Charley Horses in Legs
By bostonphil
@bostonphil (4459)
United States
May 3, 2011 12:13pm CST
About a year or two ago, I began to get charley horses in my legs at night. They are extremely painful. I am forced to get out of bad and I do so with some difficulty. It is really hard to get up and then I need to walk some before the painful cramping stops. Even walking is extremely difficult at first but the more that I walk, the muscles begin to relax. And finally, after several steps, the muscles relax and the cramping stops but the tenderness in my calves continue. This happens frequently although not every night but it often happens more than one time in the same night: sometimes as many as three times. I have researched charley horses. And have found that this begins to happen to persons as they get older. I am 66 so I suspect that this is the culprit. My potassium level is good.
Have others on myLot experienced charley horses during the night? If so, what can you recommend? I am interested mostly in homeopathic remedies.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
3 May 11
Sometimes it is your magnesium, not potassium that is low. Hubby finds that he does not get those cramps if he eats two bananas daily. I take magnesium supplements as they also help with headaches and preventing osteoporosis. This is also a problem with pregnant women, and back a million years ago when I was pregnant (I am 57) it was suggested that we stand facing a wall with feet back some, lean into the wall and do "wall pushups" to stretch our calves before we went to sleep at night. I certainly hope you find the solution that is right for you because getting your sleep disturbed that way makes it hard to feel well rested.
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
4 May 11
Thank you for the feedback, info and suggestions. I know that my potassium is good. I will try to increase my magnesium by eating foods rich in magnesium. Even if it does not help, it can not hurt.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
4 May 11
Bananas are also good for magnesium, that is why they help hubby. A really quick fix is to drink a glass of gatorade.
@lsdshrooms (214)
• United States
4 May 11
I used to wake up with horrible aching in my calf, what I did was in the morning I'd take a really long hot shower and rub vaseline on my legs, it would still kinda hurt but it would feel alot better after that because I felt like I was pulling a muscle.
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
4 May 11
Thank you for the info. I will try long hot showers and vaseline. I have gotten a lot of help from myLot members and appreciate them all.
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
3 May 11
D. All of the above! It can happen as we get older. I have noticed an increase but usually only if I take a slow week off from running! I would increase my calcium and also drinking water can help get rid of them too. Good luck - they are so painful!
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
4 May 11
My doctors want me to take calcium because of my age -- keeping the bones strong. I have calcium but I have been lazy about taking it. After reading your suggestion, I took a calcium pill. And I am going to try to remember to take two every day. Thanks for your suggestions. I do not drink a lot of water and I am going to increase my water intake.
@vhings_88 (294)
• Philippines
4 May 11
Yeah I do experience this kind of thing especially when I was pregnant. And it attacks especially at 3 or 4 am. It's really painful and the pain does not go away. but after my pregnancy I rarely have this cramping at dawn and I'm happy about it. Though it attack sometimes but not often.
