Overview A muscle cramp is a sudden, unexpected tightening of one or more muscles. Sometimes called a charley horse, a muscle cramp can be very painful. Exercising or working hard, especially in heat, can lead to muscle cramps.

Understanding the Context

Some medicines and illnesses also might cause muscle cramps. Treatment Self-care measures usually can treat muscle cramps. A health care provider can show you stretching exercises that can reduce the chances of getting muscle cramps. Drinking plenty of fluids can also help prevent muscle cramps.

Key Insights

If you keep getting cramps that wake you from sleep, a care provider might prescribe medicine to relax muscles or help you sleep. Most of the time, there's no known cause for night leg cramps. In general, they're likely the result of tired muscles and nerve issues. The risk of having night leg cramps increases with age. People who are pregnant also are more likely to have night leg cramps.

Final Thoughts

Kidney failure, diabetic nerve damage and issues with blood flow are known to cause night leg cramps. But if you have one of these ... Have your tried electrolyte water instead of just magnesium? My wife uses this to control her nocturnal leg cramps. Also, do you exercise or stretch before you retire? Putting your leg muscles to work before bed can fatigue them, which may help decrease your leg issues.

When your nervous system shoots messages to your peripheral leg muscles they may not react by cramping and let you sleep. At ... Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. Many women have menstrual cramps just before and during their menstrual periods.