PKD DIET

Charlie Horse

Charley Horse or Leg Cramps

Check with your doctor for the cause. Severe leg cramps, interestingly enough occur if I have not taken the time to stretch my hamstring muscle. This is accomplished by stretching the heel of the foot first, placing it in dorsi-flexion. A towel or strap can be used to daily stretch the hamstring tendon.

What to do when a sudden Charley Horse awakens you?

Immediately flex your foot and press outward and down with the heel of your foot (NOT the ball of your foot, but the heel). Do this without touching the floor or mattress with the bottom of the foot. The foot is flexed and toes are pushed toward ones head continuing to push downward with your heel. If the cramp is in your toes, gently try to hold very still until it passes then sort of massage the toes open. As soon as the cramp subsides try an all natural vitamin E immediately then again nightly for the next 2-3 nights. I will take a calcium supplement for the next two nights and check my alkalinity. If my urine tests acidic, I will take a potent alkalizer. Dr. Walser from Johns Hopkins says he has observed that both itching and leg cramps are linked with acidosis.

Charlie Horse: How to Get Rid of Leg Cramps with Minerals

  • Your body is probably yearning for potassium, magnesium and calcium - the trio of minerals that helps to regulate activity in your nerves and muscles. Restore potassium, magnesium and calcium concentration in your blood. For example, eat more bananas, peaches, or dried apricots.
  • Take 250mg vitamin E a day to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. Studies suggest that taking vitamin E improves blood flow through the arteries.
  • Cramps are often caused by dehydration, so if you get cramps frequently, try drinking more water. Continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day, just not right before exercising. In some cases, drinking a lot of water prior to working out may increase calf cramps.
  • Try spraying the cramping calf muscle immediately with magnesium spray.

    Charlie Horse: Drugs that can cause leg cramps

  • Statin drugs had the weakest association with causing leg cramps.
  • Strongest links to leg cramps are the diuretics.
  • Inhaled long-acting Beta-agonists i.e., Advair, Serevent, Symbicort.
  • Potassium-sparing diuretics.
    Some other brands such as Aldactone, Dyrenium, Midamor and thiazidelike diuretics (Zytanix, Zaroxolyn, Mykrox) were even more likely to cause leg cramps than loop diuretics.

    Instead of stopping the drug likely to be the cause of the leg cramps some are inclined to prescribe yet another drug in the hope of stopping the calf cramps.

    Inhaled anticholinergics are a good alternative to beta-agonists. Doctors will know many alternatives to diuretics for the treatment of high blood pressure.

    Leg Cramps:The FDA warns against using quinine for leg cramps

    July 08, 2010 Los Angeles Times
    FDA said that between April 2005 and Oct. 1, 2008, it had received 38 reports of severe adverse events associated with the drug, including two deaths. Twenty-one patients had to be hospitalized because of severe bleeding due to a loss of blood cells called platelets -- a condition called thromobocytopenia -- and an additional 12 had bleeding from their mucosa. The agency believes many similar events went unreported.

    Leg Cramps: Stretching before sleep

    Conclusion: Nightly stretching before going to sleep reduces the frequency and severity of nocturnal leg cramps in older adults.

    Shoes

    Sometimes wearing a slipper like the one pictured below can cause night time calf cramps.

    • We are  sharing our experiences with PKD/PLD Diet, an adjunct diet envisioning it complementing a physician's prescribed medical therapy. Consider testing this with your doctor's prior knowledge, who can  adjust it according to your own uniqueness by adding it to your current  treatment.

    Medical Disclaimer