Cures for a Charley Horse?

[Rubyfruit]

I'm fucking hobbled, I tell ya. I've just started walking in the mornings and my left calf has been tight for a couple of days. Today on my walk, it totally seized. I had to hitch a ride home with my son's school bus driver who thankfully saw me limping along and offered me a ride.

I know that to prevent them I should be drinking more water and eating bananas - I think it's the potassium that helps - which I will do.

My question to you fine folks is how to I get rid of it now? I can barely walk. I just soaked in a hot tub for over an hour and it's no better. I've tried stretching it and massaging but that only gives me temporary relief.

Any suggestions?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Punch it. Hard.

Seriously.

 

[brokenbrainwave]

cut it off and get fitted for a new one?

actually only time will help it, and the potasium is a great idea as far as prevention will go if it is nothing but a charley horse. Are you sure you did not possibly tear the muscle with the walking? After two days, a simple spasm should have healed.

 

[sunstruck]

Punch it. Hard.

Seriously.

He's right. Forces the muscle to relax. Then stretch slowly and rub the area to get the circulation flowing.

 

[weed]

Arnica ointment or salve.

Or comfrey compresses.

But only if you're into weeds and such things. You'd most likely need to go to a natural food store.

 

[SlowMoe]

I think the only thing you can do is stretch it out really far. It will hurt like crazy but it should get better. If not maybe you should talk to a doc.

SlowMoe

 

[brokenbrainwave]

well I'll be damned, I never thought or heard of donkey punching a spasm...this could get kinky...

 

[weed]

What about something like BenGay?

 

[lovetoread]

Walk some more.

Once you get past this,it gets better.

Trust me,I do the walking thing too.

 

[Pagliacci]

Tiger balm works miracles and drink more water at least a gallon worth.

 

[freakygirl]

My daughter fights a muscle cramp in her thigh during baseball season..

I talked to a massage therapist and they told me to slap it hard to get the blood flowing and force the muscle to relax.

When my dad had open heart surgery the physician told him, to calm the muscle cramps he would get in his chest and legs, to eat salt. A little bit under the tongue.. let is dissolve (gets into the blood faster that way). It works.. I used it for charle horses when I was pregnant.

 

[freakygirl]

here is some pretty good information:





If you get a leg cramp (or charley horse), the quickest way to get rid of it is to walk on the leg. If the person can't get up and walk on the leg, either heat or ice along with massage will help.

Drinking two ounces of natural apple cider vinegar has been reported to relieve involuntary muscle contractions or cramping in 35 seconds.

But, if you get leg cramps often, the best thing is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Taking calcium and magnesium supplements and eating a banana daily prevent most leg cramps. If this alone does not do the trick, these will help increase circulation: Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E - and Zinc helps your body absorb the calcium and regulate the B vitamins.

Leg cramps caused by insufficient fluid intake are prevented by drinking about eight glasses of water each day.

Leg cramps that occur during or after vigorous exercise can be prevented by eating a few bites of somthing salty and driking at least half a glass of water before, during and after exerting yourself.


cut and pasted from here

http://www.lacetoleather.com/legcramps.html

 

[Rubyfruit]

Thanks for the ideas. I tried punching it, but I probably didn't do it hard enough.

Oy, well, I'll just keep trying to stretch it out I guess. As painful as walking is, and as stupid as I look doing it, it does seems to help.

Bbw, I'm fairly certain that's what it is.

Edited to add, great info Freaky. Thanks for the information.

 

[sunstruck]

Tiger balm

TIGER BALM!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!