severe foot cramp

[hotpink]

now and again i get awful cramp in the arch of my foot. it happened lastnight, woke me up, it was so painful. the only way i can describe it it that it is unexpected, and my foot suddenly curls up!! my toes curl up and i get a shooting pain in the arch of my foot. i have to just put pressure on the arch and wait until it goes away. this could last 5 minutes. i have looked up info on the net, but cannot find anything at all. someone told me it was dehydration, and someone else told me it was to much salt. any ideas what it is???

[DaisyMae]

The person who can give you a definitive answer to why we get cramp will make a fortune.

Some people recommend tonic water - the small amount of quinine is supposed to help. A small glass before bed is supposed to prevent cramp.

[Velvetee]

I get that sometimes and also in the calves, but this only tends to happen when I've been wearing heels or if the areas are particularly cold.

Stretching and rubbing the cramped parts (walking around) helps to reduce the duration or wearing socks in bed helps me.

[afcjan]

I get exactly the same pink and know how painful it is. someone told me that it is a lack of salt. I find I just keep rubbing it and trying to walk on it but it is really nasty I sympathise.

[Joanne81]

It's a combination of both I think hotpink, you need to relax your muscles as much as is possible before bed, have a warm bath and rub in moisurizing lotion. Keep your bedroom quite warm as a sudden dip in temp can bring on cramp as wwell.

[scattycat]

I totally sympathise. I get this pretty bad, and used to do yoga which seemed to bring it on in the middle of a class (embarrassing!). I remember sitting in bed when I was little and being in so much pain I actually bit into my knee! :/ Anyway, I've discovered that I get it more when I've been wearing heels too much (i.e. all week at work!) and when I'm dehydrated. I believe it can also be bought on by a lack of salt although I don't think this is one of my particular triggers. Good luck.

[bigmamma]

Hello hotpink , I can empathise , I get a lot of cramp in feet and legs . I take the occaisional Quinine and it helps . x

[carlton23]

My GP gives me Quinine tablets to be taken in the evening and I find them very good, I also rub in `Voltarol Emulgel Ointment` which also helps alleviate the discomfort. I listened to Sarah Kennedy on Radio 2 this morning and someone recomended turning your upper lip inwards and pinching it takes cramp away, I had to laugh at that one, still, anythings worth trying when you`ve got cramp. HTH`s

[puddicat]

omg had foot cramps early doors,so frightened to turn over in case starts the other foot,any way will try calcium again and see if that helps!!!

[hotpink]

thanks all for your answers and advice, it is much appreciated. xxx

[angiebaby57]

I was told too up the salt in my diet as I wasn't using any and this did the trick. xx