Severe Cramp!

[Spur-Hound]

Hi folks,

 

Had a niggling pain over the coarse of the wekend in my left leg (whats that musscle behind ones shin???) It is throbbing mainly in one place but sends a pain down my foot and knee aswell.

 

I used to get similar 'growing pains' when i was young, im guessing im having a late teenage dose of growing pains....

 

Ive taken paracetamol, does anyone know other ways to sooth cramp???

 

Methods wuld be helpfull cos at the mo' its really sore, near agonising, and begining to be a pain in the arse!!!

 

Shaun

 

Whole weekend in the car fishing probably didnt help

[chris parker]

Drink some Tonic water, it must have Quinine in it. Schweppes is the best. The Quinine will take the cramp away in a coule in minutes.

[Norfolkdan]

Had this problem before Shaun, used to get it all the time when I played football.

Asked our very own NurseJudy and she give me this reply (hope you don't mind me passing the info on Judith)

 

Hi Dan

 

My husband frequently gets this problem he found this site useful

www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068794/

 

i also bought him some Crampex tabs which helped,perhaps you could try taking one before you play,then main content of them is calcium...soo my hubby decided to increase his calcium intake which seems to have helped....or try drinking tonic water its got small doses of Quinine in it ..the doc can give you Quinine tabs if its really bad.

hope this helps

judith

Edited February 19, 2006 by Norfolkdan

[chesters1]

probably just DVT from too much sitting ,paracetamol works (on some people) for pain but asprin is better to dislodge any nasty blockages and get them into the brain or lung ,i have had a varicose vein last year (VERY painfull and still annoying) the doc warned me to keep an eye out for cramps or numbness in the limb.i changed my chair which has improved it ten fold.

worth a trip to the doc even if he finds nothing

[ayjay]

Your description doesn't sound much like cramp to me Spurhound.

 

I'd suggest you look at your driving position.

 

If it is cramp, then you need more salt in your diet.

[Colin Brett]

I suffer severe cramp both in my calve muscles and my thigh muscles.

So severe at times I have fainted with the pain. It's hell if you get cramp in both legs

After a severe bout of cramp the muscles affected feel as if I've had a hot knife stuck in them and it stays like this for days.

I take [when I remember, I'm getting old] prescribed Quinine Sulphate tablets. These are pretty effective as is upping your salt intake, just be careful how much salt you take.

Get along to your doctor and get the correct diagnosis first.

 

Colin

[nursejudy]

Sounds like i need to open the clinic

 

Spur Hound

 

Have you any redness/heat /swelling in the calf area? is it painful when you stand/walk if so then get it checked out see your GP/Nurse Practioner

 

This is the number for NHS Direct available 24hours a Day 08454647

Milk is a good source of calcium....also on the site Norfolk Dan posted there are some stretches to do each day ..which are good....beware taking a lot of asprin unless its prescribed for you

Edited February 19, 2006 by nursejudy

[nursejudy]

probably just DVT from too much sitting ,paracetamol works (on some people) for pain but asprin is better to dislodge any nasty blockages and get them into the brain or lung ,i have had a varicose vein last year (VERY painfull and still annoying) the doc warned me to keep an eye out for cramps or numbness in the limb.i changed my chair which has improved it ten fold.

worth a trip to the doc even if he finds nothing

 

Don't think you have escaped nursey's attention either!!!!

[Vagabond]

Drink some Tonic water, it must have Quinine in it. Schweppes is the best. The Quinine will take the cramp away in a coule in minutes.

 

Yep. Gin and tonic is a good cure for cramp - the ingredients are synergistic, the quinine helps the cramp, and the gin helps you forget the cramp

 

To be a bit more serious, I would be surprised if the cause is salt deficiency, given the way most food manufacturers sneak salt (and sugar, but that's another issue) into as many products as possible to make them more palatable. Most people have too much salt in their diet already.

 

The most immediate way to relieve cramp is to bend your foot up towards the knee - look at how the physio , and other players, treat cramp on the football field. Conversely, the movement that is most likely to produce cramp in the calf is to point your toes like a ballet dancer (that's why swimmers get cramp)

 

I suffer the occasional cramp, and have found the above applies. It can be excruciating for a few minutes though, and the muscle aches for a day or two afterwards.

 

 

...but as ajay says. your symptoms Shaun, don't sound too much like cramp, more like some sort of nerve pinch (I've had those too) so get your doc to check it out.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Vagabond

[Spur-Hound]

The wierdest thing happined. After about 30 mins after posting this, the pain just vanished! It went from throbbing to zilch within a matter of seconds! Didnt know pareacetamol was that effective!