Severe leg cramps: How do you relax severe leg cramps?

Posted by Dawn, Alumni Mentor @dawn_giacabazi, Jun 25, 2016

Please someone tell me the trick to relax severe leg cramps????
Lord, they are lasting 1-2 hours, debilitating pain. Can't walk them off. Starting behind the knees down to my toes. Some curl my toes some point them. Tried stretching, bio feedback relaxation. NO HELP!! HELP!

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loretta1612 | @loretta1612 | Aug 31 5:13am

In reply to @sboston1 "I drink a glass of tonic water at bedtime, it has quininine in it. This helps..." + (show)

@sboston1

loretta1612 | @loretta1612 | Aug 31 5:16am

Sounds good to me or Pickle Juice

sharonba | @sharonba | Aug 31 6:10am

Also recommend Magnesium Glycinate 500 mg. Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral and works as a muscle relaxer. It takes 1-4 weeks of daily use. It also comes in gummy formula and helps with sleep. Once you get your cramping under control you won’t need to take it as much. Pickle juice is reported to help with cramping due to acetic acid ( vinegar), although some folks have difficulty swallowing vinegar due to digestive complaints and the high sodium level found in pickles can be problematic for those with high blood pressure. Good luck!

lmayo | @lmayo | Aug 31 8:48pm

In reply to @lindawk "@leh09 Ive heard about pickle juice for leg cramps being effective. Sweet or dill?" + (show)

@lindawk I do not like to recommend off the wall treatments, and you will want to check with your doc before trying. I have taken a Magneseum supplement tablet and drank 6 oz of water every night before bed for years, but very occasionally I still get woken up with severe leg or foot cramps. If I cannot walk it off, I pour about 1/4 cup of pickle juice from my dill pickle jar and sip it. Works like a charm. I only do this as a last resort because there is a lot of salt in it. A friend of mine eats a tablespoon of mustard and says it works for her, but I have not had success with that.

bluelizard | @bluelizard | Sep 1 7:29am

In reply to @monaza "I'm a 62-y/o grandma who takes 4 ballroom dance classes on Thursdays and dances a large..." + (show)

@monaza My father-in-law was plagued by leg cramping in his later years and swore by the power of quinine. Though he'd long since been unable to consume alcohol, he considered his nightly tonic with lime to be a fair substitute. But beware, not all tonics are made with real tonic, so check closely. Best of luck to you.

svetter | @svetter | Sep 1 10:35am

I use pickle juice - not sweet- just two or three teaspoons work for me.

rbee | @rbee | Sep 2 3:16pm

In reply to @bluelizard "@monaza My father-in-law was plagued by leg cramping in his later years and swore by the..." + (show)

@bluelizard I have dealt with bad leg cramps for 2+ years. The most effective solution I have found is having a full size electric blanket on my lower body. It consistently prevents cramps and allows for uninterrupted sleep.

pammy1954 | @pammy1954 | Sep 2 9:00pm

In reply to @sharonba "Also recommend Magnesium Glycinate 500 mg. Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral and works as a..." + (show)

@sharonba
400mg stopped my VERY severe cramps in 3 days!

sharonba | @sharonba | Sep 3 6:09am

In reply to @pammy1954 "@sharonba 400mg stopped my VERY severe cramps in 3 days!" + (show)

@pammy1954 Congratulations, it is reaffirming to find something that works.

alottix10 | @alottix10 | Sep 4 10:15pm

My leg cramps started after my total hip replacement 4 years ago. They were intermittent. I used Magnesium Glycinate 500mg at bedtime first. I learned it's for sleep, also muscle cramps. It helped briefly. I have osteopenia, so I started Calcium supplements 600 mg 2 tablets twice a day. I rarely have leg cramps. God bless.