Thigh muscle cramp

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I have often had calf muscle cramp, but this is easily dealt with by walking about. However, last night I had a thigh muscle cramp which was far more acute than anything I had had before. The pain was excruciating and lasted ten minutes. My face went grey and I almost fainted. I couldn't walk and massaging seemed to have little effect.

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  • Posted

    I HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND FIND THAT IF i TAKE A CALCIUM MAGNESIUM PILL EVERY 2 OR 3 WEEKS THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED.

    iF i DO GET A LEG CRAMP i IMMEDIATELY CHEW UP AND SWALLOW A CALCIUM PILL AND THE CRAMP RELEASES WITHIN A SHORT TIME(2-3 MINUTES.

    i HAVE READ THAT PICKLE JUICE WILL PREVENT CRAMPS BUT HAVEN'T TRIED THIS OPTION YET

    GOOD LUCK

    hOPE THIS WORKS FOR YOU

    TOM

  • Posted

    These are the most excruciating  pains I have ever had outside of giving birth.  I use to take cholesterol meds.  But when I started having these cramps they kept tried me on all of the cholesterol med.  There was no relief.  I would get them sometimes 3-4 times a week.  I usually get them when I am start getting up from lying down in bed or on the couch.  I have also gotten them like today, by turning my leg in a different position like putting on a pair of jeans.  this happened this morning.  Lasted  15 min.   I just got another one in the same leg shen I got up off the couch.  One thing is so wierd, whenever I get these I feel like I have to goto the bathroom, which you cant do  because 1st of all you cant walk and even if you manage to get to the bathroom you cant sit down.  One time I was getting up from sleeping and got one in each thigh and I did pass out.  Since stopping  taking anything with statins in it I can go weeks to a few months without them.  But having two in the same leg only 9 hrs apart makes for a very  sore leg.  So today I went on the internet and found this site and was glad to hear that so many others get these cramps.. I read that if you took Braggs aooke cider vinegar with the MOTHER in it with some honey and warm water it helps.  So I started taking this  am and pm for a while.It seems to help but maybe its just wishfull thinking.  But of course when taking this vinegar solution and after a while the cramps subside I usually stop.  Maybe its a mental thing and maybe not but I do think it helped me somewhat.  And then after awhile I get one or two.  And then it subsides.  Im so sorry to hear that so many people suffer with this but glad to hear I am not the only one.  I was so glad when I got it this afternoon ( 2nd one today) that the windows were closed because these things can get me to screaming ond praying Oh God, out loud.  Good luck to all of us.  By the way 80% of the time when I get these my leg turns in and takes a long time to straighten out as the pain finally subsides.  The dr putme on over the counter Magnesium 250mg recently. Not sure if it helps.
  • Posted

    Hi donna68907: I can certainly relate to your pain and I will give you a little more info on the pills I take.

    They are over-the -counter Calcium Magnesium manufactured by Jamieson.

    I take one pill every one or two weeks and this seems to prevent the cramps.

    If I am going to be doing a lot of walking or exercise I take a pill before the activity

    Hope this works...

  • Posted

    Hi

    This seemed to have all but disappeared after changing the statin I was taking.

  • Posted

    You are lucky. I never took statins so I can't quit obviously. I am so scared that this will happen again, whenever..

    The minute they subsided I took two muscle relaxents and a vicodin. For the next few days I took one a day. (muscle relaxent). I have them next to my bed and with me now. There is NO reference to this in ANY medical website. I guess they only recognize stuff they can do something about. When you read their suggestions re cramps you know they NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

    MAKING APPT WITH MY DOC. IF SHE HAS ANYTHING TO OFFER I WILL REPORT BACK. I'M GONNA BRING A PRINT OUT OF THESE REMARKS SO SHE CAN'T DENY THIS EXISTS.

  • Posted

    I still managed remain largely free from cramping thigh muscles since taking 1000iu of VitD daily. Also recently been to a private physio to seek help free up stiff leg/osteoarthritic hip. He discovered overtight abdominal muscle(s) which affects hip flexor muscles - so maybe a couple of good deep tissue massages would help with thigh cramps. 
  • Posted

    Hello everyone, I've been getting inner thigh cramp lately, at night and usually when I get out of bed. I know from previous occasional calf cramp that I can stop the cramp if I stretch that muscle instantly.

    So try this for cramp in your [u]left[/u] inner thigh.

    1. Stand up without delay.

    2. Bend your right leg a bit, then move your left leg far to the left until it is straight.

    3. You should feel it starting to stretch the inner thigh muscle: move to stretch it as much as you can, and lean backwards slightly. This will hurt, but you need to work through the pain barrier.

    I find this releases the cramp in seconds, and well worth a try.

    Hope this is helpful.

    The same works for calf muscle cramp: Stand up without delay, stretch the cramped leg out behind you, straight. Push your heel firmly onto the ground while you lean forwards. This stretches the calf muscle and releases the cramp. Again, it releases the crampo in seconds.

    Good luck!   Philip T., BSc(Hons), Dip.M.

    • Posted

      Hi Phillip, well great if this works for you but we are talking about an entirely different cramp.  These cramps are in the thigh muscle and believe me you can hardly move from the pain.  For most of us it is a matter of stand quickly and just trying to alleviate the pain (not possible really).  For me, i stagger to the shower and using a hand held shower-head keeping very hot water on the thigh cramp until it relaxes.  This is of course usually whilst crying and trying not to pass out with the pain.  This may take 15-20 minutes.  I am not able to go away unless there is a hand-held shower or if i absolutely have to i use a hair dryer which is not the best as it can burn the skin.

      Reading this site will give you a feel for how we 'fear and dread' these cramps and how excruciating they can be.  

      Most of us will be familiar with ordinary cramps and stretching etc etc but these are in a realm of their own.  I have had sooooo many tests and been to as many specialist and still now 'cure' or preventative or coping strategies - apart from the showering etc.

      I hope this has explained where most of us are coming from.

       

    • Posted

      yes I know what you are talking about as it happens to me when sitting more than 20 minutes IN A LOW CHAIR and cannot stand as pain is so awful. It only happens when sitting low e.g. toilet seat for more than 3/4 minutes. Cannot sit on low chairs etc when visiting others in their home. I avoid low seats. I am sure it has nothing to do with medication as I dont take anything.  What I was told to do is exercise the thigh muscle standing beside bed with one leg on floor and other bent backwards resting foot   on bed then stretch and hold the thigh muscle alternately for 30 seconds each leg. I will discuss this with my son-in-law who is an orthopaedic surgeon and let you know what his opinion is if I am doing the right thing. Meantime avoid anything low to sit on. 
    • Posted

      Please let me know what your son-in-law says as I have started doing leg and toe stretching exercises before going to bed and I feel they help, somewhat.  Acturally, the one cramp that really hurts is when your big toe cramps upward swhich goes against the natural down bend.  I can't figure that one out at all.
    • Posted

      Although my son-in-law is an orthopaedic surgeon he only deals in bones. My daughter is a GP and she would first take blood to check for calcium levels, thyroid,iron levels,vitamin B or CK (muscle hormone). If all negative she would send you to a neurologist for further tests.  Hope this helps as I am about to make appointment to see my GP also.
  • Posted

    Hello Jan,

    I'm talking about thigh cramp, and also as a footnote, calf cramp. Wherabouts in your thigh do you get the cramp?

    • Posted

      In the inner thigh, between the knee and hip or pelvis bone.  HORRIBLE!!!
  • Posted

    Omg! I am not happy to hear you are all getting same pain, however happy to know I am not the only one with this problem.  I'ved had this for years and no Doc knows what's wrong.  I was told eat more bananas!  This pain I get, after all this years with the same leg same spot, I noticed it is when I wear open toe shoes and it's cold out or I am in a real cold ac place and have open toe shoes, it is weird but that is when I notice it happens the most.  I start feeling this slow sensattion starting from the bottom of the inner thigh by the knee and starts climbing and building up like a BALL and keeps going higher and the pain gets more intense as it builds up....the ONLY things I have noticed that works for me, is ICY HOT and lots of rubbing usually from my husband massaging the ball down constantly non stop until it goes away....by this time I already cried a bunch, and felt as I will pass out from the pain.  I get so scared to get them, that when I am going to the movies or somewhere cold I will have to put on jeans, and closed shoes and on cold weather I will wear thermos under my pants, it is a HORRIBLE pain and I wish some doctors would know the cause and most importantly the cure for it!!!  My kids and everyone in my family have expericenced me having them, and they look shocked and think how can I be in such pain if its just a simple cramp!!  OMG it is NOT a simple cramp!!!
    • Posted

      I know that feeling of wanting to pass out from the pain of thigh cramps.  I can only tell you to check out your meds, if you are taking any, cholesterol pills are poison and all tho they brought my numbers down to 100 I lhad to give them up because of the cramps.  Cannot take any of them.  Also, recently had to stop hydrochlorothiaze for the same reason......thigh cramps.  Good luck.

       

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