inner thigh cramps

I am a 49 year old woman and I have been suffering from severe thigh cramps regularly for about the last seven years. The pain is excruciating, especially the inner thighs. I am posting this because last night was by far the worst episode I have ever experienced. Both legs were involved and each leg had at least seven muscles cramping at the same time: inner thigh, top thigh, upper calf, top shin, ankle, top of foot and toes. I know it is hard to believe...I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't gone through it.

Every time I tried to stretch one out, another one twisted tighter. I was helpless to move. My husband rubbed my legs furiously, but didn't make a dent. I began to pass out, then would be brought around by intense pain. I was nauseated, and I kept yawning involuntarily every few seconds. I could do nothing for myself, including standing up, but scream and cry. I was ready for hubby to call an ambulance, but I knew by the time it arrived, the cramping episode would be over, as an episode only lasts about five to ten minutes. After the episode, I have bruising from the muscles bleeding after being torn so badly, and limp the next day.

I do know that these cramps are related to a combination of dehydration and over exertion, usually from standing on my feet for six or more hours. I even told my husband when we went to bed last night to be prepared, because I would probably get a cramp during the night. I knew I had dehydrated and I tried to push down the water (apparently not enough). I have noticed they occur in my right inner thigh mostly, and more often right after I have been sleeping on my left side.

I have tried many things to prevent them, but nothing seems to work all the time. I wear cotton leggings or long-johns to keep my legs warm at night. I take a hot bath before bed if I have over exerted during the day. I try to stay hydrated. During a cramping episode, I have tried many things. For cramps in the inner thigh, I stand with my hip next to a wall, about 12 inches away, and lean my hip to the wall, my hands above my head to support myself. I also walk a lot. For very bad episodes, I place salt in a spoon and place the salt under my tongue. It seems to fool the body into thinking it is getting electrolytes. I get into a hot bath and warm up my leg muscles. And I walk a lot to try and walk the cramps out.

The episodes have gotten worse in the last couple of years (I even lost a significant amount of weight and thought they would get better with the weight loss, but they did not). Like the other posters, my blood work is fine. Medications do not seem to make a difference. I wish I knew what was causing them and how to permanently get rid of them.

I have never felt such pain ...my inner thigh hurt so bad in the fatty top between leg's I have bad vain's that stick out it felt like they had closed I thought i was dying maybe a blood clot it then traveled to my knee to day above my knee is tight and sore !

I tried to stand it started drawing tighter and pained more all i could do was cry and pray.

I remember'd an old remedy my sister-n- law told me DILL PICKLE juice...as i drank it the pain started to go away.I took a baby aspirin it never came back.Thank God.

I have been reading about the inner thigh cramps. I have had them and charley horses too. My doctors have been watching blood clots in both my legs. Had the untra sound, x-rays and went to a vein doctors. Seems like nothing they could do but on my own I found that they happen at night. I would have a snack before bed.And later they would flare up. The pain is just out of this world. They only last for about 3 minutes or so. Then I thought, maybe not eating before bed may help. DO YOU KNOW THAT WAS MY ANSWER. For about 6 days now , I eat NOTHING before bed and I do not have the pains. But a few times I did get the charley horses, but they are not too bad. Just walk them out. NO inner thigh or the front of my left shin pains, which was very painful. I do not know why this is working, but it does. I hope they may help someone else.

Hello, I know how bad these cramps are. I was having them. They would wake me up out of sleep. The pain is wicked. I also got front shin pain all the way to my big toe. The toe would actually raise on it own. That was that pain. Then the charley horses also. Because of blood clots in both legs because of meds I was on .Not on those anymore but have to go on something else soon because of muliple myeloma. The cancer is doing better, but for this. Went to doctors about the cramping , took untrasound, x-rays, they said the blood clots would not cause the pain and my veins looked ok. So I was getting them only at night when lying down. I remember that if I eat any food they would come on. So for 7 day now ,I do not eat anything before going to bed , nothing after 7:00pm. And I DO NOT GET THE CRAMPING. I did get a charley horse but no bad.Maybe try not eat before going to bed. It worked for me, even today. How you find relief if this doesn't work.

I've had foot and leg cramps from time to time for years, but never an inner thigh cramp until recently. Three times now, I've been awakened with them, and no knife could hurt as much. No wild animal tearing the flesh from my bones could hurt more. I wouldn't have believed others that anything could be so painful if I hadn't experienced it. As for the causes....I have a bad back, have had surgery once and need it again. I sleep on my side, with a pillow between my knees to relieve the strain on my lower back. Just before these cramps started, I tossed the old pillow and bought a new, fluffier one. I think the extra inch of pillow thickness was what caused my cramps. I've also been working a job that requires lots of bending, stooping, and light lifting. I think I need a new job and a new pillow, because nothing made those cramps go away until they were ready to go away.

I also am searching for answers and found all of you. I hate to hear all of you suffer too. But I am relieved to know it isn't just me and some freak thing. 2 nights ago I had another of these cramps. It is my second one to ever experience. "Excruciating pain" is the only term that can describe it. I fall into the category of "no way I can get out of this bed". I can barely get into a sitting position on the side of the bed because of the cramp. It is impossible to stand. I, too, encountered the cold sweat, nauseated sensation from this pain. Five minutes feels like an hour. It is truly scary and horrific to encounter. Thank you for sharing your pain and hopeful remedies.

I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences, and possible remedies for these painful episodes! What perplexes me about this is that, as aforementioned, it only seems to happen during the night time! Also, it's hard to remedy these cramps due to the fact that they don't happen every night!, so, it's hard, if not impossible to know what cures may work! I've heard that the salt under the tongue, and drinking the pickle juice can provide comfort, but, with me, it's been stretching, walking, yelling, and rolling!, kinda like a frog with a hernia!LOL! Medically, they should name thigh cramps the "GOTCHA" disease as you never know when it's going to strike, then all of a sudden at 3am it grabs you, has you writhing in pain, totally having it's way with you, and doesn't let go until it's GOOD AND READY!!lol, kinda like a debt collector when you owe back taxes, or a defaulted student loan! Once again, I thank you guys for posting your experiences!, and PLEASE, if you find any good remedies, please post immediately if not sooner!

I periodically get an inner thigh leg cramp on my right leg. Most of the time it happens in the early morning hours. I woke up this morning with a really bad one. Usually if I get up and walk around it helps - not this time. It scared me!!!

I've been reading up on Aromatherapy and how Peppermint serves as a good anti-inflammatory (no pills). I had purchased a bottle of Peppermint Essential oil sometime ago at my local health food store, and have been using it in body lotion to add a little zing to my step (it also helps with nose congestion!).

When I got the cramp this morning, I reached for the Peppermint Essential Oil and through some droplets in the palm of my hand and started lightly rubbing the painful spot. Within SECONDS the pain started lessening, and was entirely gone within 2-3 minutes. I guess the concentrated oil was quickly absorbed into the muscle and started working immediately.

I also buy my essential oils at anandaapothecary.com, and their peppermint is very reasonable.

Hope someone else will try this to see if it works for them. Let me know!

Thanks!

Denise

I have had two excruciating thigh cramps (front of thigh that wrap around to inner thigh) to the point where I feel like I am going to pass out. The first time I went to emergency room, where I was checked and they said, the good news was, my heart was okay; the bad news was, I had pneumonia.

The second time I remembered what someone told me next time I got a cramp: walk it off. I did this, and stretched the best I could while walking, but I felt like I was going to pass out and then my hip started hurting, too, and I felt a bit weak. I kept walking, after calling a neighbor to sit with me. Perhaps that relieved the stress. I also ate a banana for potassium. Eventually, cramp subsided within 5 minutes. However, two days later the area where the cramp was still hurt. From everything I've read, cramps can cut off circulation, thus, perhaps, the sense of passing out. Both times I was suffering from a severe cough. The cramps felt violent and huge compared to a charlie horse. My advice, walk it off. Also I've read one should hydrate oneself, because cramps may come on when our body is depleted from electrolytes--not just water, but salt water, which is supposed to be as good as Gatorade, etc.

I have been suffering from inner thigh cramps for a couple of years now. The doctor did a blood test to see if I was deficient on anything and the tests showed that I was fine on everything. These cramps are the worst cramps I have ever had they take your breath away and have often made me feel faint. My dentist suggested that I take some electrolyte pills. I bought some Endurox Excel at GNC and since I have been taking them daily I have not had a thigh cramp. I have started going to the gym and thought for sure I would start getting cramps again but fortunately I haven't gotten a one. I will continue with the pills because these cramps are devastating.