I want to know what brings them on...I do find getting ben gay on the area then something ice cold helps to subside the pain. If anyone has any hints of what brings these on I will be very greatful...thanks, Kathie
Hi, don't know if you are still checking this or if someone else, like me stumbles onto this post. I too get leg cramps at night. mostly they are in my calves and I can just walk those out. But, the ones in my quads, hamstrings and especially my adductors (inner thigh) are really painful and very intense. I'm just recovering from a pair of crams in both thighs.
Backstory: I've been overweight for 50 years, drink alcohol and coffee, smoke. I do eat very healthily and as of last physical (last year) do not have diabetes. Last weekend, I was up and down an extension ladder working on my house for three days. Guess I used these muscles beyond what they were accustomed to.
The cramps hit me at 3:13am and it is now 3:40am. I was able to make it into my kitchen to the refrigerator and gulped down two large sips of dill pickle juice. The brine contains a lot of salt and enzymes and seems to help.
Then, I began stretching out the adductors. In turn, I raised each leg sideways and rested the foot on the back of the sofa and stretched; then I sat in a chair and put my feet on the seat of the couch with the soles of my feet pressed together. While in this position, I kneaded the muscles with the heels of my hands and my knuckles.
These techniques seemed to help and after about 10 minutes the cramps subsided. I immediately had two large glasses of water.