Midnight cramps - cause and prevention?!
Question: Ive lately been waking up early in the morning (between 1am - 6am) to a serve cramp in my left calve muscle. After a while it dies down, usually after 10 minutes, but im still not about to put pressure on that leg for an additional hour.
I believe that the cause is lack of vitiam E, but im only a teenager and dont have any real knowledge on the matter.
So if anyone can help me out here, ill be very greatful.
Thanks :-)
Answers: Ive lately been waking up early in the morning (between 1am - 6am) to a serve cramp in my left calve muscle. After a while it dies down, usually after 10 minutes, but im still not about to put pressure on that leg for an additional hour.
I believe that the cause is lack of vitiam E, but im only a teenager and dont have any real knowledge on the matter.
So if anyone can help me out here, ill be very greatful.
Thanks :-)
What you are describing is commonly known as a charley horse. I've had them for many years and they started when I was a young teenager.
Yes, Vitamin E is something that has been helpful and evaluated as being useful in treating Charley Horses. It is also common practice to take Viamin E in treating Charley Horses. Being that you are a minor, I am uncomfortable providing you with any advice on that particularly.
However you can get Vitamin E from a variety of foods. I have included a link under sources that shows a table of foods that provide Vitamin E.
I highly recommend that you talk to your parents or Doctor to rule out other causes and possible deficiencies like pottasium, dehydration and other things that one should not be attempting to treat on their own.
I hope this helps, I know how painful they are. The first time it happened to me I hopped up two flights of stairs on one leg (to my parent's room) terrified and convinced my cramping leg would never work again. I was quite young at the time.
Take care!
Michelle
I get these as well, the pain is horrible and then the muscle feels like it is bruised for a day or so after. My doctor told me to add more potassium to my diet, basically just eat more bananas and spinach.