Hi and thank you for your question. I am sorry you are experiencing these pains at night. A Charlie horse is cramping that is caused by the muscle contracting suddenly and forcefully on its own for an extended Some causes are dehydration, circulation problems, not stretching properly before exercise, a sudden change in temperature, straining of the muscle by overworking it, and a lack of sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium. Some ways to avoid Charlie horses include applying heat to your leg before you go to bed, drinking water, avoiding sudden strenuous activity , stretching before and after exercise and making sure you take a multivitamin that has enough sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. When a sudden attack of a Charlie-horse occurs, massage your calf muscle, slowly straighten your leg out and lift your toes to pull on the muscle and help relieve the pressure.
I hope this information hwlps you, if so, please click accept. Thank you and I hope you sleep Charlie Horse free tonight! :-)
Registered Nurse, Director of Nrsg
30 yrs experience in Skilled Nursing. My goal is to help you to the best of my abilities.