Relief From Painful Cramps

You have over 600 muscles in your body. They control everything you do, from breathing to putting food in your mouth and swallowing. Muscle cramps can occur as a side effect of medications. Diuretics, or water pills, cause you to eliminate fluid from your body. If too much fluid is eliminated too quickly, the resulting dehydration could cause muscle cramps. Other medications can also cause muscle cramps, such as nifedipine, cimetidine, salbutamol, terbutaline, clofibrate, penicillamine, and last, but not least, are statins (cholesterol lowering drugs).

The most obvious symptom of a muscle cramp is a sharp, acute pain in the affected muscle or muscles. If it's a large muscle that's involved, like the one in the calf of your leg, you may be able to feel a knot or hard lump in the muscle, just under the skin.Usually I would get cramping of the toes followed by intense cramping of the inner thighs. The pain would be so terrible that I would be on the verge of crying. I would work the cramps out and return to bed, only to be up again and again, through the night, with the same cramping. Some nights I was jumping out of bed three or four times. After I went off my cholesterol medication the cramping subsided but every now and then it comes back. I don't think I will ever be entirely rid of it.



Here are some of the things you can do to prevent leg cramps from occurring: Your potassium level may be low, so eating a banana a day can help, they are high in potassium. Drinking apple juice will also help since it also has a lot of potassium. I take a bottle of it with me to the golf course. Drinking plenty of water during the day and a full glass before bedtime is very beneficial. Drinking tonic water can help since it contains quinine. Quinine has been used for years in the treatmemt of cramps. You could check with your doctor and ask about quinine tablets, but I would only recommend that as a last resort. Side effects are quite uncommon at a low dose to treat leg cramps.

Something I do to prevent cramping from occuring, is to place a soft pillow between my legs. I am a side sleeper and I make sure the pillow is placed from my knees down to my toes. It really helps me, and I always, always, wear socks and long pajama bottoms to bed, even in the summer months.

If you do experience severe leg cramps, these are some of the things I do to relieve them. If cramping occurs, I start walking around and try to massage some Icy Hot Gel into the affected area. You can also place a hand towel soaked in hot water on the cramp. Then, I mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with about an equal amount of water and drink it. The cider vinegar has a lot of potassium in it and it will quickly enter your system to help relieve the cramp. Sometimes I'll double the dose, hell, it can't hurt you. I also have a prescription from my doctor for a muscle relaxer. I get the generic form of Flexeril, called Cyclobenzaprine. It works well but if I take it at night, I wake up in the morning feeling very tired and played out. If you have recurring cramps, a suggestion would be to take a muscle relaxer earlier in the day.



Another suggestion is an old home remedy that calls for placing a bar of soap underneath the bed sheets. I'm not sure if the brand matters, but some of those mentioned are Ivory, Dove, and Dial. And I don't know if it should be wrapped or unwrapped, so try it both ways. No one knows how it works, but many people swear by it.



So, there you have it, Many ways to alleviate painful cramps, and how you go about it is your business. Try any of the above remedies in any combinations you see fit. I only hope this information is helpful to you, and you get some relief, because I know just how very painful leg and foot cramps can be, especially when you are trying to get a good night's sleep.

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