Nocturnal Leg Cramps: a solution?

Parent Cafe
1

I had been having leg cramps every night for a while. About a week ago, in the middle of the night, I decided that something had to be done, after I had gotten up, walked around, stretched, to no avail: the cramps came back the minute I got back into bed. It was particularly bad.

I got up again, went into the bathroom, and got a bar of wrapped Ivory soap. I stuck it between the sheets down near the bottom of the bed, and got back in. As I lay there, the cramps immediately began to ease, until they were gone.

It’s been about a week, and I haven’t had leg cramps one single time. I had actually forgotten that the soap was there.

Can it be that the bar of soap thing actually WORKS??

2

I don’t know, lol, but if it works for you…

I have MS and get muscle spasms which are basically cramps. For some reason they happen in my feet and also in a band of muscles at the top of my abdomen. I started regularly taking Magnesium and it helped. I don’t take a huge amount - partially because they tend to be “horse pills” and also because they can have a laxative effect.

3

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1869131-bar-of-soap-stopped-my-foot-cramps-p1.html

4

Apple cider vinegar and pickle juice are also common quick remedies.

5

I heard eat a banana for the potassium.

6

A note for anyone taking hormone-like supplements or hormone pills like BC with estrogen. My leg and foot cramps went away completely after I stopped taking them. The cramps were so forceful my toes were almost breaking off my feet!! Apparently, that is a side effect of BC pills, rarely talked about.

7

Yes, bananas. I suffered terribly from leg and foot cramps, pretty much every night. Since I have started eating a banana a day the cramps have disappeared.

8

A common cause of cramps like this would be low electrolytes so potassium and sodium supplements might help. If the cramps are more common in summer it would be a strong sign of low electrolytes. Banana is going to help or the type of electrolyte drink endurance athletes take. Not Gatorade because you don’t need the calories

9

Magnesium spray on the affected area may help as well, it helps when I get cramping in my legs or arms, doesn’t totally relieve it but does help.

10

Here’s a list of some potassium rich foods, for those like me who don’t like or can’t eat bananas:

Here’s how many milligrams (mg) of potassium you’ll get from these potassium-rich foods:

Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked: 896 mg
Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg
Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg
White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg
Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg
Halibut, 3 ounces, cooked: 490 mg
100% orange juice, 8 ounces: 496 mg
Broccoli, 1 cup, cooked: 457 mg
Cantaloupe, cubed, 1 cup: 431 mg
Banana, 1 medium: 422 mg
Pork tenderloin, 3 ounces, cooked: 382 mg
Lentils, half cup, cooked: 366 mg
Milk, 1% low fat, 8 ounces: 366 mg
Salmon, farmed Atlantic, 3 ounces, cooked: 326 mg
Pistachios, shelled, 1 ounce, dry roasted: 295 mg
Raisins, quarter cup: 250 mg
Chicken breast, 3 ounces, cooked: 218 mg
Tuna, light, canned, drained, 3 ounces: 201 mg

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

11

The quinine in tonic water can be helpful. My husband is on a medication that can cause leg cramps. He has found relief by having a little tonic in the evening.

12

My doctor told me to take magnesium. Have not had a leg cramp since.

13

@TomSrOfBoston What form of magnesium did your doctor suggest?

14

@scmom12 250 mg tablets, once a day.

15

Mg over K. Costco sells mg oxide cheap enough 400mg dose but beware that you can be poopalicious until you are used to it. You can google the various absorption issues but I don’t think it really makes that much difference. I use citrate in my drink mix for long bike rides.

16

some exercise people recommend foam rolling for cramping - this is all anectdotal- I have no evidence or facts to back that up.

17

I use Nuun Active for prevention: https://nuunlife.com/products/nuun-active/

and pickle juice shots for a quick cure when needed: https://www.amazon.com/Pickle-Juice-Strength-Shots-12/dp/B015TJGG9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497645916&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=pickle+juice&psc=1

Good luck…Leg cramps are the worst.

18

I’m another magnesium proponent, that, and water.

19

Specifically, what form of magnesium do people like? I’ve read various pros and cons about the different types - citrate, phosphate, oxide?

20

If your leg cramps have gone away, then this may not be a factor for you. But if you have painful cramps in one leg, make for darn sure that it’s not deep vein thrombosis. That can be an indicator of that. There is not always redness and swelling at first.