Muscle Cramps

This is the sensation of sudden, intense pain and involuntary tightening of a muscle, usually in the leg. It comes on with no warning, and usually lasts no more than a few seconds (a few minutes in more serious cases),but it leaves residual soreness in the affected muscle, and is liable to recur in the same place. It is improved by stretching the muscle or muscles involved. Although we do not know the exact cause of muscle cramps, hydration levels and certain minerals are known to be important factors.

One simple movement

When a cramp comes on, you must stretch the contracted muscle immediately. You often see this among soccer players, for example, when the match is extended into extra time.

Water

This is an essential treatment, and you must drink enough of it, especially after exertion. The best water to drink in the recovery phase after exercise is brands with high bicarbonate content, such as Badoit, or those with a high magnesium content, such as Vittel.

Homeopathy

Cuprum

- Four 5c tablets to be sucked slowly, two or three times in succession

Cuprum metallicum

- Mineral origin: metallic copper
- The specific homeopathic remedy for cramp

Oligotherapy

Copper in the first instance, but also calcium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, and potassium

Trace elements usually come from the diet, which should be varied and or high quality. In cases of deficiency, they can be given as a medicinal supplement.

Dietary sources of calcium

The best sources of calcium are dairy products.

Dietary sources of cobalt

The best food sources of cobalt are mushrooms, white cabbage, shellfish (such as lobster), onions, radishes, and meat (especially liver).

Dietary sources of copper

Copper is to be found principally in seaweed, almonds, avocado pears cocoa, cereals (especially in whole wheat and whole-grain rice), mushrooms, shellfish, veal and lamb liver ++, dried fruit and nuts, oysters, green vegetables, fish roe, and tea.

Dietary sources of magnesium

The best sources of magnesium are citrus fruits, whole-grain cereals (oat or bran flakes), chocolate, fish and shellfish, oil-producing nuts (almonds hazelnuts, and walnuts), vegetables (maize ++ and soya beans), and whole, grain bread.

Dietary sources of manganese

Manganese is plentiful in beetroot, cereals chocolate, nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts), wheatgerm, green vegetables, soya beans, egg yolk, and tea.

Sample Prescription: one dose of manganese-and-cobalt treatment in the morning, and one of manganese-and-copper treatment in the afternoon and evening, for two weeks This should be combined with a magnesium supplement.

• You could also try Calcium-Magnesium Cltramate (Thorne) which is a ,blend of calcium citrate-malate (80mg), magnesium citrate-malate (80mg) and malic acid (240mg):
  -Available in containers of 240 capsules
  -Take one to three capsules three times daily

Vitamins

Primarily the B complex vitamins

• You could try Berocca@, a blend of vitamins B and C, with calcium and magnesium :
  -Available in a tube of ten effervescent tablets
  -One tablet to be taken in the morning, dissolved in water, each day for ten days.

The natural food for cramp

Brewer's yeast

- This is a living substance derived from a microscopic fungus, prepared up to now specifically as a supplement to the beer-brewing process. It is not the same as baker's yeast, and is better tolerated by the digestive system. It is an extraordinary food supplement, being low in fat, salt, sugar, and calories, but packed with essential proteins and amino acids, minerals (chromium, phosphorus. potassium, and selenium) and B vitamins. It is obtainable from health food shops and pharmacies in the form of tablets, capsules. and flakes (be warned, it tastes bitter). Take one dose three times a day

Acupuncture

This treatment is appropriate for cramp due to its muscle-relaxing effects.

There is an acupuncture point located on the calf, below the gastrocnemius muscle, especially favoured by rickshaw drivers in China. Stimulated at frequent intervals, it allowed them to ward off cramps - presumably one of the haz­ards of the job.