# Techniques/solutions for muscle cramps **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765 "2019-05-10T08:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![albino\_manatee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/albino_manatee/32/2_2.png) [@albino\_manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/albino_manatee)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/21 "2019-05-11T12:50:00Z")
never heard of the mustard properties _(thanks)_ … might be the vinegar/lemon in it? maybe should keep a vial of the stuff in the small pocket of my jeans. the number and severity of cramps increased once i reached the 50’s … by the time one would hit, usually too far along for the toe-pulling to alleviate the pain. taught myself to listen to the body … soon as i noticed a cramp just beginning to manifest itself … quickly pulled up the toes. but, soon thereafter, went even further. i would actually create prime conditions for the cramp to materialize … by extending the toes downward … just a bit, until i felt the ‘tug’ … and then pulled the toes back up. next iteration, would go a bit further … a bit longer. i don’t encourage others with this type of therapy … unless you have no other alternative. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/22 "2019-05-11T14:43:15Z")
The medical facts on nocturnal leg (generally calf) cramps: 1. Most common cause is ‘idiopathic’ (we don’t know the cause). 2. After that, potential causes/associations include: a) structural, like flat feet, hypermobility prolonged sitting, poor positions while sitting, working/living on concrete floor surfaces. b) neurologic disorders like Parkinson’s, neuropathies, radiculopathies, myopathies c) Metabolic/electrolyte disorders such as dehydration, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, chronic alcohol consumption. d) some meds are associated with increased cramping, such as long acting bronchodilators, potassium sparing diuretics, and thiazide diuretics. Also beta agonists, beta blockers (can’t win either way there), ARBs, and benzodiazepines. e) it’s also associated with exercise, and peripheral vascular disease, along with iron deficiency anemia, and other anemias. Treatment should be directed at the underlying disorder, if it can be found. But mostly it isn’t found. Other effective nondrug treatments include stretching exercises, a few minutes of bike riding before bed for sedentary types, have properly fitting shoes, don’t have the sheets tucked in tight down by the feet, and stay hydrated. Drug therapies used to include quinine, which was pretty damned effective but did cause an unfortunate number of arrhythmia related deaths for every 10,000 people using it. Vitamin B complex tabs have been seen to be somewhat effective in some folks, same for Vitamin E, and benadryl. Prescription meds which may help include diltiazem, verapamil, and gabapentin. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/23 "2019-05-11T16:33:12Z")
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/24 "2019-05-11T21:14:57Z")
> [@albino\_manatee](#): > > never heard of the mustard properties _(thanks)_ … might be the vinegar/lemon in it? A folk remedy is to drink pickle juice, so indeed it might be the vinegar. After hearing this, I once got a cramp while in my kitchen. I sipped a bit of vinegar and the cramp quickly disappeared. Obviously I have no idea if it was the vinegar itself or just the power of suggestion. I’ve never again suffered a cramp when vinegar was within handy reach. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/25 "2019-05-12T03:26:46Z")
> [@mind\_the\_gap](#): > > I work in a machine shop, and sometimes get cramps in my hands from pulling on levers hard, repetitively. Mustard. Plain ol’ yellow kind. Bicycling friends of mine stock up on the little packs fast food places have, and carry them along. Works like a charm. I was going to mention this. I collect packets from my work breakroom and carry them on me. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/26 "2019-05-12T10:06:48Z")
According to [this article from the Mayo Clinic,](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711) you could be drinking too much water. Of course, since this is a fairly recent problem, it’s more likely to be one of the other listed causes of hyponatremia. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/27 "2019-05-12T12:54:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Drug therapies used to include quinine, which was pretty damned effective but did cause an unfortunate number of arrhythmia related deaths for every 10,000 people using it. Just curious, but is quinine still effective as an anti-malarial? And if so, how? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765/28 "2019-05-16T03:05:21Z")
I’m not sure if I would’ve just had a week without many cramps anyway, but I’ve been eating pickles regularly and I’ve not had cramping problems in the last few days, so that may have done the trick. Is the pickle juice ridiculously salty? I was wondering if I should take shots of it occasionally after I finish the pickles for the electrolytes, but I don’t want to get to unsafe salt consumption levels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/techniques-solutions-for-muscle-cramps/833765.md?page=1)