Cramps:
The treatment for charley horses depends on the underlying cause. If a charley horse is exercise-induced, simple stretches and massages can help relax the muscle and stop it from contracting.
Heating pads can accelerate the relaxation process, while an ice pack can help numb the pain. If your muscle is still sore after a muscle spasm, your doctor may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen.
Recurrent charley horses require more aggressive treatment. Your doctor may prescribe pain medications if ibuprofen doesn’t help.
In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe antispasmodic medication. Also, physical therapy can help you cope with muscle spasms and prevent further complications.
In extreme cases, you doctor may recommend surgery. If other treatments fail, surgery can enlarge the space around a nerve to relieve pressure. This may help if nerve compression causes your spasms.
There are certain massages and stretches that can provide immediate relief and prevent potential pain when you experience a charley horse.
During a charley horse, you can use your hands to apply pressure to the site of the cramp to relieve pain. You can also try using both of your thumbs to gradually apply pressure to the site of the cramp until the pain goes away.
standing up
stepping the leg that isn’t experiencing muscle cramping forward into a lunge
straightening the back of the leg that is experiencing the cramp and lunging forward on the front leg
