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Nocturnal Leg Cramps - Help!
Does anyone have a suggestion to help deal with foot/ankle/leg cramps in the middle of the night? I take plenty of calcium and magnesium and am thinking that I need to increase my potassium intake. Topical lotions (Theraworx, Tiger Balm, etc.) have not helped. I hope this is a good day for whoever is reading this! Sue
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You need to take the right kind of magnesium. There are several.
I use the slowly absorbing Ca and Mg to keep a steady level. That is, I think, the oxides. Vitamin D is stored in the liver and available as needed. I believe the parathyroids normally control the release of D which then controls Ca . Hyperparathyroidism raises PTH that lowers D while C remains low. Ask an endocrinologist to explain the relationships and treatment for hyperparathyroidism.
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1 ReactionMagnesium glycinate is absorbed best by the body. It comes in this format, and can be combined with other essential vitamins (I take gummies).
Also, if you notice foot/leg cramps, I do the following which are very helpful:
- Drink some orange juice before bed or keep at your bedside (I dilute mine with water since it is so acidic)
- Stand up as quickly as possible and try to put your weight on that one foot to help get the cramp to go away
- While you may be hydrating enough, drink some electrolytes - such as Gatorade or a similar product - which will help with decreased potassium
Good luck!!
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1 ReactionHi I had lots of leg cramps while on chemo. Now on tamoxifen and it's also a side effect at night.
I bought a Sunbeam heated blanket 5 levels of warmth, it's just big enough to rest your legs on at night. It plugs in and I found it very soothing and reduced them a real lot. Make sure you are exercising your legs a little each day and don't sit too long without moving your legs and feet. Best wishes
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6 ReactionsThis will sound crazy but it truly works for me. I used to get terrible cramps in my feet and/or calves at night while in bed. I read this somewhere while looking for natural remedies for cramps. I put an unwrapped bar of Ivory soap under the fitted sheet and like magic, no cramps. Once I feel them coming on again, I know it's time to replace with a new bar. I would be very curious, if anyone else has tried this and it worked for them.
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1 ReactionO.K...Don't laugh. Putting on socks have helped me.
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2 ReactionsI had the same problem until I started taking potassium. If I miss taking potassium one night I have leg cramps. Hope this helps.
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2 ReactionsHello: sistergal22, katrina 123, mnb24, and pht1123, Rubina re Nocturnal leg cramps
WOW! These comments about nighttime leg cramps are so interesting!! Everyone is using different methods to combat them and they are all working!!! That's amazing! So is anyone taking CoQ10 for cramps? I noticed pht1123 is taking orange juice at bedtime - that has potassium in it.
Those cramps really got bad for me after knee surgery. When I couldn't exercise much the only things that helped were to get out of bed as soon as a cramp started, putting weight on that leg and then stretching the foot and calf and massaging the leg. I found that if I did a lot of ankle pumps and ankle circles at bedtime I had fewer night cramps. Once I was well enough to go for daily short walks, the cramps disappeared. Good luck.
Have you considered the possibility of restless leg syndrome? I have been diagnosed with it and my symptoms are leg pain at night. If it is, there is a nifty new medical device called "NIDRA" which works wonder for it.