Bar of soap, dill pickle juice, mustard, calcium/magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, trace minerals, leg-stretching exercises, side effects of your medication, honey/vinegar/calcium lactate, quinine, spoon, acupressure, soap, essential oils, yoga, pH, dehydration - MY CONCLUSION IS YOU ARE TOO ACIDIC!!!
Muscle cramps can be a lack of salt. Salt is what makes our bones hard – not calcium, but salt. http://www.watercure2.org/
Sleep with a bar of soap to beat leg cramps! Sneaky wife fools her skeptical physician husband - cure his leg cramps with wacky soap remedy. "My physician husband was having severe leg cramps at night...he tried tonic water and quinine but they didn't help. Under cover of darkness, so he wouldn't see, I placed a soap bar under the sheets on his side. He's had no more cramps since then!" It's weird and wacky, but it works. And the authors have been buried under an avalanche of positive testimonials about his cure. All you do is place a bar of soap under your sheets and you can sleep all night - completely cramp-free!... Source: Best choices from the People's Pharmacy , Prevention, PO Box 378, Emmaus PA 18099-0378 [I checked on this one http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/legcramp.asp - evidently it works for many people! Important to use regular soap like Ivory. - bfg] Crazy Solution To Leg Cramps -- This will sound crazy. on a medical talk show they talked about leg cramps. You use a regular bar of soap, any face soap, small or large. Place it in the bottom of your bed under the sheets. In only a few days it will work. My uncle, dad, and my self use it and it works. No more quinine water. The first night I get a cramp, I change it and throw the old bar of soap away. IF THE REST FAILS WHY NOT TRY THIS. OUR FAMILY SWEARS BY IT AND IT BEATS TAKING ANY PILLS. http://seniors-site.com/ailmentm/legcramp.html
"Almost instantly, the cramps were gone!" "My husband had severe leg cramps for years. While he was a the eye doctor, the receptionist excused herself, saying: 'I've got leg cramps. I've gotta grab the dill pickle juice!' When my husband got leg cramps a few nights later, he grabbed the dill pickle jar and poured himself a swig of juice. Almost instantly, the cramps were gone! "Once we were out of pickle juice and he took a tablespoon of mustard. Voila! He got the same result! Now he keeps little packets of mustard in the car and the truck just in case." Source: Best choices from the People's Pharmacy , Prevention, PO Box 378, Emmaus PA 18099-0378 [I checked this one - I think it is the vinegar http://www.sleepnet.com/rls4/messages/383.html - bfg]
[Apple cider vinegar actually is alkaline when metabolized by the body... Soap is alkaline and maybe is absorbed through the skin? If you check out pH on this site... an acidic pH of the body can cause leg cramps.... What do you think??- bfg]
I used to get them for years. Finally I began taking Calcium / Magnesium supplements, 350 mg calcium / 175 mg magnesium daily. Your body cannot utilize calcium without magnesium. It worked for me, as I haven't had a leg cramp for years. Keeping hydrated is also very important. Your body does not always tell you when you need water. As many people have stated here, a good Calcium/Magnesium may help. But be careful as some sources of magnesium (oxide) can promote bowel problems and some sources of Calcium (carbonate) neutralizes stomach enzymes. I would suggest sticking with chelates or citrates. I used to get them on a nightly basis. I increased my water intake and also take 2 calcium tablets a day and they have since stopped. http://www.city-data.com/forum/health-wellness/290482-night-time-leg-cramps-help-2.html
Start with a dose of 250 milligrams of magnesium glycinate or chelated magnesium [This is ALKALINE!!!- bfg] twice a day...take your second dose of magnesium right before you go to bed. If you don’t get relief in three to five days, increase the dose to 500 milligrams twice a day, says Dr. Jacques. Stay at that level for another week to allow the tissue levels of the mineral to build up.... If cramps are still a problem at that dosage, it’s time to add 500 milligrams of calcium to the regimen. The average adult absorbs only about 30 percent of the calcium consumed. To maximize absorption, Dr. Jacques gives her patients calcium citrate [This is ALKALINE!!!- bfg] instead of calcium carbonate, the form commonly found in antacid tablets. It helps to take it with a glass of milk since vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption. If you are unable to drink milk, you can take a calcium supplement that also contains vitamin D. If you’re taking both calcium and magnesium, keep in mind that they work best when they are taken in certain ratios. The two ratios recommended by naturopathic doctors are either equal doses of calcium and magnesium or twice as much calcium as magnesium. "A lot of it is a guessing game, particularly with something like leg cramps," says Dr. Jacques. "You have to find out what ratio works best for you." Try the one-to-one ratio first, taking 500 milligrams of calcium and 500 milligrams of magnesium twice a day, Dr. Jacques says. If that doesn’t give you the results you want, shift the ratio to 2:1 by reducing the magnesium to 250 milligrams. Some patients with nighttime cramping have success with vitamin E, says Dr. Stengler. Although it has had mixed results in clinical trials, early studies suggest that you’ll improve arterial blood flow and reduce leg cramping at night if you take vitamin E. In one of the largest studies, 123 of 125 people who suffered from nighttime leg and foot cramps reported complete relief after taking vita min E supplements. To see if it works for you, take 400 to 800 international units (IU) a day, says Dr. Jacques. Potassium is another mineral that helps regulate muscle contraction, says Dr. Stengler. Deficiencies of this crucial electrolyte aren’t normally a problem if you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.[This is ALKALINE!!!- bfg] If you change your diet drastically, however, you might become deficient. This is a potential problem, if you go on one of the high-protein weight-loss diets that some experts advocate. "When people go on high-protein diets, they begin to develop leg cramps. I see it repeatedly," says Dr. Jacques. She believes that such diets are related to potassium deficiency.... But maybe those cramps are due to an imbalance of trace minerals, especially if the pain is triggered by overexertion, says Dr. Jacques. "Muscle and nerve function are electrical, and we need the right mix of minerals for that to happen. There are a lot of little players in there." You can deplete levels of trace minerals as you perspire. Electrolyte drinks [This is ALKALINE!!!- bfg] work well to help restore these depleted minerals. You can also take a trace mineral supplement that contains copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, and chromium, says Dr. Jacques. Although trace mineral supplements vary in content, don’t exceed the dosage guidelines on the bottle, she says. "Trace minerals should be taken in small doses because that’s how they are found in your body. More is not better." http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Health/legcramp.htm
Hello Leowillman, I have gathered numerous "cures" for leg cramps for you. The first thing to check is your water consumption. Dehydration is one common cause of leg cramps. ...Studies show that about 70% of adults older than 50 experience nocturnal leg cramps.... Nocturnal muscle cramps can often be prevented by doing leg-stretching exercises, such as the one outlined below. 1. Stand 30 inches from the wall. 2. While keeping your heels on the floor, lean forward, put your hands on the wall, and slowly move your hands up the wall as far as you can reach comfortably. 3. Hold the stretched position for 30 seconds. Release. 4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 two more times. 5. For best results, practice this exercise in the morning, before your evening meal, and before going to bed each night. http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/02_02/pn_legcramps.htm
The first thing to check if you have leg cramps is your prescription drugs. Some can cause cramping; your doctor can tell you the side effects of your medication.... If neither calcium nor vitamin E gives you relief, you may benefit from magnesium, potassium, or vitamin A... Because as it has been shown that sugar and caffeine reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, I advise patients with cramping problems to eliminate as much sugar and caffeine from their diets as possible. http://alternative-medicine-and-health.com/conditions/legcramp.htm
What can be done about it? When your calf muscles cramp, flex your foot up (toes to ceiling) and hold until the cramping stops Apply heat to cramping muscles Massage the cramped muscles Make sure you eat plenty of potassium rich foods - (bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit) http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/cramps.html
Are you one that suffers from leg cramps? Leg cramps can be a nuisance not to mention very, very painful. If you experience a more severe case of leg cramps your daily activities could be ruthlessly limited but with the use of apple cider vinegar you could eliminate the cramps and help get your life back. Try using this natural way of preventing leg cramps, which is an easy and very inexpensive, combined one teaspoon of honey [natural honey is ALKALINE - processed is slightly acidic], one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar [apple cider vinegar is ALKALINE after being processed by the body] and one tablespoon calcium lactate [again, this is ALKALINE!] in one half glass of water. By drinking this mixture you will prevent your leg cramps from reoccurring. This is the solution that all people who are suffering from leg cramps are looking for. http://www.vinegarbook.co.uk/Keeping_a_bottle_of_vinegar_in_your_first_aid_kit.shtml
The only drug that has been shown to be effective in treating night-time leg cramps is quinine, but the Food and Drug Administration has ruled that none of the over-the-counter drugs used to treat night-time leg cramps are recognized as safe or effective and therefore, will be subject to regulatory action. Doctors often prescribe 1 or 2 quinine pills at bedtime, but they can cause birth defects and miscarriages, so they should never be taken by a pregnant woman. They can also cause ringing in the ears, headache, nausea, disturbed vision, chest pain and asthma. http://www.drmirkin.com/archive/6752.html
Place a spoon by your bedside. (doesn't have to be silver, stainless is fine) When you awaken with a leg cramp, put the spoon on the cramp and it will uncramp instantly. No kidding! Wear socks to bed (heavy or light, both are effective) and you'll never have another leg cramp. Rebecca from New Zealand writes; "Keep a wine cork handy and grip it when a leg cramp occurs. Alternatively, keep one floating around in the bed. Nobody knows how this works, or why it has to be a wine cork, but this has been effective for three generations now." Good one Rebecca! Thanks for sharing! Wallace from Clovis, NM has his own leg cramp cure; "Place the finger directly below the nose and press firmly against the upper lip. I used to have severe leg cramps at night, this procedure has worked every time! Sometimes it may take several seconds for this to be effective, but stay with it." Connie from Jeffersonville, IN sent in this one; "For leg cramps put an old pair of shoes under your bed up side down and you will have no more leg cramps." And Lisa from Lake Charles, La. says; "Something that I learned when I was pregnant, to prevent leg cramps, drink orange juice or eat a banana before going to bed." Thank you all for the great remedies! http://members.tripod.com/~Barefoot_Lass/index-4.html#leg
"My husband had been getting severe leg cramps several times during the night, probably due to his low potassium diet. We found many suggestions on the internet, and the one that worked still surprises me - I think it is acupressure. When you get in bed at night, using your forefinger and thumb, pinch and massage the area between your nose and lips for a minute or two. We jokingly tried this, but for 4 nights he had no leg cramps. The fifth night we purposely didn't do it, and he had a leg cramp that night. So, he started doing it again and has no leg cramps since. I find it hard to believe, and we chuckle about it all the time. But, it doesn't cost anything to try and there is no health risk. Clare Erickson http://seniors-site.com/ailments/1083.html
Lavender is the Swiss army knife of aromatic oils, says Los Angeles aromatic consultant John Steele. He packs the versatile oil on long road trips to treat "driver's leg," that painful cramp in the calf that comes from hours of braking and accelerating. To use, he suggests massaging four or five drops directly on the affected area. "It works every time," says Steele. Tarragon and chamomile essential oils are also effective for leg cramps," he says. Yoga compression poses will increase blood circulation to your legs, relieving leg cramps, according to Alice Christensen, founder and executive director of the American Yoga Association http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/21/151.cfm http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/707090.html