Night Cramps

I know how you feel I was awoken early Sunday morning with calf cramps I couldn't put my foot down it took me at least ten minutes of massaging it, I didnt know if to scream or cry the pain was unbearable. It is now Tuesday and I feel as though I have pulled a muscle in my leg ,its just starting to ease .I have never had this before lets hope I never have it again.by

Hi both of you,

Find a good therapist that can do deep soft tissue massage and is not frightened of hurting you. No pain no gain.

The reason for the pain at night is that you are at rest and your blood pressure reduces and of course this passes into the calf muscles. The reduction of blood flow to the wall of the muscle then gives you the pain. It is the same principle as a heart attack.

By the way your calf muscle is actually two muscles, the Soleus and the Gastric-nemus which has two heads (bellies) they both at the lower end form the Achilles tendon. These two muscles really do need looking after as they are the other two hearts of the human body and are known as the 'calf pumps' where as the other is known as you well know the 'cardiac pump'. The former believe it or not work harder than the cardiac pump. They have no blood pressure left as such (0.25) and they have to pump the blood back to the heart against gravity.

Regards

Dr. A. Mathews

[color=indigo:81ffa1e87b]Hey, im 19, and like any 19 yr old i enjoy going out on fri and sat nights, but recently wen i go out and have a few 2 many drinks i get [b:81ffa1e87b]REALLY[/b:81ffa1e87b] bad cramp where i scream and my leg hurts for next day AT LEAST! i need to find a way to enjoy my night and have a drink and not wake up screaming!!!! (esspecially stayin around my boyfriends house) its abit embarrsessing!!!!! i think it might be the drinK!!![/color:81ffa1e87b]

I'm 20 and have been suffering from calf cramp in my left leg for a while now however its only happened during the day twice and 2 times at night, the night cramps are a pain and it usually lasts a few seconds but its so sore i usually fall back asleep almost instantly (almost because its like i'm passing out lol)

but today i was at my boxing lesson just doing our footwork and i got a calf cramp and my god it was the most excruciating pain i have ever felt in my whole entire life, i just instantly bent over to massage it, its like your paralysed in this constant form of pain, it was so sore and its just annoying you cant really do anything about it once it happens grrrr i just got told to have salt in my diet and make sure i apply like deep heat and stretch before lessons

[quote:144d9b9076=\"mathews\"]Hi both of you,

Find a good therapist that can do deep soft tissue massage and is not frightened of hurting you. No pain no gain.

The reason for the pain at night is that you are at rest and your blood pressure reduces and of course this passes into the calf muscles. The reduction of blood flow to the wall of the muscle then gives you the pain. It is the same principle as a heart attack.

By the way your calf muscle is actually two muscles, the Soleus and the Gastric-nemus which has two heads (bellies) they both at the lower end form the Achilles tendon. These two muscles really do need looking after as they are the other two hearts of the human body and are known as the 'calf pumps' where as the other is known as you well know the 'cardiac pump'. The former believe it or not work harder than the cardiac pump. They have no blood pressure left as such (0.25) and they have to pump the blood back to the heart against gravity.

Regards

Dr. A. Mathews[/quote:144d9b9076] :D

I have just experienced a night cramp at 3.30 am It was in my right calf and lasted for no more than 2 minutes. I screamed myself and my husband awake with the pain. He turned my toes upward and massaged the calf muscle on the inner calf and the spasm subsided. I was left with a terrible ache in that muscle and also noticed lots of fluttering in various other parts of my body. I thought to myself I've had a heart attack in my calf muscle, but then thought I was being melodramatic and reflected on how stupid my GP would think I was if I said that to him. I heated up my muscle warmer in the microwave and got an ice pack from the freezer and applied each alternately for a few minutes each over about 10 minutes. I was still in pain and found it difficult to walk so I took two standard ibuprofen tablets. I then found this web site and scanned it for any help I could find. Having read about lip holding I then looked up TCM and found a reference to Renzhong DU26 which is an acupressure point for restoring consciousness in an attack of fainting I applied pressure thus to my top lip and thankfully the pain has all but gone. It is now 6. 43am and I'm going back to bed

Hi all,

I have suffered from leg cramps for as long as I can remember(I'm now 40). It is one of the most excruciating things ever, and it almost makes you feel like you're gonna die at that moment!

I used to carry 'Crampex' tablets with me everywhere until oneday a friend suggested that as soon as you feel it coming on,to just jump out of bed and walk on it. I thought it was crazy idea, but it does work.

I go camping a lot through the summer months, but can't have my sleeping bag zipped right up, for the fear of not being able to get out. One thing that is very good though is Quininne tablets, my nan has them off the doctor, and I always have some off her to take camping. This is the main ingredient in Tonic Water, so grab some of that, esp if you'reout drinking...hadthis experience jus the another night! Unfortunately, I do tend to get cramp when I'm drinking, and as I said I had it recently, and also the morning after too (yesterday). Today though I woke up, and my leg is really hurting, right where there is a tendon behind the knee, so I guess it has been too strained with the cramp episodes.

Hi guys,

I'm 27 and have been experiencing nightly leg cramps for months now.

Same as with you all, the pain seems to last much longer than actually happening, during which i want to scream and can't move. I've heard of lifting your toes during a cramp and i have tried but the pain is so severe that i don't want to move in fear of more pain.

My legs- usually my calves and feet are sore and tender days after- and i get cramps almost every night! So you can imagine the cycle..

I have googled this and have found an interesting fact, that you are at higher risk of these nightly cramps when you are on birth conrol pills- which i am.

I'll be going to the doctor and laying off the pills starting today- i'll keep you up-to-date!!!

So generally magnesium might help. Besides I read that cramps at rest can be caused by acalcinosis, so the lack of calcium.