Charley horses are painful muscle cramps that often occur in the legs, especially at night. They can be caused by overuse, low mineral intake, or dehydration. Staying hydrated and eating foods rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium can help prevent them. Pregnant women are especially prone to them. Treatment options include stretching, massaging, and using heat or cold compresses.
The Charley horse is a common metaphor for muscle cramps or spasms that occur in the legs. These are sudden and very painful and typically occur most often at night. They’re usually the result of a few different things, including overuse of your muscles, low mineral intake, or dehydration. Muscle spasms can occur anywhere, but most identify Charley horse as painful contractions of the calf or thigh muscles.
When people ride a Charley horse, taking deep breaths and relaxing can help ease symptoms in minutes. Other times, people will have one of these cramps and it will last longer. In some cases, when the muscle remains contracted, you can actually feel a lump under the skin. If you can manage it, massaging this lump will sometimes help the muscle or muscles relax, although a Charley horse’s pain can be so significant, it may be impossible at first.
Typical charley horses can be so painful that they wake people up at night or prevent them from falling asleep. Luckily there are some ways to reduce the likelihood of getting them. Keeping yourself hydrated, especially if you exercise a lot, can be a great way to reduce the incidence of muscle spasms. Many times these cramps are related to missing minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium. If your diet is inadequate, you may be more prone to cramps. It can help to eat foods rich in these substances, but when this is not possible, taking a supplement with magnesium and calcium can help.
When people haven’t exercised in a while, they can take a charley horse during exercise or again at night when they go to sleep. It can help to develop really strenuous exercise, stretching before working out, and if you still get these cramps when you first train, consider whether dehydration or a lack of minerals is a factor. If you have these cramps often, you should see a doctor. Occasionally things like low thyroid hormone, diabetes, or anemia can cause muscle spasms.
Pregnant women are especially prone to getting one charley horse or several in the calves and feet. When pregnant women point their toes, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, the calf muscles can contract and cause very painful cramps. The best way to avoid this is not to point your toes.
Some doctors suggest using a cold compress on a charley horse to help relax the muscles, and others suggest using heat to promote relaxation. It may be a matter of figuring out which method works best for you. When people often have these cramps, some doctors prescribe certain muscle relaxants. However, following guidelines on proper nutrition and hydration can reduce these terrible cramps and make them occur less frequently.
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