To think that leg cramps are really really painful?

[Firefly1987]

AKA a charley horse. I just want to know if I'm being a wuss or not. I'm lucky not to have had much pain yet (touch wood!) but I've had a few of these and they are the worst pain I've had I reckon. They only last a few seconds thank god, otherwise I would jump out the window! Just wondered what others thought as to the severity of the pain on a scale from 1-10? I'm thinking around 6+ but I know I can't take pain. They are really bad though aren't they?

What's a Charley Horse?

When you start to feel one quickly flex your foot upwards (eg bring your toes towards your shin) and it should get rid of it quick.

try magnesium spray. Spray and rub in. It works for me in seconds! Really!

I get cramp in my calf in the middle of the night , I swear I will put a dent in the ceiling if I jump any higher !
It's very painful , the initial pain last about 2 minutes, but my muscle aches for the rest of the day .
Fortunately I don't get it very often .

@SouthOfFrance I think it's just the American term for a leg cramp so I thought I'd include it. Ah I'll have to try that advice next time thanks!

Yes, they are really painful sometimes. It can make the muscle sore for a few days afterwards too.
I've recently had a cramp along the top and side of my foot and I couldn't find a way to stop it, whichever way I moved didn't help. It was horrible.

They are the worst! I only get them in my calf, in the middle of the night. I've woken my husband up so many times in agony with them. I don't understand some people who carry on with one, those couple of minutes are hell and I can't do anything! When people say get out of bed I just think HOW? Genuinely feels like my myscle will snap if I force it.

And then the muscle hurts for the next day or 2, and I'm terrified of sleeping!

@NewYearCalavicci

I get cramp in my calf in the middle of the night , I swear I will put a dent in the ceiling if I jump any higher ! It's very painful , the initial pain last about 2 minutes, but my muscle aches for the rest of the day . Fortunately I don't get it very often .

Yeh I've only had it a few times, usually it's when I'm just waking up and stretch or something but last time it woke me up out of sleep. Mine don't last as long as 2 minutes thankfully. It seems crazy talking about something being agony that only lasts such a short time for me but they are that bad!

I agree they are the worst pain, easily as painful as childbirth contractions but somehow worse as they come on so suddenly - especially when they happen in the middle of the night. They literally make me shout out and I usually scare DH half to death!

I find squeezing my calf muscle hard helps to relax it eventually, or trying to walk on it if possible. I usually can't put my foot flat o nthe ground the next day as the muscle is so painful.

I get night cramps on occasion that can be v painful in the back of the calf.

Down to dehydration I think. Jump about in pain for c 30 seconds and then it's tender for hours after. I rarely swear but do when this happens.

I get this a lot in my left leg as a result of nerve damage from when I herniated a disc. It’s awful, but I’ve had so much practise now that even when I’m asleep my body knows now to quickly point my foot up to catch it before it goes. Give my DP a shock when I do it but better than me screaming when it’s cramped

I have the scared of sleeping thing too, or I wake up every 30 minutes to move my legs in the hope it will stop it happening!

Stretch and massage like hell as soon as it hits. That goes for foot ones too .... just pull the foot in any direction you can make it go.
However, I'm swearing my magnesium supplements. I take one every other day and haven't had a cramp since I started taking them - would usually be around once a week without.

I'm glad it's not just me-usually makes me start feeling really faint as well because it's so sudden. I think I know what caused it last time-I'd just washed my bed sheets and they were still a little damp from the dryer and it's something to do with moisture?

Its a magnesium deficiency. Take a supplement before bed and they will go away.

I used to get them in my calf occasionally during the night but nit recently. But a few nights ago I had one sort of around the side of my foot/ankle area. It was not as painful as a calf cramp but took ages to go away.

@Dancingwithtearsinmyeyes it's actually a bit of a relief to know other people find them severe as well-I was worrying people thought they were mild and if I got any other sort of pain I'd not be able to cope. Not had the pleasure of childbirth yet! Aw to make you scared of sleeping that is not good. I've not had them that many times thank goodness but after that last one it is on my mind a bit that I'll wake up with it again.

@oviraptor21 and @Notcontent It wouldn't surprise me if I have a magnesium deficiency. Once a week you poor thing! I couldn't handle that, I'm lucky I don't get them too often. Will try magnesium supplements, glad they are helping you.

I had one that was so bad I was limping the next day
Worst was after my spinal op, I get hamstring cramps as well now helpfully

@pawpaws2022 ouch that sounds bad. My leg will hurt all day but nothing like how it is for that first minute. Apparently if you put something cold on your leg it should get rid of the pain-I think I might go to bed with a metal dish or something

Yeah they're horrible, I get them in my calves a fair bit, my feet but the worse is in my thigh. Fortunately that's only happened about 5 times but it's terrible.

I find them more likely to happen if I've had too much alcohol, I suppose it must be dehydration

I've had 2 in late pregnancy and I shoot up out of bed with the pain. I can't believe how painful they are and those few minutes are torture! On the last one, my calf was wrecked for a few days, I could barely get up and down the stairs.

I have MS. I get spasms and muscle cramps everyday. The one in the muscle above my buttocks is the worst as it effects the sciatic nerve too ouch

I had an induced labour (no drip though) with just paracetamol (not choice haha) a third degree tear and a 10lb baby and I'd put it at a 5 or 6 probably. I'd put those leg cramps and stubbing a toe at 8 maybe? They're manageable but only because it's a short period of time but actual pain I would put above childbirth for sure.

That's putting having limbs removed like that Gerard Butler film at 10.

@Cocona I'm glad you described the pain and put it on a scale. As much as the advice on what to do to help from posters has been great, this was the sort of thing I wanted to know. I was scared I just can't take pain and making out it's worse than it is. But it seems I'm not a total wuss about it! If I had a few minutes of that pain I'd be crying/screaming yeh thank god the pain is short lived. Really helpful comparison thanks, altho sorry about the labour experience!