Leg cramps which are also called night cramps can happen to anybody during the course of the night although the elderly and pregnant women are the most susceptible to this problem. Leg cramps or night cramps can be caused by many reasons. Because it can interfere with the sleep and make the patients uncomfortable and painful, many people want to find the relief. Treatments for leg cramps may include medical care or natural alternative solutions. However, in this article, I would like to focus only on the natural home remedies for leg cramps at night that help you to ease pain and discomfort.

Natural Home Remedies For Leg Cramps At Night – Alternative Solution That Give You The Significant Relief

Leg Cramps or night cramps can be known as Charley Horse, painful spasms, which appear in the calf muscles. Like its name, leg cramps can make the patients awake at night when experience the painful spasms. However, it does not mean that this problem cannot attack you in the daytime. In fact, it is possible to happen in the day time due to physical activities such as cycling and running. These activities may put the pressure on your leg muscles. Moreover, some people who have to do the sedentary job or sit for a long period of time may face more risks of developing muscle cramps. These muscle cramps due to sedentary lifestyle may last from a couple of seconds to about 10 minutes. According to Matthew Hyland, a physical therapist and president of the New York Physical Therapy Association, there are many reasons and conditions that increase the risk of developing leg cramps or night cramps, ranging from dehydration or more serious problems such as kidney disease. Moreover, leg cramps may caused by vigorous exercise, muscle trauma, sitting in the crowded theater, or holding your leg in the awkward position for a long period of time. Some certain medications like diuretics (which are often taken by people with high blood pressure), birth control and steroids. Calcium and potassium deficiency also result in leg cramps. Cold weather is also one of the underlying causes. Many patients often confuse the acute night cramps with restless legs syndrome (RLS). However, RLS which is more serious and chronic problem is different from acute night cramps or leg cramps. If you have RLS, you may experience the pulling sensation and persistent throbbing in your legs. You can treat leg cramps with a variety of ways and methods, including a patch, analgesic balm, over-the-counter medications. It is said that OTC pain relief medications which are used to cure menstrual cramps, like Midol and a Pamprin, can be effective in treating your bad leg cramps. However, you will also be able to treat and prevent leg cramps by following the natural home remedies for leg cramps at night that I would like to introduce to the readers of AllRemedies.com. I hope that you will find helpful information that helps you to ease pain and discomfort.

1. Drink Tonic Water With Quinine

Tonic water with quinine is shown to be one of the most effective home remedies for leg cramps at night that you should remember. The FDA has advised patients who get diagnosed with leg cramps should take quinine in order to find the significant relief. Some reports have found large doses of quinine in drug Qualaquin which is used to treat leg cramps. However, some unpublished trials have concluded that even though there is slight improvement in the patients who take quinine, compared to others who only take placebo, the side effects such as tinnitus are often associated with the group of patients taking quinine. Although the use of quinine has been warrants if some treatments for leg cramps are not ineffective, it is important to consult the physicians before using in order avoid any unwanted side effects due to excessive consumption and monitor the benefits and the risks in individual.

2. Hot Compress

A bottle of hot water or electric heating pad can become one of best home remedies for leg cramps at night.

Hot temperature will loosen up and relax your muscle, ease the painful sensation in your legs.

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However, it is important to fall asleep when using electric heating pad in order to avoid burning. When you use electric heating pad or a bottle of hot water to treat night cramps, you should massage the cramp area with a generous amount of VapoRub. If you want to achieve the better result and get the significant relief for cramp pain, you should repeat the treatment several times a week.

3. Increase The Potassium Intake

It is important to know that potassium deficiency will increase the risk of developing nighttime cramps in your legs. Therefore, you should eat more foods which have the great source of potassium. Fruits which are high in potassium include nectarines, bananas, apricots, dates, grapes, and raisins considering as kind of home remedies for leg cramps. Moreover, vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage are rich in potassium you should include in your diet. Other great sources of potassium are grapefruit, oranges, pork, saltwater fish, and lamb. But if you cannot consume enough potassium through your diet, you can take potassium supplement instead. Before taking these supplements, you should consult the doctor to know whether it causes unwanted side effects due to excessive consumption.

4. Drink Enough Water To Keep Your Body Hydrated

Nighttime cramps can be caused by dehydration. It means that you should drink enough water during your day in order to treat and prevent leg cramps at night. However, how much water should you take during the course of your day? According to the Mayo Clinic, women should drink 2.2 liters of water while men need 3 liters of water daily. You can know if you take enough water or not when you see the transparency of urine. Clear urine shows the signal of adequate hydration. On the other hand, yellowish urine shows less adequate hydration. If you want to keep your body hydrated, you should limit or avoid alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol will encourage the fluid drainage and make the cramping condition get worse. Limiting alcohol consumption is the great way on how to keep your body hydrated and how to benefit your overall health.

5. Get Rid Of From Tight Bedsheets

It is said that tight covers or bedsheets can make you point your toes downward unconsciously when you sleep. This awkward movement can result in calf cramps. Therefore, as among the effective home remedies for leg cramps at night, you should choose the looser bedsheets to lower the risk of having toe-pointing and developing leg cramps.

6. Use An Ordinary Motel Sized Bar Of Soap To Treat Leg Cramps  

If you want to ask for the home remedies for leg cramps, I would like to recommend using an ordinary motel sized bar of soap in order to make leg cramps disappear. You just need to apply hypo-allergenic liquid soap onto the center of your cramp. This method on how to get rid of leg cramps sounds strange, does not it? However, it can work amazingly. The possible reason may be that when placed on the calf, soap will make a molecule possibly diffuse out of the soap gel; as a result, it will provide you the significant relief. The acting molecule is able to diffuse in air.

7. Drink Cow’s Milk

As one of the effective home remedies for leg cramps or night cramps, you should drink cow’s milk. The possible reason may be that cow’s milk has the great source of calcium. Therefore, cow’s milk will help the patients with muscle cramps to find the significant relief. Moreover, milk is also rich in phosphorous. Lack of phosphorous will lead to muscle cramps or make the condition get worse. If you want to alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by leg cramps, you should drink cow’s milk daily and see the great result.

8. Primrose Oil

If you want to look for the effective home remedies for leg cramps, you should not ignore primrose oil. Primrose oil has been use as the treatment for a variety of health conditions and problems, including eczema, acne, heart disease and high cholesterol. Primrose oil will help the patients who get diagnosed with leg cramps find the significant relief by blocking the blood pressure. It is recommended adding 3 or 4 grams of primrose oil into a glass of water and drinking it before bedtime. In order to have the more satisfactory result, you should repeat this treatment daily for a couple of weeks until the symptoms of nigh cramps have gone completely.

9. Brewer’s Yeast

Brewer’s yeast, a byproduct of the beer industry, is beneficial for your health and can be used to treat many health conditions and problems. The possible reason may be that it absorbs all the nutrients and vitamins from other ingredients in the brewing process. Brewer’s yeast has the great source of nucleic acid. Other minerals and vitamins of brewer’s yeast include B12, folic acid, potassium, thiamin, niacin, and chromium. Moreover, it has low calories, sodium, fat and carbohydrates. Therefore, people who have diet restriction can benefit from brewer’s yeast. Using brewer’s yeast every day as the supplement can help you to cure a wide range of health conditions, including hypoglycemia, diabetes, high cholesterol, eczema, nervous, stress, carpal tunnel, anemia, fatigue, and constipation. Moreover, brewer’s yeast can also be considered as one of the home remedies for leg cramps. It can help the patients with night cramps to find the significant relief because it improves the blood circulation in your legs and supply B vitamins. In order to treat this condition, you should consume one tablespoon of brewer’s yeast daily. Some of recent studies and reports have found that there are no side effects if using brewer’s yeast; however, excessive consumption can lead to gas, stomach upset, bloating. Therefore, it is suggested that you should start to take this treatment slowly and after that, you can increase the amount over time when your body have adjusted. Before using this treatment, it is still needed to consult the doctor.

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10. Stretches

The effective way that helps you to get rid of leg cramps and keep the leg cramps at bay is stretching. In this article, I would like to share with you some helpful stretches that will definitely give the patients with leg cramps the significant relief.

• Use The Towel To Stretch Your Calf Out: In this exercise, you should use a bed sheet or a towel to stretch out your legs horizontally. Doing this stretch, you should make sure that you fold it in a half in order to cover the part of your affected leg. This stretch can compress and massage your leg; as a result, it will make you feel better.
• Stretch Your Inner Calf: When you sit, you should stretch one leg out and bend another leg. Make sure that the knee approaches your chest. Pull the bottom of the toe from the leg you bend toward your body and hold this position as long as you can
• Stretch Your Affected Legs With Wall: In this stretch, you can use the aid of a wall to help you. Firstly, you should lie down on the unaffected leg and face the wall. Extend the affected leg which has cramps. Make sure that it is perpendicular to your body. Therefore, the leg which has night cramps can be stretched out and it touches the wall. You should hold this position at least 10-20 seconds. Finally, bring your leg back and stretch the muscle of your thigh.
• Stretch The Achilles Tendon: Achilles tendon is also known as heel cord or the calcaneal tendon. It is the tendon located in the back of the leg. It attaches your calf, soleus muscle and heel bone. When you sit, you should stretch your leg out and keep another leg bent. Make sure that the heel of your bent leg is close to your buttocks. Still keep your heel on the flat ground but lift your toe up. Hold this position for a couple of seconds until the muscle are loosened up.

11. Cold Compress

Besides hot compress that I mentioned before, you can use the cold compress after the initial treatment or after the leg pain has reduced a little bit in order to provide you the significant relief for leg cramps. The possible reason may be that the cold temperature will help you to numb the pain, alleviate inflammation and let the leg which has cramps relax. Moreover, when the cramps have gone, the cold temperature is also effective in relieving the soreness because of the ability of the blood vessel constriction. In order to do this treatment, you should need a thin towel and a handful of ice cubes. Wrap the ice cubes into the towel and apply it onto the affected areas where you have cramps. You should leave it on for about 15 minutes. If you want to treat leg cramps completely, you should repeat the treatment of cold compress every two hours for from one to two days. Another option among natural home remedies for leg cramps is taking the cold shower to relax the affected legs and muscles.

12. Epsom Salt

Epsom salt, the name of a bitter saline spring at Epsom in England, is not the normal salt. Epsom salt has natural pure mineral compound of sulfate and magnesium. Epsom salt has been used as the well-known remedy for many health ailments and problems for a long time. Moreover, Epsom salt also has a lot of beauty benefits that will make you amazed. Many studies have found out that sulfate and magnesium can be easily absorbed into your skin and make it become the great remedy for a variety of health problems. Magnesium plays the important role in regulating enzymes, easing inflammation, aiding in nerve and muscle function, and keeping the artery hardening at bay. Moreover, sulfate will encourage the absorption of nutrients, toxin removal and migraine headache prevention. The benefits of Epsom salt has been known for hundreds of years. Using Epsom salt will soothe your body, and make your mind and soul relax. It can used to treat skin problems, wounds, aching limbs, congestion, and cold, therefore, it is not surprising when Epsom salt can be used to as one of the effective home remedies for leg cramps because of the properties of magnesium for muscle relaxing and healing. In order to do this treatment, you just need to pour the warm water into your bathtub. After that, put two cups of Epsom salt into your bathtub and then stir it well. Make sure that all the Epsom salt is dissolved thoroughly. In order to receive the significant relief, you should soak in the bath for about 20 minutes. However, this treatment should be repeated the next day for the best result. Before using Epsom salt treatment, you should make sure that you do not suffer from high blood pressure, heart problems, or diabetes. Therefore, it is important for you to consult the doctor before trying this treatment.

13. Apple Cider Vinegar

Another out of home remedies for leg cramps that I want to introduce to you is apple cider vinegar. Because apple cider vinegar is rich in potassium, it can help you to alleviate the leg cramps. However, it is recommended choosing unfiltered and raw apple cider vinegar. It is said that potassium deficiency is one of the common causes of leg cramps; therefore, it is needed to consume enough potassium. Moreover, there are many nutrients in apple cider vinegar, which can help you to retain the fluids in your body and keep the dehydration at bay. In order to do this treatment, you just need to put one table of raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar into a glass of warm water. You should drink this solution once daily in order to get the significant relief.

Moreover, if you want to prevent nocturnal night cramps, you should mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of calcium lactate and sufficient honey into a glass of warm water. Stir it well to make sure that all the ingredients are dissolved thoroughly. It is recommended drinking this solution at night every day, about 30 minutes before bedtime. If you want to treat leg cramps completely, you should keep doing these home remedies for leg cramps until the symptoms of leg cramps have disappeared.

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14. Yellow Mustard

If you want to ask for the effective home remedies for leg cramps, you should not ignore yellow mustard. This remedy will help you to treat leg cramps within a couple of minutes. The possible reason may be that yellow mustard has the great source of acetic acid, which can help you to encourage the production of acetylcholine in your body. Acetylcholine is known as a neurotransmitter which can aid the function of muscles. Therefore, using yellow mustard treatment will help you to ease the soreness and relieve pain. In order to get the significant relief from leg cramps, the simple way is taking one teaspoon of yellow mustard. After that, you should drink a glass of milk. Although it does not taste very well, it can be effective in treating leg cramps. Therefore, despite its taste, I would like to suggest you try it.

15. Clove Oil

Thanks to anti-inflammatory properties, clove oil can help you to treat leg cramps well by relieving swelling and inflammation. Moreover, clove oil also contains anesthetic properties, which can help you to relieve the pain. In order to cure leg cramps, firstly you should warm clove oil a little bit. After that, rub this oil onto you affected areas where you have cramps. When applying, you should massage the affected areas for about 5 or 10 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. If you want to get the better result, you should repeat the treatment several times until you feel satisfied.

16. Black Strap Molasses

If you suffer from leg cramps associated with potassium and calcium deficiency, black strap molasses may be the great remedy among home remedies for leg cramps. Molasses is consistent syrup, which is produced by cane plant procession in which the refined sugar is made for mass consumption. Unlike the unhealthy refined and toxin sugar which is destined to supermarket’s shelves, the molasses contains a lot of nutrients and minerals, which are beneficial for your health. Fortunately, the high nutritional value of molasses is widely known and people have used it for different uses and benefits. A variety of grades of molasses has been sold as sugar substitutes, baking ingredients and mineral supplements. It is easily understood that the black strap molasses is the highest nutritious grade of molasses. Blackstrap molasses can be used to treat many health problems, including leg cramps because it has the great source of potassium and calcium. In order to use blackstrap molasses to treat leg cramps, you should mix one tablespoon of black strap molasses in a glass of water or milk. After that, you can drink the solution and you will find the significant relief within a few minutes. If you want to treat this condition completely and keep it at bay, you should drink this remedy once more. Moreover, it is better for you to drink blackstrap molasses solution on the regular basis in order to prevent potassium and calcium deficiency.

17. Rosemary

Rosemary herb is the ideal remedy you should keep in your kitchen garden. This herb has the charming fragrance. Rosemary has been well-known for many health benefit properties such as antioxidants, phyto-nutrients, and essential acids. Because this herb has high nutritional value such as vitamin A, iron and B vitamins like pantothenic acid, folic acid, riboflavin and pyridoxine while it has only 131 calories per 100 gram of rosemary and no cholesterol. Moreover, rosemary is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese, and magnesium.  Therefore, rosemary becomes the effective treatment to treat and prevent many health ailments and problems. It is not surprisingly rosemary is considered as one of the effective home remedies for leg cramps. Rosemary will help the patients with leg cramps of night cramps to find the relaxing benefit for inflamed muscle tissue, alleviate soreness, and relieve pain. The warming effect of rosemary will give you the relaxation. Moreover, rosemary can fasten the healing process because it can be absorbed into your skin easily. In order to help you treat leg cramps with rosemary, you should put one ounce of rosemary leaves in a jar. After that, fill the jar of rosemary with boiling water. Cover it and wait for 30 minutes to let it steep. Use a cloth to soak in the solution and apply it on your affected areas for about 10 to 15 minutes. When you feel better and the pain has improved, you can apply the cold compress onto the affected areas in order to reduce the soreness and pain to the great extent.

Another way on how to get rid of leg cramps with rosemary is adding two tablespoons of dried rosemary into a cup of hot water. Cover the cup and let it steep for a couple of minutes. Strain the water and drink solution twice or three times a day in order to get a significant relief.

18. Massage To Get Relief

If you ask for the effective home remedies for leg cramps to cure it without medication, you should not ignore massaging method. Massage is the effective way that helps you to alleviate the stiffness and soreness. It is recommended massage the affected areas with long strokes until the pain has removed and you feel better relaxation. After massaging, I will be better if you wrap your affected calf with a warm towel. For additional benefits, you should mix four parts of vegetable oils and one part of wintergreen to create the massaging oil. Because wintergreen has the great source of methyl salicylate which can help you to ease pain and promote blood flow.

19. Eat A Banana

Leg cramps may be caused by potassium deficiency; therefore, in order to treat leg cramps, you just need to eat a banana which has the great source of potassium. Other foods which are high in potassium may include dark leafy greens, beans, squash, potatoes, fish, yogurt, mushrooms, and avocados. However, if you cannot consume enough potassium through your diet, you can take these supplements which are available in every local health stores. However, consuming too much potassium will result in some unwanted side effects. It is important for you to consult the doctor before taking in order to know whether it causes side effects. Make sure that you buy potassium supplements from the store which have the great reputation for supplying the good products.

20. Pinch Your Upper Lips

The tip on how to cure cramp pains without medications and drugs sounds strange but it works. Pinching your upper lips will give the patients with leg cramps find the quick momentary relief. Doing this tip is very simple. You just need to pinch your upper lips directly to the nostril. Press firmly and keep this position for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until you find the relaxation. Moreover, another tip out of home remedies for leg cramps using your lips is to put your thumb inside your mouth, keep it under your lips while placing the index finger on your outer lip. Therefore, if you have leg cramp attack and you can’t find any home remedies for leg cramps around to help, you can try this simple tip to get the quick momentary relief.

21. Food Therapy Treatment

The frequent leg cramps may be caused by electrolyte imbalance. Specifically, lack of potassium can increase the risk of developing leg cramps. Therefore, it is important for the patients of leg cramps to boost the potassium level in their body by eating more potassium-rich foods, such as mushrooms, dried fruits, apples, avocado, yogurt, spinach, kefir, baked potatoes, tomatoes, and cantaloupe. Potassium and sodium can keep the fluid in balance in your body. However, potassium and sodium should be consumed in the right proportion to work effectively. Therefore, if your diet is high in sodium, you should limit sodium consumption. At the same time, you should increase potassium intake. Moreover, make sure that you drink enough water to keep your body hydrated.

Boosting the consumption of calcium and magnesium also help the patients with leg cramps find the significant relief. One of the superfoods which have a great source of these minerals is raw chocolate. Eat more kale, broccoli, almonds and raw chocolate which are high in potassium and calcium. One of the quick and simple ways to consume a lot of all these minerals and vitamins in your diet is having a green smoothie every day. You can add dark leafy greens and cacao powder in almond milk to make a green smoothie which can provide you enough potassium, magnesium, calcium at the same time.

Other sources of calcium may include sardines, salmon, turnip greens, and green beans. Besides raw chocolate, other foods which are high in magnesium include pumpkin seeds, nuts, molasses, baked potatoes, spinach, wheat germ, bananas, and seafood.

However, it is better to consume calcium through your food instead of taking calcium supplements. The reason may be that, taking calcium supplements can lead to some unwanted side effects, for example increasing the risk of developing age-related diseases, according to David Wolfe. Although it is believed that taking calcium supplements will help you to prevent osteoporosis. However, there is not enough evidence to support that. Although taking calcium supplements are recommended by the US doctors, the question is that why the US still have the high rate of people who suffer from osteoporosis?

These are 21 natural home remedies for leg cramps at night I would like to introduce to you on Allremedies.com. If you have any questions to ask me, please feel free to leave it bellow. I will answer as soon as I can.

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