What can I do to prevent these cramps? To stave off future episodes of nocturnal leg cramps, consider the following tips: * Drink six to eight glasses of water daily. Doing so will help prevent dehydration, which may play a role in the cramping. * Stretch calves regularly throughout the day and at night. (See box below for more information.) * Ride a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bedtime. This activity can help prevent cramps from developing during the night, especially if you do not get a lot of exercise during the day. * Keep blankets loose at the foot of the bed to prevent your toes and feet from pointing downward while you sleep. * Do aquatic exercises regularly during the week to help stretch and condition your muscles. * Wear proper foot gear. How can I make them go away? When cramping occurs, try these steps: * Walk on or jiggle the affected leg and then elevate it. * Straighten the leg and flex your foot toward your knee. Grab your toes and pull them upward toward your knee. You should feel your calf muscles stretching. * Take a hot shower or warm bath, or apply an ice massage to the cramped muscle. Persistent or severe leg cramps often are treated with medication. Quinine sulfate is considered the most effective drug, but it can have unpredictable adverse effects and should be used with caution. (In 1995, the US Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of all quinine-based over-the-counter preparations.) Alternative medications include diphenhydramine hydrochloride, vitamin E, simple muscle relaxants (such as meprobamate [Equanil, Miltown]), verapamil hydrochloride (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), chloroquine phosphate (Aralen Phosphate), and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (Plaquenil Sulfate). Stretch your way to better sleep Nocturnal muscle cramps can often be prevented by doing leg-stretching exercises, such as the one outlined below. 1. Stand 30 inches from the wall. 2. While keeping your heels on the floor, lean forward, put your hands on the wall, and slowly move your hands up the wall as far as you can reach comfortably. 3. Hold the stretched position for 30 seconds. Release. 4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 two more times. 5. For best results, practice this exercise in the morning, before your evening meal, and before going to bed each night. ============= http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C466089.html Dairy Products Avoidance There is some information suggesting that milk may make leg cramps worse due to an underlying calcium deficiency. Milk does not make a good calcium replacement source because of the amount of phosphorus it contains. Pregnant women and others who get legs cramps due to low calcium levels should reduce milk intake, because drinking milk does not correct the underlying imbalances in calcium and phosphorus. The most common cause of nocturnal leg cramps is calcium deficiency. Non-phosphate containing calcium supplements should be used if low calcium is suspected. However, some people are helped by taking milk before bed. One person writes that "Both my son and I have severe nocturnal leg cramps if we eat cheese, milk,,etc. Even the 'hidden' lactose added to sweetened sausages has this effect…" Drug GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate) An IND (Investigational New Drug Application) has been filed with the FDA for GHB's proposed action on reducing nocturnal myoclonus (painful leg cramps at night). Habits Aerobic Exercise Exercise, such as riding a stationary bicycle for a few minutes before bedtime, can help prevent cramps from developing during the night, especially if you do not get a lot of exercise during the day. Mineral Calcium Both calcium and magnesium are involved in relaxing nerve impulses and regulating muscle activity. Calcium is needed to contract the muscle, and magnesium is needed to relax it. An imbalance in this dynamic duo can irritate and confuse the muscle. Oxygen / Oxidative Therapies Oxygen There are some reports that muscle cramps at night may be associated with shallow breathing, or the oxygen depravation from sleep apnea. Try taking several deep breaths at the first sign of cramping to see if more oxygen helps. Physical Medicine Hydrotherapy Vitamins Vitamin E Nocturnal leg cramping often responds to 400-800iu of vitamin E per day. In one of the largest studies, 103 of 125 people who had been experiencing leg and foot cramps at night reported relief after taking vitamin E. A daily dose of 300iu was effective for half of the participants, while the others required 400iu or more for relief. Vitamin D Here is the story of one man's journey to find an answer for his night time leg cramps: 'I need to tell you about my quest for nocturnal leg cramp relief and how I achieved it. I am a healthy 60 year old male who five years ago, was being treated for hypertension. The doctors were giving me medicines to treat this and then a heart specialist put me on some kind of diuretic. I don't remember the name of it but it was a small white pill. I think this caused some type of electrolytic imbalance because not more than two weeks into this treatment I started being awakened in the early mornings (4AM) by painful calf cramping. I was also having cramps in the arch of my feet. It was so bad that I had to jump out of bed and walk around the bedroom for relief. Even quiting the treatment didn't cure the cramping. These are not the kind of fatigue cramps that I've had in my large muscles, such as thigh or hamstring which can be cured with quinine sulfate tablets, these come right out of the blue and are very strong. The GP doctors that I complained to kind of poo poo'ed my problem and told me I should get plenty of potassium and calcium etc. I loaded up on these minerals (calcium, magnesium, and potassium) and it reduced the problem by about 20%. This went on for YEARS before I told a co-worker about this problem and he said "Oh, You need vitamin D". I started taking a 400IU vitamin D pill daily along with a Calcium tablet and IMMEDIATELY stopped having these nightly cramps. I think this cure is remarkable and have never seen this reported in any article about leg cramps and hoping that I am telling the right people. Someone should launch a study on this." Barry M.