What is a "Charlie Horse" (leg cramp) and how do we get rid of them?

BELIEVE ME, you aren't alone.

Lack of potassium.

I get them because of one of the medications I take: "water pills", lasix or furosemide.

AND when I get the cramps, I get them on BOTH legs: On top of the thighs, ham strings, inside AND outside of both legs

AND YES, BOTH calves - at the same time!!!!!!!!! They ARE BRUTAL!!!!

What to do? Take a potassium supplement. Eat bananas, DARK veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc; dark leafed lettuces such as endive, romaine lettuce, etc.

Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it!

VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name!

Sources: Sharing some info from my physicians.

"THE University of Hard Knocks"
also known as ("a/k/a") "life's valuable lessons"

A charlie horse is pain caused by cramped muscles. Anyone who demands too much from his muscles or who makes them perform unaccustomed tasks is sure to feel the painful consequences later on. The time lag varies from a few hours to a day or two. Overworked muscles are sore, sensitive to the touch, and exhausted. The affected muscle groups are prone to cramps during this period. The pains usually reach their peak from one to three days after the muscles have been exercised, and the discomfort may persist for as long as a week before it gradually disappears. Although "charlie horse" heals completely and isn't at all dangerous, aching muscles are very unpleasant and can significantly interfere with your freedom of movement. What Exactly is "Charlie Horse"? Experts have long disagreed about the causes of sore muscles. In the past, most experts believed that the pain in the muscles was caused by excess acidity, i.e. by the accumulation of lactate, a "waste product" created when muscles generate energy. But because muscle cramps typically occur among beginners or in association with unfamiliar movements, and because lactate is produced in the muscles of advanced athletes as well as in the muscles of beginners, scientists were forced to abandon the lactate theory. Nowadays, physicians who specialize in sports believe that muscle pain develops when extreme mechanical stresses (e.g. playing squash) or especially long-lasting demands (e.g. running a marathon) cause tiny injuries to muscle cells. The overtaxed muscle fibers tear at particularly sensitive locations. Because nerve cells are situated in the fascia, i.e. the sheath of connective tissue outside the muscles, these microscopic lesions in the muscles do not cause pain immediately. Inflammation and swelling occur as a natural response to the injuries. This puts pressure on the nerve cells and on the muscle¡¦s blood vessels, and this pressure is experienced as pain. Under a microscope, miniscule injuries can be seen in muscle specimens taken from marathon runners after they've subjected their muscles to severe stress. Researchers have also observed that the damage initially increases during the course of the healing processes. This explains the time lag between the exercise and the onset of the discomfort. What Causes Muscle Cramps? The situations that are likely to cause "charlie horse" have one thing in common: incomplete muscular coordination. Some examples include: 1. Physical activity by untrained people or after a long pause in athletic training 2. Unfamiliar movements by well-trained athletes 3. Extreme stresses. So-called "eccentric contractions" are particularly likely to cause aching muscles. Such contractions occur when a muscle simultaneously works and stretches (e.g. running downhill). The severe strain which this movement puts on individual muscle fibers can cause them to suffer injury. How Can Muscle Cramps Be Prevented? The best way to protect yourself against "charlie horse" is to have already put it behind you. The coordination functions more smoothly as you become accustomed to particular sequences of movement, and this familiarity prevents individual muscles from being overtaxed. The only other surefire way to avoid cramps is to prevent them: first, by avoiding the combination of severe stress and unfamiliar movements; and second, by doing a thorough warm-up, stretching, and gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts. All these measures contribute towards optimal coordination. Nutrition Nutrition also plays an important role. The body needs sufficient amounts of calcium and magnesium to support optimal muscular function. Because the body cannot manufacture these two minerals, it must be supplied with them in foods and beverages. An inadequate supply of calcium and magnesium can lead to problems with muscular coordination. Mineral deficiency generally manifests itself as an increased tendency to suffer muscle cramps and "charlie horse". The best sources of calcium are milk and dairy products (e.g. yogurt, cultured milk, cheese, etc.). Milk and dairy products are the only sources of calcium that are worthy of mention; if no such foods are eaten, then one should definitely drink calcium-rich mineral water (150 mg of calcium per 100 ml of water) or eat calcium-enriched foods such as breakfast cereals or special energy bars. The best way to improve one's supply of magnesium is to drink a suitable mineral water that contains at least 50 mg of magnesium per 100 ml of water. Athletes are particularly at risk because increased perspiration causes greater mineral losses, and these losses must be compensated for. Dehydration can also manifest itself as problems with muscular coordination or as cramps, so athletes should drink mineral-rich athletic beverages before and during workouts, especially when the temperatures are high and the stress is intensive. Do Vitamins Help? Supplementary doses of vitamins C and E have been tested as a possible pharmacological treatment to prevent muscle cramps. As was also discovered in many other studies of vitamins, these tests showed that vitamins have no affect whatever on the development of muscle aches. On the other hand, long-term doses of carnitine (throughout a three-week interval) improved blood circulation in the muscles, and better circulation can help to minimize the intensity of the pains associated with "charlie horse". The beneficial effects, however, require a daily dosage of at least 3 grams of carnitine. Meeting this carnitine requirement by eating ordinary foods, however, isn¡¦t a good idea. Doing so would require the consumption of extremely large amounts of meat (circa 500 grams of beef per day), and this is not recommended from a health-related point of view. A Summary of the Preventive Measures: - A well-balanced, mineral-rich diet (milk products, mineral-rich athletic beverages) - Regular endurance workouts (several times per week, if possible) - Don't immediately subject untrained muscles to excessively severe or long-lasting stress - Only gradually increase the intensity of your workouts - Always thoroughly warm up your muscles before sports and always stretch them well afterwards What Can One Do If Muscle Aches Have Already Developed? If you've already got a "charlie horse¨ the only thing you can do is try to relieve the pain and accelerate the healing process. Therapies that encourage circulation can be helpful, for example: - Encourage circulation by taking saunas and hot baths, or receiving gentle massages, which may be combined with substances (e.g. arnica, rosemary, camphor) that encourage circulation - Pains can be relieved by rubdowns with ointments that encourage circulation - Light exercise - Easy jogging If muscle cramps are particularly severe, taking analgesic medications which relieve inflammation (e.g. aspirin) can support the healing process. If the discomfort doesn't disappear after several days have passed, you should consult your doctor. Other causes may be responsible for your muscle aches.

(Source: http://www.seankelly.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=306)

Porphyria or the Charlie Horse refers to any cramp where a leg muscle is locked in the contracted position.

Muscle cramping is a symptom for a number of different problems. Lack of potassium is a big one, so have a banana or two. Another is lack of calcium, so drink some milk or have some other calcium rich food. Another is dehydration, so have a glass of water and stay away from diuretics like coffee or tea. Another is exercise without stretching, so make sure to warm up and stretch properly before and after exercise. Another is your muscles being cold, so try to warm them either with a heating pad or a warming rub (like Icey Hot or Tiger Balm). It could also be tension, and I find that Advil or some other drug to bring swelling down will help this out. It could also be a sign of lack of magnesium or phosphorus, so you should try taking multivitamins regularly.

Having low potassium can cause some major problems, so you should probably go to the doctor as soon as possible to just make sure you have good levels. And good luck with getting rid of your cramps, I have had a few restless nights with foot cramps, and they can really make your waking life difficult!

A Charlie Horse is just what you wrote... a leg cramp. It is has many causes ranging from simple needs in diet to the more extreme... disease. You can correct the problem once the source is identified. If it's a dietary problem, the solution is simple enough. Most times while experiencing it it becomes worse due to the contraction of the muscle as a result of the pain. I find that if I relax easing the tension in my body while experiencing the pain, it causes the cramp not to last long. This takes total will power and concentration while expericing the cramp. I would recommend you look at Wikapedia.com or dictionary.com for more information.

It is most likely dehydration or potassium deficiency.

Eat a banana once or twice a day, and drink LOTS of WATER. Not soda, not iced tea, WATER.

I always heard that it was potassium that you are missing. I have cramps in my legs...the doc told me to eat bananas

Calcium maybe... I had that issue when I was pregnant, and thats what the doc told me. I ate "Tums" to help. : )

Basically, potassium, sodium and calcium ions are some of the most important in the body when it comes to muscle contraction and relaxation.

They bind to specific receptors, allowing us to create messages which send elecrochemical impulses across synapses ordering our muscles to contract, and they bind onto receptors which cease the production of neurotransmitters.

Cramps occur when the neurotransmitters are constantly being fired out from the synapses, mainly because of a lack of potassium ions which stop the neurotransmitters frome emitting their 'contraction signals'.

Best way to relieve a Charlie Horse is my relaxing your muscles. It may be caused by muscle tension. Think of something else. Loosen up. It really works!

Water is what you need to go with the potassium. People who have a high intake of caffeine are at a higher risk of getting these as the caffeine sucks the water from your muscles. That's what my doc told me when I was pregnant anyways.

I use to laugh at friends who had or experienced problems with charile horses, until I experience one.

No longer funny! My aunt however gave my what I call an "old folks" remedy. A couple of sips of "apple cidar vinegar works for me and relief is only seconds away. I must warn this might upset the stomach of some...

I've eatne bananas and that does help the problem, but if you get one and need something to help you through it, then use a shiatsu point to get rid of it. You need to push the area under your nose right above your lip with a fingertip, while trying to form your foot/ankle into a right angle from your leg. So push with your finger and lift that toe and push out with your heel. Often I just need to touch this spot at the hint of a cramp and it will stop it.

It could be a vitamin/mineral deficiency, but it is more likely that you were exercising and there was a lactic acid buildup.

My brother had them really bad. His doctor said it was growing pains and to eat more protein and take multi vitamins.

'Charley horse' (sometimes misspelled 'Charlie horse') is an American phrase and originated in the sport of baseball. The term is very much American and not in use in many other English-speaking countries. I've certainly never heard it use in the United Kingdom - here we are less imaginative and when we get cramp we call it just cramp. All the early citations of the phrase relate to baseball in some way or another. The earliest I can find is from The Fort Wayne Gazette, July 1887:

"Whatever ails a player this year they call it 'Charley horse'. 'Tom and Jerry horse' would fit many cases."

There are reports, which seem reliable but which I haven't yet been able to confirm, that the phrase appears in 'Sporting Life' in 1886. The text of the item above would seem to indicate the phrase was coined around that time.

Why should leg cramp be called 'Charley horse'? Well, no one seems to know. There are several speculated derivations but they amount to little more than guesses:

- A lame horse named Charley pulled the roller on the Chicago White Sox ballpark in the 1890s. That's the most commonly repeated version but appears to be false as we can put the phrase before the horse, so to speak.

- Policemen in 17th century England were supposed to be called Charleys and the term migrated to America. The amount of walking the police were required to do gave them aching legs. This seems fanciful. I can't confirm the use of the term Charleys for police in England or America and there seems nothing to explain the link with baseball.

- The pitcher Charley Radbourne was nicknamed Old Hoss. He got cramp during a baseball game in the 1880s. This at least is plausible and has no obvious fault to rule it out, but that's not enough to prove it is the origin.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/charley-horse.html

I have tried Skelaxin muscle relaxers with out any luck. I was then successful with keeping my legs and feet warm. This method is helpful, bannanas are nore effective.

I thought my leg and foot cramps came from lack of calcium which was caused by years of smoking. At least that's what I'd been told. One night in particular, I tried drinking milk, taking a multivitamin, ate a banana in case it was potassium.....nothing worked. Then I tried a trace mineral liquid vitamin that I'd purchased and forgotten about months earlier. Mine was purchased from a "members only" store and came in the shape of a wine bottle. My cramps stopped almost immediately. When it happened the following night, I headed right for the liquid mineral suppliment. Again, my cramps stopped very quickly. After doing some research, I surmised that if smoking depletes the body of calcium, it probably depletes it of other things too. I've since quit and haven't had another charlie horse since. ::::knocking on wood::::: I don't think anyone really knows the answer for sure, and I don't know which mineral I was lacking, but for me, the trace mineral suppliment really worked. Hope this helps someone out there. ;-)
Take care,
Audrey from Virginia

Sorry, this wouldn't post as a "Comment".

Hi Bob!

In the beginning it's going to be strange or awkward, but this is what you should do:

This is what I LEARNED THE HARD WAY about cramps:
Self-massaging gives very little relief.

When the cramp is in the calf, DON'T point the toe away from you - as though you were a ballet dancer.

Pull the toe back to you or stand on the floor and keeping the foot flat, lean forward toward the toe. As soon as you start lifting the heel, the cramp might return.

For cramps on the inside of the thigh - the groin area - spread your legs away from each other. You might have to raise your legs in the air and spread them.

For hamstrings: Pull your knee toward your chest.

On the outside of the thigh: lay on your side and cross one leg over the other - as though you are sort of trying to pivot on your toes - to do an about-face.
You might have to this in a jerking motion.

Thanks for your kind words AND those points!
You REALLY helped to make my day A WHOLE LOT better!

Very Truly Yours,
Ron Berue

Actually potassium helps reduce cramping. I used to cramp up sometimes during swim practice and my coach told me to have a banana or yogurt for breakfast because the potassium helps regulate muscle contraction. Oh and I guess to answer the question, a charlie horse is an uncontrollable muscle contraction, or cramp, in the leg or the foot.

A Charlie horse is indeed annoying. It very well can be over use of the muscles involved or a number of other things. A loss of potassium can also trigger this symptom. If it persists do see you doctor.

Sharon

THE QUICK AND EASY WAY TO STOP A CHARLIE HORSE (LEG CRAMP) IS TO IMMEDIATELY DRINK 2-3 OZ OF TONIC WATER, WHICH IS HIGH IN QUININE....THE TRIED AND TRUE METHOD THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS IS TO TAKE QUININE...DR. PRESCRIPTION IS NECCESSARY TO GET THIS DRUG....OR.....GO TO YOUR LOCAL BEVERAGE STORE AND BY CANADA DRY TONIC WATER OR SWEPS TONIC WATER OR ANY OTHER BRAND THATS AVAILABLE....THEY ARE ALL RICH IN QUININE AND WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION AND AWAY GOES YOUR LEG CRAMPS....KEEP A SMALL BOTTLE ON YOUR NIGHT STAND..IT WORKS, I'VE BEEN USING THIS METHOD OF IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR YEARS....

i hate when i get them in my foot! it really hurts! i get them in my legs too!

I KNOW THIS SOUNDS STRANGE BUT IT REALLY WORKS FOR ME...I PUT ICE ON IT AND IT STOPS CRAMPING

This is the second time I have been woken up with a charlie horse in my left leg. Pain - is unbelievable.
The first time this happened I took a Quinine Pill and later on I was throwing up at both ends. I did not make the connection until this second occurance happened again during the night, Again I took a Quinine Pill and two hours later I was throwing up at both ends. I have not tried eating bananas yet. Is there a connection to the quinine?? I will try the Canada Dry Tonic water.
Signed - a pain in the leg.

Well I'd say that it most likely is a area in the body that has been over worked. Some cases it could be in areas that you have not worked much for a good time. I use to get them all the time, after I came home from a hard days work on the sawmill. They would get me just as soon as I would get into the shower. Also after I would get finished taking a shower, and then try to set back & relax a bit. That seems to be when nerves in my mussels would cause them to tighten back up again.

I grab a pinch of salt and usually it goes away immediatley. I will however keep in mind some of the other responses like, tonic water, apple cider vinegar, and ice. But I am going to cut back on the 4 extra shots in my starbucks and see if that helps,knowing that I also take a High blood pressure pill that has a diuretic in it. thanks to all who answered.

I thought a charlie horse was the knot from my sister punching me.

To get rid of them in a hurry walk on a COLD FLOOR, bare foot, like on ur kitchen or bathroom floor it eases the pain. then takes sips of ice cold Coca Cola, idk y but it works! then eat a bananna n pain reliever...it worked for me n i used 2 get them bad in my legs

I just joined a swim team and ,my leg craps up every few weeks. My doc said if it craps during the day i need more calcium, if it cramps at night i need more potassium. She said to drink lootts of water and dont afraid to go for a walk or jog. also stretch with your toes pointed up. also rub it, use a rolling pin, it hurts like heck but it helps the crap.

Walk it out. When I get one i grit my teeth and walk, it goes away quickly no matter what the cause.