Help, I have a charlie horse in my calf and it won't go away, what do I do?

Please, hurry, it hurts like hell!! If I try to walk, it just cramps up again!

Answers:
A charlie horse should not keep reoccurring unless you have a serious electolyte imbalance which could be a sign of a reaction to a medication such as a diuretic, or severe dehydration. In either case, this would be a case to call your physician.

If you also have redness, warmth, and swelling of the calf, have someone take you to the emergency room to rule out a blood clot (which is a potentially life treatening situation). This is especially true if you have had a recent surgery or on birth control pills and/or smoke.

If it is truely a cramp, may of the suggestions such as pulling your foot back should help.

Massage it! Or.. soak it in a tub of warm water. Hope it helps
Whip it whip it good.
straighten your leg and point your toes out.that should help
nothing. just keep off it. maybe try to stretch that muscle a few times a day.
Massage is the best rememdy. Apply pressure to the worst spot to stop the spasms.
When you get a charlie horse it means you dont have enough protein in your body, so what helps make it go away is if you eat a banana.. (Trust me, i would get them all the time. And it helps)
Stretch by pulling your toes towards your head and pointing them towards the floor. It will hurt and don' t go too far but it will help to relax the muscles. Also get more potassium in your diet. Eat bananas or take vitamins high in potassium. It should help to decrease the cramps. Massaging will also help.
Drink water and shake your foot around. They get worse if your are dehydrated,
Rub it real hard - it will hurt at first but it will go away

also extend your toes so they point straight with your leg.
put your legs out in front of you.push your heels outwards as hard as you can to stretch the calf.
walk it out, and eat more banana's and potatochips, things high in potassium.
Charlie horses are a result of not having enough POTASSIUM.
I have to take potassium tablet to avoid getting them.
Just try to walk it out and massage the muscle.
I also try to relax the muscle as much as possible.
You may have, as others have suggested an electrolyte imbalance. If you do, sodium and potassium may well help. It could be caused by trauma. In that case, I'd bet that time would heal it. How long has it been going on?
Stretch the muscle straight, if it is in the calf stand on the ball of your foot and lean forward stretching the muscle straight.

If this is a regular occurrence you might try some potassium in your diet. Bananas are high in potassium, eat a couple a week.
Charley horses are usually caused by low potassium. Eating bananas and oranges (also drinking oj) will eliminate this problem. See a physician if it doesn't.
if you start drinking a good bit of water a day, that will help prevent them
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