Inner thigh cramps that make me pass out

I had my first inner thigh cramp last summer when getting up out of the bed at night.  It was the worst kind of pain I had ever experienced.  I couldn't stand straight--was almost in tears.  I just had my second episode last night.  Both inner thighs cramped as I was getting up out of bed at night.  I was in tears, nauseated and light headed.  I didn't know what to do as sitting was not good and standing straight wasn't good either.  I have been on a diet and not indulging in any sweets or carbs.  I have been walking about 20 mins each day but had not done any strenuous exercise that day.   I live alone so there is no one to help me with getting ice or vinegar, etc.  My question is "what is causing this severe pain, not really like a typical cramp?"

i have to hobble to sink and and run extremly hot water over hand towell and wrap around thigh, it helps.

use this recipe. disolve lots of honey in boiled water. Top this mixture up by half with white balsamic or cider vinegar (any vinegar will do but these two are more palatable). Keep this by your bedside and be brave and take a big swig. Your cramps will go away. Also if you are on statins, they cause cramps or make them worse. Check with your doctor that you're not one of the people who react badly to statins. There is a blodd test to prove or unprove this

When I get these cramps, I find a hot shower (as hot as I can bear) aimed over the site helps. They are truly horrific and on a par with childbirth, but with nothing to show for it afterwards exceph an aching leg.

3/2/2012  I am a first time reader and have read all posts with hope and sympathy. So many of your experiences match mine!  I am a 67 Y/O woman retired about 2-1/2 years.  I have had numerous TIAs and am currently wearing a 30-day cardio-monitor (4th day in).  I take 2 blood pressure meds (one was just added this Monday and does have a diuretic in it Losartin, the other is Pindolol which I have been taking since first of 2012) I have had occasional episodes of foot charley-horses and toe curling as well as toes crossing over another one, also painful calf charley horses that seem to occur when I am trying to relieve the foot (instep) charley-horses by stretching foot upward and forcefully uncurling toes while kneading the instep-this has been triggering the calf.  During the past couple of months, I have begun to have charley-horses in the groin down to the knee - I can feel the tendon knotted nearly to breaking point. It has worsened since Losartin was added this week - I just had my third and worse episode this week, first one during the daytime.

In addition to the BP meds, I take Zetia (a non-statin cholesterol med - statins have caused allergic reaction to liver and produced jaundice). And, I take Meloxicam, Plavix, one .81 aspirin, weekly Fosamax and omeprazole - all of these I have taken for several years except for the two new BP meds. I have been taking Potassium, Calcium, D3 and Magnesium supplements - after today's episode and reading your comments, I plan to increase the doses of all of these (I also take a multivitamin daily) immediately.

I was afraid that I had a DVT clot in my groin today as I could feel a large knot there as well as the long rigid tendon or muscle extending from there down to just above the knee on the inside of my left leg.  My husband got an ice pack and I alternated deep kneading with ice until I was able to safely get up - I had broke into a cold sweat, felt nauseous and extremely light-headed.  I chewed two baby aspirin (I was afraid I had a blood clot that would travel to brain or lung).  I continued the ice and deep kneading and it finally subsided, leaving me weak as a kitten.  I was afraid to apply heat thinking that would worsen a clot.  When I was able, I went to computer and did a search on DVT and then "upper leg groin spasms" and came upon this site.

I was in the recliner watching the news, first toes curling and crossing, followed by instep, then calf -then the unending bolt of pain from groin to knee.  I have been rather sedentary the past several months and am moderately (?) overweight - 5'2" 150 lbs.

I appreciate the information on this site and welcome any suggestions or pointers that anyone has to offer.  Thank you, Sadah aka misbehavin.

As a sufferer of these inner thigh cramps, and being a physician, I have honed in on the cause.

 The inner thigh muscles are innervated by the L3 nerve root. If you have an MRI of the lumbosacral spine you will most likely have L3,4,5 and S1,2 pathology. Most sufferers will experience it on the right leg due to the position of getting into a car that many Americans have done for so many years, and results in a contracture of the muscles in this region. The cramp usually hits when you are sitting on a couch, or a long time in a chair.

It is imperative to strengthen the core muscles that support the Lumbosacral spine, stretch this area, and avoid prolonged sitting! Walking is essential on preferably a track (stay away from concrete or uneven surfaces), and when the cramp hits lie flat on your stomach with two pillows under your pelvis. This position will decompress the lumbosacral spine.

Above all, when you feel the slightest sensation that the cramp is going to start lay on the floor as instructed, also, Valium will help calm the cramp. 5-10 mg. wait 20-30 minutes. Avoid prolonged sitting. Walk/stand as much as possible.

I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS INNER THIGH PAIN FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, IT IS THE MOST TERRIBLE PAIN  I COME OUT IN A SWEAT AND THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN DOES NOT GIVE UP I CANNOT EVEN GO TO THE TOILET I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING ALL THE CALCIUM TABLETS CRAMPEASE I WALK THE FLOOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND I AM TERRIFIED TO GET BACK INTO BED IN CASE IT STARTS AGAIN THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS THE PAIN IS SALT I TAKE A SPOONFUL IN THE PALM OF MY HAND AND SWALLOW IT WITH WATER AND THEN WAIT TILL THE PAIN SUBSIDES, SURELY SOMEWHERE SOMEONE HAS A CURE FOR THIS IT IS THE MOST DEBILITATING PAIN AS THE NEXT FEW DAYS I CAN STILL FEEL THE PAIN IN THE MUSCLE WHERE IT HAS TWISTED. I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND SUPPOSED TO NOT HAVE A SALT BUT WHEN THAT PAIN STARTS i WILL TAKE ANYTHING TO MAKE IT STOP. 

A couple of nights ago I think I joined the "club". I've always had a very high tolerance for pain, but that night I woke up screaming from excruciating pain in both inner thighs. It seems just what like others have experienced (except to compare it to childbirth, that one I couldn't know) - I was very close to passing out from the pain, couldn't move, was sweating and clammy, my wife thought I was having a heart attack,and I had the thought that if the pain wasn't going to go away I'd prefer to die (literally). 

I too had eaten some sugar coated gummies the night I got my first attack, we need to find out if there is a common denominator that sparks off these intense cramps.

I believe that a manesium supplement should help

The gummi bears may have another trigger besides sugar -- the synthetic dyes may be setting off a reaction causing these painful contractions??? Both my children would become very hyper anytime they ate or drank anything that had red dye in it (cherry icees were the worst). I haven't had any attacks in last month or so-taking calcium, potassium and magnesium supplements - hopefully they won't come back.

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD THE GUN THOUGHT, ITS A GOOD THING I DONT OWN ONE. THE PAIN LASTS SO LONG I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING BUT TRYING TO STOP IT. I CANT MAKE ANY CONNECTION TO FOOD OR DRINK. I HAVE PASSED OUT A FEW TIMES BUT WHEN I AWAKE, I STILL HAVE THE HORRFIC PAIN.
I AM 70 YRS OLD AND HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE SPASMS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. SOMETIMES I AM AFRAID TO GO TO SLEEP.

I just had another severe attack of inner thigh cramps which then spread to the entire leg. Both legs affected. My. Husband brought me two glasses of water with a lot of salt and eventually they eased off. I got this home remedy from a friend who also suffers from these horrible cramps. Today they were the worst ever and I woke up the whole neighborhood. Let me know if the salt water helps anyone else.

i am writing in regards to your upper inner thigh cramps what was the results of your test about muscles communicating with your nerves

I have this problem too --

I wonder if part of the problem getting a diagnosis and proper prevention/treatment is because of calling it "cramping". I don't think it is a cramp -- when I get it it's not a muscle knot that can be stretched or massaged out. Instead it's like a steel rod has taken the place of the tendon in my thigh and the pain is way beyond that of a cramp -- it causes me to sweat and nearly pass out and fear that I might get a heart attack (I'm 69). Also, to either bend my leg OR TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT makes the pain worse and last longer. That is not true of a cramp.

Anyone else feel similarly about this?

I NEVER TRIED THIS BUT FROM NOW ON I WILL HAVE A LARGE GLASS OF SALT WATER ON THE NIGHT STAND, ITS CERTAINLY WORTH A TRY. I AM A FEMALE OF 70 YRS OLD.