happy, so there's that.

I've heard some old folk remedy about putting bars of soap in socks you wear to bed at night. Sounds too strange to me, so I've skipped that one.

I also believe yoga (3x per week) is really helping me.

Finally, have your doc check your legs and veins. Cramping can be an symptom of vascular issues, which should not be taken lightly at our age. I have an appointment on October 11 for an evaluation.

Good luck, and go have a gin & tonic.

 

[daveriocafe]

A very simple easy remedy. Just get some tonic water, the same as hint you use for mixing drinks. I have severe COPD, so I frequently will get cramps from over exertion. They wake me from a sleep, I get up, hobble to the fridge, or now keep some in a night stand. I drink about 8 oz, sipping it, and they are gone in less han 5 minutes. Tonic water contains Quinine. A doctor told me about this.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Lots of magnesium rich vegetables. Magnesium is the active ingredient in a lot of antacids, so taking magnesium supplements on a regular basis, and not just occasionally, seems to nuke my normal stomach acid. I have read too frequent use of antacids can reduce absorption of nutrients.

So I just eat a lot of vegetables and especially soup with vegetables and that seems to really help me not get any muscle cramps any more.

Yin yoga, foam rollers and massage balls also help.

 

[MuirWannabe]

My Dad has this issue. He does the Mg. But also quit drinking any alcohol. Finally, he sips pickle juice on nights where they still occur.

I fully expect to inherit this issue some day.

 

[Brat]

My DH has had that problem for years, usually associated with overuse. Magnesium has made a huge difference in lowering their frequency, taking a hot shower when they occur helps big time.

 

[tmm99]

Are you drinking enough fluid? Body's thirst sansation diminishes as we age. I get leg cramps (especially after vigorous exercise) when I don't drink enough fluid. Either that or lack of potassium for me.

 

[braumeister]

Like Rich said, there are myriad possible causes, so most of our advice will be worthless.

I only started getting leg cramps when I changed my diet a couple of years ago. I now eat practically zero processed food, only fresh food I cook myself. As a result, I realized that my sodium intake went down to a ridiculously low level. I also noticed that I was most likely to get leg cramps at night after vigorous exercise (like running five miles or more). And it was worse in hot weather, giving further credence to the sodium deficiency hypothesis.

Sodium/potassium/magnesium/whateverium. They're all electrolytes, right?
I had read about the magnesium cure, and also potassium. I tried them both. No help.

So I figured the solution might be as simple as increasing my salt intake. I began doing so by dissolving a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of water whenever I needed a drink during the day.

Bingo! That did the trick (at least for me; this is not medical advice). Plus I get the side benefit of having much better tasting water to drink. Win-win! And I hasten to add that my blood pressure readings are still great.

As Rich said, you really should get your own personal situation identified in order to find the right fix. My story, like all the others, is only a random anecdote.

 

[Walt34]

Lots of magnesium rich vegetables.

Very rarely I get leg cramps but noticed it didn't happen at all when I kept up with eating my veggies like Mom said to. And slacking off on exercise is a contributor.

But I like the gin & tonic remedy too.

 

[donheff]

So I figured the solution might be as simple as increasing my salt intake. I began doing so by dissolving a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of water whenever I needed a drink during the day.

Bingo! That did the trick...

Yuck. Why not just add a little salt to foods?

 

[growing_older]

I have this problem off and on, usually in the morning when first getting out of bed. Gently wiggling before stretching usually helps. I use potassium (and bananas, although I suspect that's all in my mind but it works for me) and trying to keep up a regular moderate exercise routine and lots of veggies in my diet. I also have a healthy respect that different people respond to different cures, even for similar seeming problems, so keep trying ideas until you find what works for you. Even if it is bananas.

 

[RunningBum]

I get them too, often when I've run more than usual and my legs are fatigued, perhaps combined with some dehydration and loss of salts. Bananas help. I haven't tried magnesium. If you can't correlate it to events like this, seeing a physician is probably wise.

 

[wolf]

A I grow older, I realize I am getting more leg cramps at night. Yesterday was the worst - recurring leg cramps on both legs! I hardly had any sleep. In fact, I am afraid to sleep tonight. Having done Internet search on preventing leg cramps, I started taking magnesium today. Just wanted to know what works for you?

as others have posted, what worked for me, was exercise.

weight lifting, stretching, and aerobics.

have not had "night" leg cramps in years.

 

[heyyou]

My cramps were frequent when I was eating a nutritious diet, and taking a broad spectrum vitamin & mineral pill while eating lots of wheat products that were fortified with similar extras. Quinine pills (sold as leg cramp relief) worked in the middle of the night to stop the cramps, but switching to brown rice, stopped taking the vit. & min. pill, and reducing my bread and pasta intake stopped the occurrence.

 

[Moscyn]

I've seen physicians before but they seem to think it is associated with age and weather changes. I think this time I'll insist to see a specialist. Thankfully, I did not have cramps yesterday. I has a hot bath with salt, rubbed muscular relaxant on my legs, wore socks and wrapped with towels loosely, slept with pillow under my knees, took my magnesium tablets and banana, drank lots of water and slept. Seems like I did every trick except putting soap in my socks as I could not understand the logic in that.

 

[KiraC]

When I get leg cramps, I take a potassium pill and they usually disappear within 30 minutes. You can also drink a glass of orange juice which is high in potassium. The OJ seemed to work faster for me. Good luck!

 

[coachz]

The FDA warns against using quinine for leg cramps



The FDA warns against using quinine for leg cramps - Los Angeles Times

 

[growing_older]

Never heard of that. Who uses malaria drug for leg cramps? I guess people really will try anything, but bananas and orange juice seem like a lot safer.

 

[RunningBum]

30 minutes? Wow, that's a long time. I pull my toes back, and try to rub out the cramp, and it goes away in about a minute. Might get 2 or 3 a night at most. It seems to go in spurts. For a week or two I might get them about every night, then I'll go for months without any, except maybe the night after a run a marathon or ultra.

 

[RetireAge50]

Usually after a double marathon I get leg cramps. Oh wait, never mind, I've never run a marathon. Ha ha

 

[Helen]

I take magnesium now and my leg cramps have disappeared. Mine seemed to be caused by a lot of exercise.

 

[Moscyn]

During the moment I get the cramps, I feel like dying. They are just too painful and I try to pull my toes back but sometimes I give up. Sometimes taking deep breaths help with the pain but they are just too painful to handle even for those short moments.