Nocturnal Leg Cramps - Help!

I’m 70 years old male who use to run track. When I would get shin splints I would stop running for two weeks or more. Every night I would take an hour to alternate heating pad and ice packs ( wrapped in thin towel) to increase blood circulation to the area to help repair the damage. I currently walk 3 miles a day and I understand the physical relief it provides you. However you need to get this healed or it will probably become a chronic problem.

I sometimes get leg and toe cramps at night Diclotenac sodium jell seems to help ease the cramps. I also do some light stretching after I put on the jelI .... I also put a sock over my toes.If the cramps are in my toes and foot area..to help keep this over the counter ointment on the foot and not on my bed or carpet.

That's how I get them. They hit both calves at the same time, makes it harder to get up and stand to get rid of them. I have the electrolytes covered as ell as all the other junk, good and bad, that I picked up from the internet and AI.

I use a supplement called Healthy Feet and Nerves by Terry Naturally I got on amazon that has nutrients I haven’t found in most others. It’s worked great and my neurologist approved it.
I also use a Frankincense & Myrrh rubbing oil I bought at CVS which works as well. It’s pretty fragrant so I only use it with old sheets and clothes

Mine run in cycles which make me wonder if it autoimmune, menopause, electrolytes, etc. I can do all the right, but it still runs in cycles. It's almost always at night except my hands when I am overusing them, like when I do my oil painting, then my fingers cramp up. I drink water, drink Gatorade, stretch and I never know when it will be triggered.

@ashby1947 mentioned "Maybe they would have anyway. I have heard of people drinking pickle juice for them"

"The first thing I would do is to drink more water."

There are two significant statements here-

1) Dill pickle "juice", which is actually the liquid that contains H2O and the brine from pickling the cucumbers contains a "hot shot" of potassium, sodium and magnesium. It's a temporary fix. Only alleviates the initial cramping, but those cramps will come back.

2) The comment she makes about water- none of drink nearly enough of just plain water. Gatorade and other "power" drinks alluding to balancing electroylytes contain sugars, either real sugar or synthetic. Which IMO, just adds to the root of the problem, which is just hydration from water, only. On a side note, super charged caffeinated drinks like Red Bull, are capable of killing a person (I know this to be true, even affects the younger population).

I've been getting a LOT of relief, including sleeping through the night minus those annoying cramps, below the knees (calves, feet, etc.) IF I drink at least 2-3 cups of water before I hit the sack. I'm also becoming much more conscientious of drinking more water during the day. Of course, most people want their caffeine (coffee/tea/soft drink) in the mornings to give out brain receptors a boost to fire on all cylinders, just remember- caffeine dehydrates. Therefore, water, water and MORE WATER throughout the day. Helps with kidney function as well (water does indeed flush out the renal system).

I still drink ONE ginger ale a day, the sugared kind- due to aspartame and other synthetic sweeteners being total poisons to our CNS functions. I also use the more natural cane sugar in raw form, the un-bleached processed white sugar. Something I use in my coffee and I only drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning.

I limit myself (I used to drink way too much coffee/caffeinated beverages), quit all the caramelized, carbonated drinks years ago- just ginger ale if I want something carbonized.

Commercial fruit "drinks" are very low in the real juice from fruits- look at the list of ingredients! My take, eat the fruit and if you really want the "juice", squeeze it out (will take a lot of work and more fruit to get a decent amount).

So, my point is- drink a LOT of water, even if you're not thirsty. Especially in the evenings/before bed. I'm finding real relief, been at this for just a few weeks and noticing a marked change. What a delight to sleep through the night!

Of course, I understand for both male and female- as we age, waking up just needing to urinate all the fluid can be a problem to those of us in the "geriatric" stage. Getting up to urinate sure beats waking up from those awful, painful cramps one needs to "walk out" and going back to sleep! Especially for men, given prostate issues due to the aging process. I've witnessed this in both men and no, women have our own issues (due to the urethral sphincter muscle that holds urine from releasing from the bladder), which can be caused due to childbirth and aging in general.

I'm just suggesting you try drinking at least 2-3 cups RIGHT before you go to bed. Try it for a week, see if you get any relief and if you do, therein lies the solution! So many of us, especially in these times, just don't drink enough water- we all want the sweetened, tasty stuff and it's really affecting us negatively.

I hope this novella helps you! (you're welcome to give me feedback after you've tried this!)

Some of us who drink a lot of water before bed just end up getting up to urinate. It ruins sleep, so it makes other body issues worse. No happy ending. I do drink a lot during the day. Gatorade has sugar but other powdered kind do not. Tried tonic, bananas, etc. Just runs in random cycles. Maybe the pickle juice will help the original poster.

Have experienced severe cramps in legs, feet, and hands since 1959 in multiple contexts. Current supplementary Ca 1g/day, Mg 1 g/day, and vitamin D 8,000 IU/day eliminates cramps, kidney stones, and constipation. Physicians have no explanation for cause although diet and exercise are likely factors. Dosages are empirically determined; reply for details.

When I had leg muscle cramps, I followed the advice of my grandma.
She said pinch your upper lip, just under your nose. It worked for me.

Now I have Restless Leg Syndrome. It is relentless and my medicine is not working for me any more.

Can you explain your supplements? I don't totally understand ca 1 g/day and Mg 1g/day.

Thank you!
Bob