I got a cramp in the back of my leg while I was sleeping and it is still hurting bad.Is this normal? Is there a way to make it stop hurting so bad?
I did see my Dr for this last month. She checked my potassium level and it was fine. She also told me my inhaler(because it's a steroid) can do this. I have not used the inhaler in days so I know it is not that. I guess I will go eat an orange and see if that helps since I don't have bananas at the moment.
I got one when I was about 20 weeks pregnant and I didnt get out of bed in time to stretch it out or to place my foot flat on the floor and I was in serious pain for about 2-3 days after. It sucked but it did eventually get better. I got maybe 1 or 2 more while I was pregnant but I havent had one since but the other times I felt it coming on I shot out of bed like a rocket and the pain went away almost immediately
Good Luck
Also when you have a cramp in your leg, Straighten your legs and turn your feet inward towards each other and then keeping your toes pointed point your toes towards each other and then push your feet up and then down.
I learned this while in labor..
OMG yes. Ever since I got pregnant I get them every so often. I hear it is potassium, but it can also be from not drinking enough water. I will get them while sleeping, usually a couple hours before waking up. And they are SOOO painful!! My calf will usually hurt most of the next day as well. It has been years that I have been having it too :(
USUALLY muscle cramps are from low potassium levels. If you eat a banana and the cramp doesn't go away - call your Primary Care Physician and see what they say.
GOOD LUCK!!
Take one non-enteric coated vitamin B6 (100mg) before you go to bed or if a cramp wakes you up in the middle of the night. Since the pill doesn't have an outer coating, the vitamin will enter your blood stream quicker.
It was probably a "charlie horse" they are very painful. When i get them I find the best way for me is to try and stand first on the toes and then slowly flatten the foot. And usually by the time the foot is flat the pain is gone. I have been told that I should drink more oj and water and the pain should stay away. Good luck!
It can be a vitamin E definciency. You might want to stretch before going to bed also. If you get a cramp, pull your foot back toward your knee to release it.
Steriods stay in your system for a long time, so it could easily be your inhaler.
Try taking some magnesium calcium pills as well. These are ions involved in muscle contractions and have helped me in the past.
Often when I get a cramp in my leg, I have been told to eat a banana to get more potassium. It has still bin uncomfortable in the morning but eating a banana (or 2) and walking around a lot helps!
Do you mind another idea to add to these good ones?
What works for me is to press my bare foot firmly down on a COLD, hard floor -- full foot, not just the ball of the foot and toes, and a hard floor like hardwood or tile, not carpet or a rug. I was told to try this and I don't think it's an "old wives' tale" as it seems to work on calf cramps for me. I also have heard (but not tried this) that if you drink club soda that helps because it contains quinine and that helps prevent muscle cramps; but it may not help immediately if you're having a cramp at that moment.
I used to get horrible cramps in my calves when I was pregnant. The best thing was to have my husband (or myself if he wasn't there but I wasn't as good at it) squeeze the calf really really hard -- it made the pain go away instantly.
I used to get them and my potassium was fine too. So I got into the habit of stretching my calves every am and pm. That worked.
I get them every night! Get them because I have a miserable back. Also
depends on what shoes I wear, how long I am on my feet. Does not
necessarily mean your potassium is low. Sometimes you just get them,
no reason.
