Muscle cramps
A muscle cramp is a sudden, painful tightening of a muscle that you did not ask for — most often in the calf, and often at night. It usually lets go within seconds to minutes.
- Up to 60% of adults say they have had night-time leg cramps
- Night cramps become more common with age, and are slightly more common in women
- Most cramps last from a few seconds to a few minutes
Source: Allen & Kirby, American Family Physician 2012; MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine); Mayo Clinic
What is Muscle cramps?
A cramp is a muscle that tightens on its own and will not let go for a while. It can hit the calf, thigh, foot, hand or belly, but the calf is the favourite. After it passes, the muscle may stay sore for hours.
The commonest cause is a tired or over-used muscle. Losing fluid and salts in sweat, and low potassium, calcium or magnesium, can also play a part. For many night cramps doctors find no clear cause; tired muscles and changes in the nerves seem to matter most.
What are the symptoms?
- A sudden, hard, painful knot in the calf, thigh or foot
- Waking at night with the calf pulled tight
- Toes curling down or the foot pointing on its own
- Cramps after heavy sweating, hard play or walking in strong sun
- Soreness in the muscle for hours after the cramp
What causes it, and who is more likely to get it?
Tired muscles
- Straining or over-using a muscle — the commonest cause
- Staying in one position for a long time
Other conditions
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes, thyroid, nerve or liver disease
- Poor blood flow to the legs, or a pinched nerve in the back
- Dialysis, and some medicines
Age
- Older adults lose muscle, and cramp more easily
How is it found?
Usually your description and an examination are enough. When cramps are frequent, severe, or come with weakness or swelling, a doctor looks for a cause.
Examination
Checks the leg for swelling, the pulses in the feet, and the nerves — to tell cramps apart from restless legs, poor circulation or nerve damage.
Blood tests, if needed
Only when the doctor suspects a cause — for example the salts, sugar, thyroid or kidneys.
A neurotherapist first asks when the cramps come. At night, it points to the calcium side. After sweating in the sun or hard play, it points to salt. Then Liv°, Mu° and the B₁₂ point are checked, the stools are asked about — they choose the version of the formula — and the blood pressure, sugar and any osteoporosis report are noted.
How Neurotherapy sees Muscle cramps
LMNT splits cramps into two kinds. Night cramps sit with calcium: the teaching lists cramps among the calcium-deficiency disorders, and the J. Heparin formula — J for joints — is aimed at calcium, cramps, aching and weakness. Cramps after sweating sit with salt: the adrenal gland's salt-holding hormone is called on to raise sodium.
Cramps after sweating — and why the fix is barred in high blood pressure
- Sweatin strong sun or hard play, carries salt out of the body
- Musclesshort of sodium, they cramp
- Adrenal rind(2) Adr asks it for aldosterone, the salt-holding hormone
- Sodium risessalt is held in the body, and water with it
- Pressurewater held is pressure raised — so (2) Adr is never for high blood pressure
Night cramps are worked on the calcium side instead: J. Heparin, or the 1,25 DCC formula in the version the stool chooses, with half an hour of sun every day. Where the B₁₂ point is painful too, Pure Genes is given. The finding on the day decides — not the word “cramp”.
No other drink can be a substitute for water.
Neurotherapy treatment for Muscle cramps, step by step
Examine first
When do the cramps come — at night, or after sweating? The therapist checks Liv°, Mu° and the B₁₂ point, asks about the stools, and notes blood pressure, sugar and any osteoporosis.
Night cramps — the calcium side
J. Heparin, or the 1,25 DCC formula in the version chosen by the stool. (4) Para is given only inside the formula.
When the B₁₂ point hurts too
Pure Genes is given where cramps come with pain at the B₁₂ point. Multivitamin formula 3 is also written for cramps that come day and night.
Cramps from sweating — the salt side
(2) Adr, for cramps from salt loss in athletes or after walking in strong sun — only when blood pressure is not high. Multivitamin formula 1 is written for sportsmen who cramp as evening comes on.
Sun and water
Half an hour in the sun every day goes with the 1,25 DCC formula, and a day is left in between if it is repeated. Drink enough water through the day.
Points and formulas used
J. Heparin (joints)
The Heparin formula headed by (4) Para — J for joints — aimed at calcium: night cramps, aching and weakness.
Works through
Open →1,25 DCC (ordinary form)
Supports the body's own chain for absorbing calcium; the version is chosen by the stool that day.
Works through
Open →Pure Genes formula
The calcium chain joined with vitamin B₁₂ — for cramps with pain at the B₁₂ point.
Works through
Open →Multivitamin formula 1
For a shortage of sugar and sodium — sportsmen who cramp as evening comes on.
Open →Never do this
- (2) Adr is never given to people with high blood pressure — salt held in the body holds water, and raises the pressure. (2) Adr
- In osteoporosis, (4) Para is never given separately — the full formula or nothing. (4) Para
- After J. Heparin, Normal or NAN is not given the next day. No Heparin formula is given while anything is bleeding or there is an open wound, and J. Heparin is not given in cancer. J. Heparin (joints)
- If the 1,25 DCC formula is repeated, a day is left in between. 1,25 DCC (ordinary form)
- A calf that is swollen, red, warm or tender can mean a blood clot — no pressure on it; see a doctor the same day. Cramps with muscle weakness, or with dark, cola-coloured urine, also need a doctor urgently.
- Cancer: if the person has cancer, (10) Pan, Thymus, Pit, Lu + Sh, Rt. Ov / Lt. Ov and (30) Medulla are never given — the therapist changes the plan.
- Keep taking the medicines your doctor prescribed. Neurotherapy works alongside your medical care, never instead of it.
Watch
A short talk on the common causes of muscle cramps and simple ways to prevent them.
A short talk on the common causes of muscle cramps and how to prevent them.
From Ayurveda and the kitchen
Test yourself
What research says
- Strong evidence
A doctors' review of night-time leg cramps. Up to 60% of adults have had them. The exact cause is unclear; muscle fatigue and nerve changes seem to matter more than dehydration or blood salts. A careful history and examination usually tell cramps apart from other leg problems.
Allen RE, Kirby KA. Nocturnal leg cramps. Am Fam Physician. 2012;86(4):350-355.
No clinical trial of Neurotherapy in muscle cramps has been published yet. Improvements reported by neurotherapists are clinical observations.
For you
Older adults
Night cramps grow more common with age. Gentle calf stretches before bed, enough water, and a check of any osteoporosis report before treatment.
Pregnant women
Cramps are common in pregnancy. Always tell the therapist you are pregnant — the plan changes — and mention cramps to your doctor.
Athletes and outdoor workers
Heavy sweating in the sun carries salt out. Drink through the day, and tell the therapist your blood pressure before (2) Adr is considered.
This page explains; it does not diagnose. Neurotherapy works alongside your medical care — keep taking the medicines your doctor prescribed, and see a doctor for any new or severe symptom.