Muscle Cramp Remedies

The instant and best remedy for us has been to apply milk of magnesium on the calf or wherever the cramp is.

One time while in Hawaii on vacation, I got this horrible cramp after being in a hot pool. I used to use magnesium oil at home applied generously and rubbed in the muscle at home. Since the only magnesium in liquid form found in a grocery store by the hotel was the milk of magnesium we tried it and it worked great just like the magnesium oil. Now when ever we travel we take it along just in case. This is our insurance.

Two people I know cured their leg cramps by taking one 1200 mg soy lecithin softgel daily. Taking it evenings might be preferable because that's when I take it to help me sleep and it works great.

Been using string around ankle for many years. I also suffer from nerve damage in my leg feels like stinging and burning - the string helps.

Can you please tell me more about the tied string and where do you place it? Thank you.

I've had a lump in my neck for the past few years caused by a chronic muscle spasm. Yesterday, my acupuncturist injected a shot of Vitamin B12 directly into the lump and it disappeared instantly. No more muscle spasm, no more lump. The effect was instantaneous.

Have you ever seen a chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist or "trigger" therapist. The right professional will release that place in your neck. May take several treatments since you'd had it so long.

ACV is actually easy to drink, easy to get used to. But everyone is different. Just keep reading posts on this great site!

Ruth, in regards to your hep c..i just finished 3 month treatment of olysio and sovaldi and am now CURED of hep c. If you haven't already..see your heptologist.. also, take 4 tsp yellow mustard and cramps in legs go away within 1 min. Take care

Sounds like you are on the right track. Sometimes energy healing or cold laser therapy can be very helpful with muscle cramp issues as well.

Also, try a spoon of yellow mustard. And put a bar of soap {I use Cares} under the bottom sheet on your bed down by your legs. I read about this in the newspaper and it works. Hope it works for you.

To Faith,

Re leg cramps...using Pressure Points

If your leg cramps are mainly on one side of your body...left leg more than right leg or the other way around, then the problem is not a nutritional deficiency. More likely it is the pelvis out of place...shifted too high on the cramping side.

I deal with this by placing person on carpeted floor face down with small pillow for neck support. Using my thumb, I begin probing and holding down thumb for a moment or two and then moving the thumb a quarter inch...I'm doing this on hip on side of pelvis, on the aching side. If a few minutes the "patient" will "yelp out" in finding I'd hid a sharp pain. Then the finger is held for 15 seconds and gently released. Do this repeatedly on the sensitive pelvis area where the sensitive area is. Then work down the hurting leg...down the sciatic nerve and there will be more very sensitive zones. Pressure point them too. Patient will be sore the next day and by second will not be hurting nearly so much. This is the use of "pressure points" and can be very helpful.

This is my experience. I also take my hands and hold down on pelvis while patient pushes up like in a push up...gently pushing his lower torso up and against your weight on pelvis. Do this twice. That "push up" technique will also help reset the pelvis back to normal in relation to the lower vertebra.

If you've ever had a hip roll then the patient will be helped by that also. Google that and you will see how a home version could be done. The hurting leg is on top and is rolled toward body.

If patient is somewhat improved a few hours later, then likely the problem is pelvis. I repeat the next day or two. Again, the places where the pressure has been placed will be sore the next day. But better day two.

Sometimes it is necessary to take a low dose 50mg of magnesium every night for persistent muscle cramps. Too much can give diarrhea.

I have terrible leg cramps lately--they start at my shin. When I stand to work it out, it moves to my thigh. Then it spreads to my foot, curling it outward so badly that, if I stand, I am on the top of my foot. I have been using mag oil for the past 2 weeks, covering all my skin for 20 minutes 2x per day. Then I use more when it actually cramps. I also take potassium, about 300 mg per day. I use sea salt on my food, so I get that. Any other suggestions? I feel this all day long, ready to spasm if I flex my foot. Also, I walk about 2 miles + or - daily.

I have terrible leg cramps lately--they start at my shin. When I stand to work it out, it moves to my thigh. Then it spreads to my foot, curling it outward so badly that, if I stand, I am on the top of my foot. I have been using mag oil for the past 2 weeks, covering all my skin for 20 minutes 2x per day. Then I use more when it actually cramps. I also take potassium, about 300 mg per day. I use sea salt on my food, so I get that. Any other suggestions? I feel this all day long, ready to spasm if I flex my foot. Also, I walk about 2 miles + or - daily.

I found what works for me and a buddy of mine for muscle cramps is a teaspoon of celtic sea salt (fine ground) mixed in about 12 to 13 oz water. I usually use purified or reverse osmosis water. When the cramps start I drink half the water and they usually stop within 1 - 2 minutes. Best way I've found to avoid the cramps, is to consume the whole mixture by having sips during the course of the day and and as a result I don't have any cramps at night. I make sure I have a bottle of the salt water mix close at hand and drink some of it when I feel the onset of cramping about to start.

'Incline bed therapy' is also what I use. I find the benefits of Incline Bed Therapy on the internet most informative.

Do you keep the Epsom salt spray on over night or do you wash it off after a period of time? Thank you.

I cannot tolerate magnesium orally, yet if I don't take it regularly I get brutal leg cramps and restless leg syndrome. I make a magnesium spray of Epsom salts dissolved in hot water and spray it on my thighs and butt after my shower (every two days. ) I put it there because it tends to sting a bit elsewhere. This regime keeps both leg cramps and RLS at bay, but if I miss just one application, the cramps are back in full force that night or the next.

Dear Flipflap,

Thanks for sharing. That is fascinating! There is something new to learn every day.

~Mama to Many~

I've have severe calf cramping and have found Natural Calm works very well. Also Epsom Salts baths. I tried Magnesium supplements in pill form and they did nothing. The absorption through these other delivery systems seem to work much better. I used to have cramps under my breast area which sound similar to your son's. They haven't been around for a while since I've increased my magnesium level.

My son woke up the other morning doubled over with severe abdominal pain. He said it reminded him of the pain he had a few years ago that was a suspected appendicitis. We had treated that successfully with charcoal so I immediately began to fix him a charcoal poultice. The pain was rather high, though, just under his ribcage. It seemed more the location of the gall bladder....

Meanwhile, he mentioned having had a leg cramp in the night. Then we recalled that he had been helping someone install some panels on a ceiling and had worked for several hours with his arms in the air a good bit of the time. It made us suspect that he was actually dealing with a muscle cramp. I put 2 teaspoons of Natural Calm (magnesium supplement) into a mug with water. He drank it and was 85% better in less than 5 minutes! I still went ahead and used a charcoal poultice over his abdomen for a while. An hour later he was 100% and off to work.

Magnesium would not normally be my first thought for abdominal pain (unless perhaps the pain was caused by constipation or menstrual cramps.) And I have never heard of a cramp in the location he was experiencing pain, but when we put together all the information, and the fact that magnesium worked, it seems that this pain was indeed a muscle cramp.

~Mama to Many~

Perhaps the potassium in the soap was used up and required a new bar?

Hi Dave, Thank you for your reply. I'm quite sure my neuropathy was caused by the antibiotic Cipro. I was talked into taking 2 doses in a row from food poisoning from a restaurant. Lost 20 pounds in 20 days...Then about 1 month later I came down with SEVERE neuropathy. There must be a protocol for reversing neuropathy caused by cipro but I can't find one...I have been taking many, many supplements for neuropathy...

I have also tried BHT but can't take it...Am waiting to get approved for Sovaldi which has been curing over 90% of people with genotype 1a hepatitis c.

Is 2 amino ethyl phosphoric acid the same as Calcium AEP? I have a bottle of Calcium AEP and started to take it and it seemed like my neuropathy got worse...I stopped taking it then tried it again in a month and the same thing happened...

I have been getting phlebotomies once a month-1 pint and my enzymes are going down- one is 56 and the other is 113...I guess getting the iron out of my liver effects the enzymes...

My hives started the next day after I took magnesium...I stopped taking it and they went away...About 10 days later I took magnesium again and the same thing happened...I have tried several types of magnesium and the same thing happens...

Thanks again for your feedback. There is an answer out there.

Greetings Ruth,

About your Hep C and hives and calf cramping...

My guess is that the hives goes back to the Hep C as the cause and not the use of magnesium. I've used Mag for decades with no hives issue. Never heard of one.

I suggest that the neuropathy that you also mention is related to the cramping. Peripheral Neuropathy is being caused by some underlying condition; often sugar issues or myelin sheath damage (MS styled problems). For that, I like to take 2Amino Ethyl Phosphoric Acid (AEP), also called "membrane integrity factor".

It comes in different forms but the most common is Calcium AEP: Read about it ...google "nutrition review calcium AEP"...this is super in dealing with the leg pain issue related to neuropathy.

So: Again my thinking is that the Hep C is causing the hives; that the Peripheral Neuropathy is caused by another underlying problem (could be liver) and the cramping might be helped by AEP.

By the way, have you checked out on this EC site all the posts of "Oscar" on Hep B and C? He uses BHT. You might want to go to EC's "ailments" and scroll to Hep B and Hep C; or to the "remedies" section and see the BHT section.

Ruth, have you tried Epsom Salt baths for getting magnesium?

I have hepatitis c and peripheral neuropathy and have terrible calf cramps...I have been taking magnesium for my cramps and getting hives. Don't understand it. I've tried several types (Chloride-citrate etc.) of magnesium except the one that the woman in Hawaii sells. Her ad sound bogus to me....

Why would I have an allergy unless my magnesium level is full and adding to it causes the hives...Any suggestions or explanations. Thank you very much. I have hives everywhere and it's terrible. Even on the bottom of my feet.

Hi Cindy...I would start supplementing both magnesium and potassium for your cramp problems. Start supplementing potassium gluconate(100 mgs three times a day with food) and magnesium citrate (250 mgs twice a day). Or you can buy the Magnesium Oil (which is a saturated solution of magnesium chloride) and just rub that on the skin over the cramping areas at night. Magnesium oil gets rapidly absorbed transdermally from the skin into the blood. You can also take magnesium oil orally -- 10 drops, twice a day, in a glass of water with food. I normally take high doses of magnesium -- over 1000 mgs per day -- and the body usually has no problems getting rid of magnesium unless you specifically have kidney problems.

Perhaps you should also eat more potassium rich foods like dark green leafy veg, baked potato, beans, avocados, plain yogurt, mushrooms and bananas.

Your dizziness might be a blood flow problem in the brain. I had dizziness and cramps when I had systemic candida. I also had racing heart problems. I found that using Ted's alkalizing remedies, supplementing iodine and supplementing Magnesium Chloride cured all those problems.

I would therefore also advise that you supplement a strong liquid kelp extract. The iodine in the kelp will help fix any low thyroid problems that you may have and kelp also contains a huge and beneificial array of minerals that will also help you as well.

It might also benefit you to also take niacin in the form of slow release niacin (like Inositol hexanicotinate). Take two 1500 mgs doses (morning and evening) with food per day. You will not get the niacin flush using this form of slow release niacin. The niacin will help to change and thin the blood safely -- allowing better blood flow to the brain so that there can be no cause or reason for your dizziness. You should also always take B50 complex(once a day at breakfast) and vitamin C (1000 mgs three times per day) together with the niacin for best effect.

I have had some blood work done and show low potassium level. how can I improve this and do I have to be concerned about then having some other vit/mineral being affected. I sometimes have leg cramps or Charlie horses mostly at night and also dizziness. thanks in advance

May10777, can you stay away from milk (and milk products)?

Spasms are both muscle and nerve related often relating to mineral deficiencies (and dehydration or fluid-transmission problems). Worse, yet, it is very common that when you treat one deficiency, you create an imbalance in the other(s), in a constant see-saw action. Mineral deficiencies are very common in people habitually taking meds/foods/drinlk that deplete certain minerals; also in athletes, outdooor laborers in hot climates, and in habitual drug/alcohol users (esp crack/meth).

The minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc MUST be kept in proper balance with each other in order for muscles/nerves to work properly. (Simply put: Calcium controls contraction of muscles, Magnesium controls relaxation of a contracted muscle, Potassium and Zinc controls many necessary adjunct functions, including the uptake of fluids and minerals into muscle tissue, and transmission nerve signals).

One of the easiest/fastest/affordable ways to rebalance your mineral levels (without paying for extensive testing/measuring and dosing) is by purchasing a homeopathic mix of "tissue salts" (aka "cell salts") available at most good health food stores. Since you dont know your mineral levels, and your problem is ongoing for awhile (and could be from several causes and/or multiple imbalances), I would choose the bottle that contains all the basic cell salts; one of several choices is named "Bio-Plasma" made by Hylands ($18 for 1000 tabs; which will last you 6months or years). Take as directed (under tongue; several times a day) until you get relief, then stop. Since they are homeopathic, they will balance themselves out properly over time (as long as you stop taking them each time you get relief). If/when you have a relapse , start taking them again as directed (until you get relief, then stop; then restart them if/when you relapse; stopping & starting over & over again). This will slowly/surely reload both your tissues and body fluids to the proper levels, correcting any deficiencies (which takes more time in deep/damaged tissue).

Hylands has a great laymans website for more details explaining the theory & practices of homeopathy, and cell-salts, and the particular function/workings of each salt (which can all be bought separately, and in different "combos").

Although the Bio-Plasma combo works slower than single salts, it is much more thorough in re-balancing your entire system; adequately replenishing (and eventually helping to repair) muscles, tissues, nerves, transmitters, etc. Otherwise, using a single salt may just be putting a small bandaid on a much more extensive problem.

When you no longer have any relapses at all (over a much longer period then previously), then put your cell-salts away and be sure to take a (high-quality) multi-vitiamin/mineral supplement dialy; and eat a healthy/balanced diet with lots of fresh (or fresh-frozen) colorful veggies and fruits, and plenty of water daily. Do not eat canned foods; do not drink sodas or exceed 2 caffinated drinks per day (if that)! Stay hydrated!

If cell-salts don't solve your spasms, then at least you know your minerals levels are probably not the primary issue. (Good Luck & Best Wishes! )

PS: Bottle/can "Tonic Water" has similar features/functions as Quinine (in minute doses), so it may be handy in-a-pinch (but not to be used as a substitute for re-balancing your minerals! ).

To May 10777,

Re Quinine....

I did a Google search and found "Quinine" from a Canadian source.

Also when I get too much carb overload (especially sugar) in afternoon and evening I'm liable to have leg issues. For quick relief I take one third teaspoon of baking soda in a half glass of water and dissolve. Then I "pat" some of the liquid on my knees...twice on each knee cap. And then drink the rest. The aching I relate to metabolism issues, but somehow the dissolved baking soda gives instant relief.

Also, for a bad case, I'll triple up on my AEP (Calcium AEP).

For aching that involves the entire leg...that's a circulation problem. I use natural (NOT synthetic) vitamin E plus added magnesium. And a good soak every week in two cups of Epsom Salts in a tub of warm water is a great help. The key is the E. I take 1, 000 IUs daily. Start at 200 IUs and over months increase to at least 400.

If the aching is from a vein issue...I use Horse Chestnut in pill form. Three daily.

If the aching is due to onset MS, the AEP will work wonders. My mother kept mobile even though she had full blown MS for the last 15 years of her life. Whenever she had a "flare up" she'd take another 6 AEP tablets, and gone were the aches.

So...aching can be the result of a number of issues. Maybe a combo. But get off the sugar as a dietary help.

Can you get Schweppes Bitter Lemon or Tonic where you are? They both contain small amounts of Quinine. I always have some in the cupboard and drink a tumbler of one of them when I get leg cramps.

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I have suffered severe spasms for many years. The only thing that ever really helped me was Quinine which is not available anymore. My last scrip was in '04. There seems to be no answer to why I have them. My doctors say "some people just have them and some people don't." These are serious spasms where both feet and legs are sometimes affected alway up so cannot get up and walk it out. Or once I was driving and both hands drew up in knots at the same time. Scary, hurting so bad and trying to hold a steering wheel like that.

The Doctor recommended calcium years ago and at first it seemed to help. Next time I complained she said try Magnesium as you may have a shortage. Again it helped and I was able to sleep through the night. But not for long. I have used a teaspoon of yellow mustard, a little pickle juice, a little vinegar & honey and all these things will give some relief after a few minutes. But getting to them can be a problem and the safest & simplest thing I can do is keep water by my bedside! I have learned if I drink a glass of water right away it helps.

The bar of soap in bed did not work for me.

I have noted that when I run out of milk and don't drink milk I sleep through the night and don't have them. I read somewhere that milk actually leaches calcium out of bones and that may be what is happening. I can get more calcium eating collards greens without the cramps.

I have never heard of using Lobellia before but I will have to try it. I'm always on the look out for anything that helps.

Thank you and I wish everyone who has to deal with this find the right answer.

Hi all, just a quick post for those who suffer from leg cramps. I used to get them often, mostly at night. My calf muscles would bunch up like baseballs, I would grab my foot and push the heel down and pull the toes upward.it would help if the cramp was just starting.One day, after suffering a really bad one the night before, my sister asked me why I was limping. She gave me a super remedy. Just drink a juice glass of tonic water. It is the quinine in it that does the trick, don't wait till you have the cramp, drink a small glass everyday.

If my muscles hurt from over use, I put a cup of epsom salts in a nice warm bath, pour my tonic water over a couple ice cubes with a squeeze of lime juice and, if it was a rough day, a little dash of gin. Works for me every time. Joking aside, it works because the quinine in the tonic water relaxes the muscles and your body absorbs magnesium from the epsom salts after the warm water opens the pores and soothes the aches. Give it a try (no gin needed) let me know if it works for you as well as it has for me. My sister's Doctor told her about the tonic water cure, the epsom salts is a well known old time remedy, I fine tuned the rest.

Regards to all.

I used get charlie horses in my legs at night, and would have to get up and walk them off. Then I bought a bottle of liquid magnesium, and wiping the liquid on my legs would stop the cramp even before I finished wiping. This was my solution for over a year, and I was very happy, even though the liquid mag is pricey. Then one night I was half asleep and grabbed the wrong bottle from the counter. It wasn't until the next morning that I discovered I had used Milk of Magnesia instead of the magnesium which had been put inside a cupboard - but the result was the same! I've retested both versions of magnesium several times , and both solutions work. Maybe the liquid mag is a bit faster.

Leg Cramps:

LOBELIA Extract (brown liquid available in large health food stores & from herbalists). The most powerful antispasmodic natural medicine. In essence, a cramp is a a 'spasm' or knot of the muscle. A quick liberal spray or splash of the lobelia rubbed into & about 3" around the circumference of the cramped area & relief will be momentary & complete.

TRACE MINERALS
The other people's recommendations of trace minerals, AC vinegar etc daily will treat the 'cause' of the cramping if taken daily as an addition to the daily diet..(its a 'food' not a medicine) on an ongoing basis. And..improve digestion (& therefore absorption of minerals from food) & general quality of health in many regards.

I find the following taken at least twice daily approx 15mins before meals is an easy quick & relatively pleasant:

• 3 T AC Vinegar
• 1T Raw Honey (NOT pasturized or boiled sold in markets)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup hot water

Stir & drink

I take 2 Tblspns apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp.baking soda in about 6 ozs water and my leg cramps go away almost immediately!

I agree with Timh, after taking trace minerals as well, I feel profoundly better. I haven't had consistant bed vacating episodes in weeks. When I do get one it isn't as painful and diminishes quickly. I have tried ACV in these times and it works too.

I'm just adding my personal experience with fibrolytic enzymes. Whenever I don't take my Nattokinase, I will experience cramping in toes while sleeping or swimming. Cramping may be related to blood flow issues to feet. If other things fail, this may be worth a shot.

For muscle cramps, I use 2tbls apple cider vinegar (acv), 1/4 tsp baking soda, 2tbls aloe vera and 8 ounces of fresh pressed apple juice. it works every time for me.

Hello Ms Peggy from Sacramento;

My understanding of how the H202 is working to relieve leg's muscle spasms is simple: spasming may be lack of oxygen. Others deficiencies... Such as lack of magnesium can also cause spasms. But you got it right and found peroxide worked.

But go one step further. The spasms and the fact that extra oxygen helped is a possible warning for you. You might have oxygen deficiency in your system. I take Natural (not synthetic) vitamin E to help deliver oxygen throughout the body... Especially muscles. Remember the heart is a muscle.

So the point is this: If you were having muscle cramping for years and if the hydrogen peroxide helped, then you might be oxygen depleted and that is dangerous most importantly for the heart.

Vitamin E (which is refined out of virtually all our grains) is essential to oxygenate muscles. I've taken 800 iu daily for about 40 years. E does 20 different things in the system. By taking E, I don't have to take an aspirin to thin my blood, for instance. By taking E I don't worry about cholesterol levels, because nothing is sticking to arteries, the E coating the veins and arteries. By taking E I know there will be no sudden heart craved spasm of my heart... instant death.

Remember the heart is constantly working and of all the muscles the one you cannot afford to have spasm!

Natural E is called "d-alpha tocopherol" and you get it in health food stores ... not in drug stores which sell the synthetic.

Start with 200 iu daily and over a few months increase to 400 and then go to 800. E will dissolve existing plaque formation so the slow start up of E is better so there is not a sudden release of a clump of plaque.

Glad you found a solution,

Dave