Thigh muscle cramp

John (and all readers of this forum),

I, too, get the excruciating cramps/spasms in my right inner thigh.  I am 64 years young.  My naprapath told me to apply something frozen (bag of vegetables, frozen cold pack, etc.) to the seizing thigh.  THIS WORKS VERY QUICKLY AND STOPS THE CRAMPS IMMEDIATELY.  To be safe, I usually hold the bag of frozen green peas to the thigh for about 5 minutes, and voila!, the cramp is completely GONE!  I hope most of you have success with this method.  P.S.  The trick to this is, of course, being able to walk from my bedroom at one end of the house to the refrigerator/freezer at the other end of the house, and when in severe muscle pain, this is quite a challenge !!!!!!!!!!

I suffer from thigh cramp usually after a difficult bushwalk. I had a bad attack last night after walking in the bush yesterday. The pain is everything that has been described by others in this site. Quinine was used in the past for treatment but cannot be prescribed now. However my doctor suggested keeping a bottle of tonic water in the house as it contains quinine. The pain will disappear within minutes. It may come back but a glass or two more will give relief every time. 

Can someone help me please?  I am trying to figure out if I had a severe muscle cramp/spasm, or if I actually ripped a muscle in my thigh.  Immediately prior to this happening I had an achy type pain in the area above my front knee for a few days, not bad, it just hurt on bending the knee, felt like a tightness, like a band was stetching or something, never had this pain before.

Anyway, I was helping my son clean the pool - he asked me to grab the hose floating away and I lunged forward to grab it, sort of a squat down maneuver to reach into the pool to grab the hose.  I was holding onto the pool stair railing with one hand.  The next thing I know I'm having this severe tightening feeling and severe pain ripping through my thigh, gripping me so hard.  It seemed to rotate right up the entire thigh. Never had pain like that (i have had calf cramps many times - this was 10000 x worse) This was as bad or worse than birth contractions pain. 

I screamed "I broke my leg" that's how bad it was.  DS said, "you didn't break your leg, you didn't even fall" like I was crazy or something.  Anyway, they got a chair under me where I sat in pain for about 1/2 an hour.  Could not even lift my foot off the ground one-inch.  After an hour or so I was able to get up with help, and walking with a cane was OK, as long as there was no bending of my knee.  They got me inside and I crashed on the couch for 4 hours.  The pain was in the entire front thigh area, and I had a severe fatigue feeling all over.

I had thigh pain for over a week after this incident, unable to get into bed without lifting my leg with my hand, unable to get into car, unable to get off any low seat, chair, toilet, etc., without using my hands to push off, or having something to pull myself up with. The pain was just too severe in the thigh if I tried to do this without aid.  My thigh (quad muscle) also had no strength on it's own and I couldn't walk up the stairs, needed to do baby steps, and pull myself up by holding onto the railings. 

So, I know my bone was not broken, but if I tore a muscle I don't think I would have been able to walk.  Just standing or walking was OK, it was the pulling sensation/pain in the thigh area when trying to "lift myself" or "push off" or bending my knee that made the whole thigh hurt badly.  

Everyone says I had a severe muscle spasm in my thigh.  I am so afraid I will get one again - I think of all the times I squat or kneel down to get things on the bottom shelves in the grocery store - I can't even begin to think about it, and I've been so careful when out shopping.

Should I see an orthopedic doctor to rule out a ripped muscle?  The pain subsided after a week to ten days, but as soon as I push myself doing things around here, that pulling feeling starts in my thigh right above my knee - the same pain I had the day this happened.  I felt my thigh starting to tense up yesterday as I was sort of bending/squatting down doing cleaning and I immediately got upright as I thought it was going to go into a spasm. 

Is my description of this incident the same as those of you who have had thigh muscle spasms in regards to what you couldn't do immediately after, and how long the pain stayed with you?  Do you agree that this is what happend to me, as this is a first for me.  I do get calf cramps, foot cramps, and toe cramps where my toe will actually move away from the rest of the toes on it's own and stay apart until I get up and walk around on it.  But I have never experienced anything like this.  After reading all your posts, I'm afraid it will happen again.  Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Those thigh cramps can really be Painful......I know 'cause I have had them whenever I am taking medicines, like the kind one takes for high cholesterole.  Because of the cramps I cannot take ANY of the cholesterol pills, none of them.  Also, l had to stop a HB presure med called Hydrochlorothiazide, it too, can cause cramps.  Always check your meds and the possible side effects.  Good luck.

 

I also had this the other night, never had a pain that was so excruciating ,and I have a high pain threshold , didn't know what to do, 3Days now and I can still feel where it was. Could not straighten my leg, just has to rub (with my nuckles) as hard as poss.

it lasted about 5mins, seemed longer. Dread going to bed now. The pain was located in my inner thigh, going down to knee.

That feeling of 'going to pass out' is well known to me.  As I have said, my thigh cramps were and are the result of medication.....first, cholesterol meds, I can't take any of them and recently I had to stop taking a HB med called hydrochlorothiazide, it too caused thigh cramps.  Hope this info helps. jules116

 

Hi All;  I have had this condition for years and I posted the cure that works for me

several months ago. I take an over the counter Calcium -Magnesium pill every 2 or 3 weeks and this seems to prevent the inner thigh cramps!

If I forget to take a pill and do get a cramp i chew or crush one of these pills and within one or two minutes the cramp is gone!! 

Trust me on this. I have been dealing with trhis problem for many many years and this is the only thing that I have found that works!

Good Luck

tom

I have had these excruciating cramps or spasms in my left inner thigh on 3 occasions. The first time it occurred I really thought I was dying. I could not stand or move and nearly blacked out and almost vomited. I have never experienced such a vicious pain. Absolutely terrifying, especially the first time as I was alone in the house. I thought I should call an ambulance but couldn't walk to the phone. This has happened on 2 further occasions and now I just live in dread of it happening again. My doctor has been no help.  However, I started taking Magnesium tablets and as long as I take two tablets every day without fail I have no problem. But the fear is always there. I am at least glad I am not alone. The pain is indescribable. 

Again, as I lhave written before with regard to thigh cramps.  I would first check out your meds.  Cholesterol pills are definitely the cause (for me and others) of cramps.  Also other meds.  Read all about new meds you are taking.....some are the reason for leg cramps. Eliminate the meds first then look for other reasons.  Good luck.Jules

e

Hello

I am having the same problem , what I have figured that helps at the moment when the pain starts : walk to a bath or shower when it happens and run warm water to your thigh. In my case I can link the attacks  to dehidratation and overusing my muscles.

They are so intense, that my muscles hurt for another day or two after the spasms.