I have had on and off again leg cramps over the years, sometimes from different causes (RLS, sciatica, vascular). I have not tried magnesium but have heard before that it can help. Otherwise, my approach has been hydration, elevation, compression sleeves, avoiding alcohol too close to bedtime, stretching, and I take a prescription for nerve pain.
When it has come to sciatica being a contributing factor, proper support between my knees, under or around my spine, and under my head has helped a lot. Also if a neurological cause is suspected, stretching the hip muscle groups can help because sometimes the muscle that crosses the sciatic nerve is spasming. (For me, my sciatic pain is from my calves to my toes.)
For vascular causes, evaluating your exercise routines may help. I would do this in consultation with your doctor (especially if you have other conditions). Something like yoga can be gentle, but also very beneficial. Yoga has many different styles and levels - there are instructional videos on Youtube. For example, if you need an easier version, look up chair yoga.
Hope you feel much better soon!
@derrsk11
thank you. All helpful advice that matches my own experience. A day with exercise vs sitting all day is much better. A day with no alcohol (although my consumption is very low) is better. A day with low sugar is better. A day with good hydration is better. A day with all of those things and small dose of magnesium, and I don’t get any cramps.
Mine are made worse by inflammation so the exercise part is a balance of movement without inflammation.
The awareness of vasodilation is, in hindsight, obvious and I can correlate cramps with these events.
Multifaceted and multi causal. Vascular issues and axonal and peripheral neuropathy (in my case). Each person will have their own triggers and fixes.
Thank you to all who have taken the time to share theirs on this forum. I have found them all very helpful and supportive.