Thigh cramp : what to do?

Having been woken just before 5 this morning with agonising cramp in the thigh, has anybody any advice on how to deal with it?!

I used to suffer from calf cramp - which is bad enough - but when cramp hits the thigh/lower groin it's incredibly painful.

To make matters worse, even after the attack, the thigh will be sore for days.

During the attack, I can't bend or straighten the leg without causing the pain to worsen...rubbing, even thumping, the thigh muscle doesn't achieve much, and neither does the old adage of putting your weight on a cold floor.

Anybody know any 'remedies'?

Do you take any Statins at all? I was taking them for Cholesterol but had to stop as I started getting cramp attacks up to five times a night, it turned out that was one of its many side affects.

See your GP, quinine sulphate 200 mg is quite effective. MV

Having been woken just before 5 this morning with agonising cramp in the thigh, has anybody any advice on how to deal with it?!

I used to suffer from calf cramp - which is bad enough - but when cramp hits the thigh/lower groin it's incredibly painful.

To make matters worse, even after the attack, the thigh will be sore for days.

During the attack, I can't bend or straighten the leg without causing the pain to worsen...rubbing, even thumping, the thigh muscle doesn't achieve much, and neither does the old adage of putting your weight on a cold floor.

Anybody know any 'remedies'?

Magnesium supplement.

Magnesium supplement.

But only if the OP is Magnesium deficient. Too much Magnesium can be dangerous.

The OP should see his GP as regular cramp can be a symptom of other treatable conditions.

See your GP, quinine sulphate 200 mg is quite effective. MV

This stuff is excellent for night cramps in the legs.

I had cramps as the OP describes, and they are hideously painful, it feels as if you are being torn apart.

Take one of these nightly and you have no further bother, get down to the GP today.

Try eating a Banana or two. Tennis players eat these to stave off cramps during matches.

Or you could try drinking tonic water at night. It contains quinine.

Or you could try drinking tonic water at night. It contains quinine.

Yes, but contains 83mg/l - so at least 2 liters to get working concentrations of quinine BWs MV

2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a small amount of honey about a finger nail size in some warm water it works for me

I mentioned the leg cramps casually to my doctor when seeing him for something else and he gave me a prescription for one 300mg capsule of Gabapentin to take nightly at 6pm. Worked good for me, still popping one every evening after 5 years. I don't know the molecular make up of the drug or if it is marketed under the same name, in the UK. I am sure google will solve that though.

Thanks for the replies!

"No" is the answer to the Statins question, and thankfully I don't suffer from "regular cramp"... except if I've been up ladders lately, but I'm guessing that's more to do with footwear and narrow rungs!

And Jacktari...your description of an attack is spot on! You daren't bend your leg, you daren't straighten...all I tried to do was rush around and try to 'run' it off. Unfortunately, it was pitch black, and the dog was in the way just to add to my woes!

Eventually made it outdoors, bare feet on concrete...made not a jot of difference.

Not to put too fine a point on it, it was actually quite a frightening experience. I sympathise with other sufferers - I think it's the worst pain I've personally felt.

So...magnesium, tonic water, bananas and quinine sulphate...if only I'd had some at 4.50odd this morning!

Thanks to all....visit to local chemists is on the cards.