Cramp?

[freak_unique]

Hey wonder if anyone can help me? I keep waking up in the night and when i stretch my leg i get this really sharp practically unbearable pain in my calf muscle and my whole muscle freezes up and it stays like it for about a minute in this sharp unbearable pain ive never felt anything like it...and then after about a minute it unfreezes and the pain wears off and it is ok just quite painful for a few days (feels like ive pulled a muscle afterwards). It happens a few times a week is this just common cramp? It happens in both my legs but at different times so its not like its just the 1 leg with a problem. I didnt want to just go to the doctors in case i sound stupid and that it is just common cramp.
Any comments would be appreciated!
Cheers

[Pippa68]

It does sound like cramp to me.

I would try eating more potassium rich foods ~ bananas and avacados are good for this. Since I eat around 2 bananas a day & am crazy about avacados I have never suffered from cramp since.

Do you exercise a lot? cramp can occur quite often after stretching exercises. However, if this is a really common problem I do think a trip to the GP is wise ~ they can eliminate anything else it may be. The GP is there to help, and you shouldn't suffer needlessly.

[lilacben]

Hi there yes this is cramp. very painful.! the best thing to do is get out of bed and stand on the leg to stretch it. also rubbing it will help. Brenda x

[Ethel]

If I drink too much alcohol over a few days, I get this sort of cramp.

[he who dares]

i get cramp just like that.would someone like to rub my legs

[Xanthippe]

When stretching your leg, bend your toes upwards towards your shin, rather than pointing away from your body. I don't know why,but I find this reduces the awful pain quite considerably.

As Pippa says, eat more bananas, too.

[crete]

ive heard tonic water helps prevent cramp

[freak_unique]

Aw thanks for all your answers i only get it like a couple of times a week and it is usually when i wake up in the middle of the night and stretch then it happens its awful! Glad im not the only one that gets it. But how does potasium and tonic water help if it is cramp?

[Xanthippe]

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/articl e/002066.htm
I don't fully understand the lack of potassium, but this site confirms it, though strangely it calls leg cramps, a'charley horse'. I've never heard that myself and assume it's one of them there new words from the colonials.

[lindapinda]

I suffer from this too,and it is soo painful.I actually can't yawn and stretch anymore,cos my legs would go into cramp.I agree with what everyone else has said,and I would add,that with me,drinking loads of water to prevent dehydration(especially in the hot,humid weather),certainly seems to help.Also.make sure you are getting your daily salt requirement.,cos,a lack of salt can lead to dehydration. I read that putting corks under your mattress can help.I tried it,and for a while,it did work.!..Good luck!

[turkey154]

Like Ethel i also get this bad cramp after i've been drinking...

i know how you feel..

[freak_unique]

Aw cheers again for your answers. I mean i used to get it a few years ago but it has came back. I think maybe i might be dehydrated as i never really drink i rarely get thirsty il go days just having a few sips of juice then have a couple of days il be none stop thirsty and the same again. Though they reckon you can confuse thirst with hunger dont they?

[freak_unique]

Noway thats quite an interesting fact actually.
Cheers for the advice :)

[lilacben]

he who dares, funny you should have said that becuase one night my husband woke up in agony with cramp in his leg and I sat upp and was rubbing his leg like mad, he suddenly said I can't feel you rubbing it,when I looked I was rubbing my own leg.! daft or what.!! well it was the middle of the night and I was half asleep. Brenda x

[WendyS]

I suffer too, and while the muscle is in spasm, it really is agony while it lasts. I do like a couple of glasses of wine with my dinner. It never occured to me that this could be one of the causes but taking plenty of water is supposed to help. Also some leg stretches before getting into bed helps to relax the muscles. Stand a yard away from the wall with hands on wall, with one leg a couple of feet behind the other. Keep front leg bent. Keep trailing leg straight with foot firmly on the floor. Hold for at least. 30 seconds feeling the stretch in the calf muscle. then repeat for other leg.

[freak_unique]

HAHAHA that really made me laugh Brenda thats just something i would do!when you said he couldnt feel anything i thought u was going to say something serious happened!!! :)

[freak_unique]

Cheers WendyS thats exactly what its like whilst the muscle is all tense and in spasm it is absolute agony and my calf muscle is just really hard like tense then it takes a few days to not ache afterwards. Thanks for that il have to try those stretches and drinking plenty of water :)