Having Cramps In Inner thighs

I am sixty years old and experienced excruciating inner thigh cramps in the two Tough Mudder events I entered with my son.  (I'm not in super shape but I exercise a lot but I'm heavy set).  Both were sudden onset and both were at the 7.5 to 8 mile mark.  I felt like someone shot me in both inner thighs with a rifle.   In the first one, i was carted off given lots of water, took iodized sale and they packed my legs in ice.  I recovered nicely and was able to finish. In the second one only water and iodized sale was provided and it did not get it done I was not able to go back on the field.  

I'm wondering about a couple of things.  First is the use of caffeine, teas, pop that dehydrates me. Second is medications for blood pressure.  Third was tight fitting underwear for the race (and nighttime cramps I use loose fitting night clothes) ( Also, I do not get the cramps while training but I also don't wear tight UA underwear).   

Nightime cramps have diminished considerably.  Lose fitting clothes, a huge water cup by my bed, no overlapping legs, no pillows that might put pressure points on upper legs---don't know if any of this helps but I don't have the nighttime cramps anymore.  

My friend swears by pickle juice:  combo salt and micronutrients from the cucumbers he says.  I will try that next as Gatorade was of no use to me.  

I will try the stretching next time but when it hits me standing is next to impossible.  Good to know this is not just my problem.  Misery loves company. 

 

I too am suffering from the cramps in the inner thigh. Happens after I have gone for a run that morning, only happens if I elevate my legs by placing a pillow under my knees. It seems to me that because of the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle after exercise, I still have not found any mineral or vitamin to prevent them, however, to avoid them, to not do anything while laying down that can shorten the muscle. Such as placing a pillow under the knees or even laving in fetal position. If you do get one ( and God Help you if you do). The best way to get rid of them is to start either walking real fast of jog. Even if it feels like you cant. Within a couple of minutes they will subside. Trust me I have suffered with this and it works. Of course while I am running around the house or outside I cant help to yell "HELP ME JESUS:!!!!! Good luck and I would not wish this on anyone....well maybe Castro the Cuban dictator. LOL

I have been suffering from these cramps for the last 3 years post two total hip replacements.  The pain has been so bad I have passed out on many occassions.  The next day I feel like I have been hit by a bus.  It takes 24 hours of sleeping it off to feel better.  When I have an attack I cannot sleep after as I am so afraid of them returning.  The fear, pain and loss of consciousness have caused me great consternation,  Whilst my new hips are fantastic, I cannot get over how much this pain upsets my entire system.  I have been drinking Tonic Water for the quinine content, I take massive doses daily of Magnesium, don't know what else to do.  I am now starting on a magnesium mixture to see if this helps.  I will let you know.   

I just bought some Hyland's Leg Cramps PM today after reading about it on this blog last night. I've had thigh cramp attacks 3-4 times over the past few years, but had one last night in both legs that had me screaming (as they all do), sweating, and nauseous! I was afraid to go back to bed so got on the computer (standing up) and searched and searched and found this site. I had never been able to explain to anyone the kind of agony and excruciating pain I had but now I see that there are so many of us. I think it's even scarier now that I know how prevalent it is with no definitive cause or remedy.

I am a 69 year old female who has been having these horrendous inner thigh cramps for about 25 years. I've had kidney stones, back surgery, knee replacements, child birth---all kinds of major surgeries, and these cramps can be some of the worst pain I've ever experienced---and VERY difficult to get rid of. I take quinine (when I can get to it), and I keep a hair dryer/blower next to my bed, which I have found helps tremendously. I used to tell my co-workers that if I didn't show up for work to come check up on me to make sure I hadn't died wrapped up like a pretzel having one of these inner thigh inner thigh cramps. They make me cry, break out in a sweat along with scaring me to death. The pain is unreal. I'm sure these cramps are inherited, as I'm not the only one in my family who is affected by them. Doctors have NO IDEA what causes them. After reading this website, I'm totally amazed to find out how many other people suffer from them.. The worst thing the FDA could do was to take quinine off the market. I get a prescription from my doctor and buy it from Canada----as does my doctor.

Wow, I feel like you are me. The pain is as bad as childbirth. Haven't had a thigh cramp all summer and then last night had one. Terrible. Hydration throughout the day seems a key. And salt...interesting...eating a couple olives seems to help...of course I can't get those down until the cramp starts to subside. Last night I thought I was going to throw up but couldn't even bend over...or stand up...or walk...or breath...or talk... I have a problem taking multi vitamins as they don't set right in my stomach. Probably need to add calcium, magnesium, D and potassium. My husband told me I need to go to the Dr. to see what the problem is. But, I don't think they will know. Thank you for your writing. I thought I might be the only person having these.

I just read this entire thread and the thread that preceded it. I made a summary of advice from all the participants and am posting it as a convience to others.  I will try some of the ideas. A couple of things strike me as my cramps are coming on more frequently. I have not been as religious in taking my sublingual B12 tablets and Rx diuretics.  I stopped iron supplements and calcium a year or so ago, and I think the cramps started after that. I've been drinking a little more caffeine and less water lately, and the cramps are coming on more frequently.   So I'm going to start with being careful about doing my B12 and diuretics, drink the water, watch the caffeine, add another magneium pill, and add back iron and a little extra calcium tablet.  During the attacks I'm going to try moist heat or  an ice back, rubbing above the cramp, etc.

Here's my summary:

SUGGESTIONS FOR ACUTE TREATMENT AND RELIEF

1. Drink 12 oz. water immediately

2. Take salt, maybe a teaspoon, followed by water

3. Bite lower lib

4. Put mustard or baking soda under the tongue

5. Moist heat - wheat back recommended, but what not one of the newer moist heading pads, which you can keep by the bed.

6. Ice back

7. Asthma resuce inhaler

8. Stand upright, legs straight, bend at waist to touch floor

9. Drink a mouthful of pickle juice or Gerkin vinegar

10. Use a massager on the muscle

11. Massage above the cramped muscle, closer to hip joint

12. Apply magesium cream or liquid to cramp

13. Apply peppermint oil

14. Drink V8 juice

15. Raise leg to ceiling, straight, foot slightly turned out

16. Take tums or liquid calcium

17. Take an Rx muscle relaxer

PREVENTION

1. Stretch leg muscles before bed

2. Don't eat several hours before bed

3. Sleep with low heat on thighs

4. Elevate foot of bed 8"

5. Take calcium, magnesium, and potassium supplements. One recommendation was powdered calcium and magnesium at dobule recommended dose.

6. Avoid Rx pain meds

7. Take Endurox Excel GNC

9. Sleep with legs stretched straight out

10. Avoid positions during the day with knees bent

11. Put a strong magnet under the mattress

12. Take B12 sublingual tablets

13. Take iron tablets (with caution, can get too much iron)

14. TENS treatments

15. Hyland Leg Cramps with Quinnine

16. Reduce caffeine

17. Drink tonic water

18. Drink more water

19. Drink Pedialyte or sports strong

20. Take "Sport Legs" tablets

You sound exactly like me...I wish I could talk to you because I feel so alone in this. I know these posts are old but hoping some will still respond. I can't take these cramps..they are horrendous.

Thank you so much for this information. I am so worried about these attacks. I can hardly sleep for fear of getting another one. I will ask my doctor about PT as I see her again about this next week. I do find that KT tape prevents an attack and stops an attack once I can get it on, but I nrrd help doing that during an attack.

I have had these & had attributed it to my thyroid issues causing a problem with the sodium absorption of my body.I take vitamin supliments but maybe not enough calcium? I drink over a gallon of water a day but it doesn't help

Just wanted to update my status just in case it helps someone else. The thigh spasms have stopped, but I'm not totally positive why. The changes I made were 1) 2500 mg B12 sublingual daily 2) changed from 20 mg Crestor to 10 mg Lipitor statin drug 3) changed to a vegan oil free dairy free caffeine free diet. 4) I do have a ferritin deficiency and am currently on a triple dose of iron supplements - but this has been ongoing for many years.

I think it is 1) or 2), but I'm not willing to experiment to see as they are so painful!

Having recently experienced my first of these excruciating inner thigh cramps, I searched for a cause and solution. As someone here mentions, the likely cause is the Sartorius muscle. It implicates the femoral artery and nerve, so this may cause the severe pain.
Stretching the Sartorius muscle is a likely solution to the problem.

I have recently been undergoing PT for the sartorius muscle on one leg. I don't think it caused the spasms as they stopped before I started this treatment. However, it is in the same general area and there are cramps, especially at night. Not really bad like the spasms I was having, but enough to sometimes wake me up. Since PT they have improved. So I guess I'm agreeing there may be some relationship.

Try dill pickle juice--helps rid them fast

I had a bad one last night that just paralyzed me. I thought I was going to pass out. My husband grabbed ice packs. That's all that seems to help.