What is a charley horse and how can it be treated?
BOSTON - In a new feature called At the Clinic with Dr. Mallika, she tells us about some of the trends she's been seeing at her urgent care clinic.
This week, Dr. Mallika says she's seen a number of patients complaining of charley horses, or pain and muscle spasms in the legs or feet. They can last seconds but sometimes minutes. They are common in both children and adults but more common as we age.
According to UpToDate, more than half of people over 50 get them. For many, there is no clear cause. But certain conditions can bring them on like having flat feet, sitting in an awkward position for too long, taking diuretics or "water pills", having kidney disease, diabetes, or low thyroid hormone, and having low levels of magnesium in the blood.
To prevent them, stretch your calf muscles before bed, wear supportive shoes during the day, keep the bed covers loose at the foot of the bed and not tucked in, drink plenty of water, and limit alcohol and caffeine. If you get a cramp, slowly stretch the cramped muscle, walk around or jiggle your leg or foot, take a warm shower or bath, or apply ice. If the cramps occur frequently, are extremely painful, or occur in other parts of your body, call your primary care provider.
