Nocturnal Leg Cramps - Help!

Golden is correct. At this age it is filling all the doctors pockets with "gold" from all of the office visits and tests.

I don’t get cramps…a contraction of the muscle that last up to several minutes . I get spasms…a contraction of the muscle that last maybe 10 seconds…but I get them about every 45 seconds during an episode that last for hours.
Ice helps most times. Sodium diclofenac cream helps some times. I diligently stretch.
This is the result of hip replacement gone bad…metal on metal…severe metalosis. Had hip revision.
Drs act like nothing they can do.
Any help out there

Hi @911deanos -- CRAMPS -- now you mentioned what you're really having an issue with is leg and ankle cramps. Now I may have a solution for you! I also have had a lot of trouble with cramps, mostly leg cramps due to my neuropathy. Yes, they leave the muscles sore like you overdid it at the gym. Calf cramps are unbearably painful, but once you jump out of bed and press your foot on the floor, they are gone. Same with toe cramps. When I get cramps in my ankles, shins and side of knee, they are less intense, but also wake me up and are nearly impossible to get rid of. I walk around and it helps, but they come back the minute I lie down again. Miserable.

THE SOLUTION I FOUND. My cousin had the original Thumper massager for her back and neck issues and recommended to me for the same issues. Too expensive, so 30 years ago I bought a cheaper version from Walmart. No longer sold, but I just found something similar by Homedics on Amazon and Walmart that is much less expensive (see pics below). I'm not personally promoting this brand since I haven't tried it, but if you go to the 11,000+reviews (4.5 stars) and search cramps, you'll find a lot of people are using it to get out legs cramps especially in the middle of the night. The nodes are hard rubber on mine and really caused pain on my back/neck due to pain sensitivity from neuropathy, but on my leg cramps it works great. I turn mine up to the highest intensity to really shake that muscle loose. I'm not sure if it's the nodes, the intense vibration or a combination that does the trick, but I only have to use it for a minute or two and the cramp is gone for the rest of the night. I didn't think of it until now, but maybe using it all over your lower legs before bed would prevent cramps in the first place. Just research the reviews on all models for "cramps" and see what people have to say about effectiveness.

I really hope this helps you as much as it did me and apparently others on Amazon. The only downside is that it's very loud. If you live in a house, just go away from the bedrooms so you don't wake anyone up. In my current condo with thinner walls, I'm afraid it will wake up my neighbors in the middle of the night and possibly start rumors - haha - so I've just been suffering. I finally got it out about a month ago when I couldn't walk out a cramp from my knee to my ankle in the middle of the night. It's a miracle for me!!! Let me know if anyone tries this, which brand/model and if it worked for you. One of the reviews also said the massager helps their RLS at night so I may try it for that too.

Also, everyone has their own cramp triggers. For me, too much salt, any caffeine such as the little bit in chocolate, dehydration are key triggers for me. I'm predisposed due to my neuropathy. Lots of theories about various supplements helping (google). Not sure if they work for anyone. My body overreacts to supplements so I haven't tried them.

Oh I am looking for someone who's leg cramps last for more than a half an hour, ...... I literally scream in pain, woken up from a dead sleep. I tried everything, from Magnesium spray, topical, to supplements, to water, ice, hot baths, masager, pushing down on my leg into a board, mental work like, "relax", more working out, etc. The only thing that has really worked is stretching, and I didn't believe it would help so didn't do a lot of it (which is what it takes before bed) until I suffered for years. I have been very limber most of my life. It may not work forever, but right now thigh and calf stretches held for a length of time really help.
When I lived in a condo I was afraid I'd wake the neighbors. It really hurts.
Back story is that my father had leg cramps for a long time before he died. I didn't get how painful when he would talk about it. now i do! My other complications are: one kidney, and rheumatoid arthritis. but I haven't connected them to the leg cramps, so far. When I have talked with Doctors about these cramps they have not been interested..... I guess they felt it wasn't their area of expertise?, or they didn't get pain? but I would like to know who to ask for more info.

It's good to hear from anyone what their experiences are. Thanks everyone.

Hey! Thanks for the reply. It looks worth a try. In the mornings I do leg, knee, hip, and ankle stretches. I follow up with a "Stick Roller" and roll the hell out of my legs to ease up the tenderness from the night before. I drink more than my share of water a day because I've had kidney stones twice in last ten years. And yes.....I think I know what child birth feels like completely now. LOL Yes I've took all kinds of suppliments for 30-90 days each but most I never had a ounce of difference. I have a 4 knob liberating back massager so I'll try it before I go to bed and when I get up the first time to walk which is 1:30 -3:00 AM. I'll give results a later time, Thanks!!

There is a device I am using successfully to stop the foot and ankle pain. I use it every night before bed. It works. There are 3 packages on the link below. It stimulates lymphatic movement and on the nights I skip there is a big difference.
https://drhonow.com/en_us/circulation-promoter-basic-package
I like it so well I have gifted it to other people and they love it too. I hope this will help you

Forgot to say no noise and you can turn it up or down and it has a timer too
https://drhonow.com/en_us/circulation-promoter-basic-package

I was having huge problems with feet and legs up to the knees, pain and tingling especially at bedtime. Tried a lot of remedies nothing helped. I noticed it would be worse if my feet got cold, like when I would walk on concrete barefoot. I have found if I keep my feet warm all the time, during the day I seldom go bare foot, at night socks on my feet until the bed is warm, an extra little blanket over the bottom of my bed. In the winter I have a heating blanket but I only use it to warm the bed before bedtime. Since I started making sure my feet stay warm, I seldom have those issues, if I do I can look back on the day and realize, Yep I ran out to the garbage can barefoot or I got brave and walked in the wet grass, it's always something dumb I did. Good Luck I know how hard this is, it kept me awake for hours before I figured it out.

I find that when I wear dress shoes and on my feet more than usual,I will get cramps at night. Normally I wear good sneakers with inserts or a good shoe. I heard of people drinking pickle juice. I just get out of bed and just take a little bit of salt. Not sure if it's the salt or just getting out of bed.

Hello @911deanos and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You will notice I have moved your post into an existing discussion on the same topic, which you can find here:
- Nocturnal Leg Cramps - Help!: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/nocturnal-leg-cramps-help/

Have you seen a neurologist recently?