Aa
Sporadic Calf Muscle Soreness and Stiffness in both legs at once
I am not sure if anyone has experienced this.. for the past 6 months I have been experiencing a sore tightness in both of my calf muscles sporadically. It does not seem to be related to exercise since I can go for a run and feel nothing... but then I can be sitting and all of a sudden my calves (always both at the same time) start to ache and feel tight. Sometimes they feel so sore that I can almost not walk. Water seems to help on occasions. I can't understand why all of a sudden I may be becoming dehydrated so that doesn't seem logical...
The aches come and go without warning and sometimes it's much worse than other times. There have also been times when I may not experience any aching for several days.
My doctor, general practitioner, has no explanation. I am thinking that I need to see someone else... any ideas? Endocrinologist?
Any ideas would be great.
The aches come and go without warning and sometimes it's much worse than other times. There have also been times when I may not experience any aching for several days.
My doctor, general practitioner, has no explanation. I am thinking that I need to see someone else... any ideas? Endocrinologist?
Any ideas would be great.
I have suffered severe calf pain in both legs. Sometimes it comes on suddenly and I can't walk another step. I've been through blood tests, they checked my veins. Its very frustrating when all tests come back ok. Another symptom is everything gets worse after I take certain antibiotics...which leads to my dr wanting to test for Myasthenia gravis, which is a condition where your nerves & muscles don't work together like they should. My muscles do not feel weak, but then both calves pain & burn like I've exercised them too much. I'm not sure what I have, but wanted to give another idea for people to check into. There is some great advice in this thread. Thank you.
Has your dr checked for myasthenia gravis.? The pain worsens when you take cipro.& other antibiotics.
Update, well saw the RA and went through 15 more blood tests and one other which, drum roll please, showed nothing. So now I have been taken off all meds including vitamins except for one, Alprazolam. After a few months off the meds, nothing changed, actually things got worse. Then it occurred to me, right before my vacation I began a new bottle of Alprazolam which I have been taking for years. Today I started a new bottle and feel different. Nothing dramatic but just alittle better. Now I wonder if my prior prescription could have had something wrong with it. Withdrawal from Alprazolam gives all the affects I've been having. Hell, I hoping for the best here and perhaps I'll get lucky and get back on track.
For calf pains try a simple solution first, stop drinking all diet sodas and drinks. The aspartame could be the cause. I am a healthly male 45 and work out, running or swimming. I had been having calf pains, stiffness of the muslces, and sometimes an electric type feeling in them. I would want to stretch them out when ever I could. I thought it was just me getting older. I would soak them in a hot tube and take IB profen. Well one day I decided to stop drinking Coke Zero for two weeks. I calf pain went down drasticly, I then decided to drink some on the weekend and yes then pain came back. If you stop all consumtion of aspartame, you see relief in a couple of days, in two weeks a majority should be gone. In two months all should be gone.
I googled calf pain and came upon your excellent letter. Thank you very much for taking the time to write about your experience. I hope people take heed. My husband had the same problem until he stared drinking a vitamin water whose first three ingredients included magnesium, calcium and potassium - he hasn't had a problem since.
The same thing has happened to me twice and I found relief in only a couple of days. The calcium, magnesium, and zinc combination is also helpful for those who suffer from chronic upper respiratory infections. Doctors now know that antibiotics don't help these problems.
I am into holistic health but I shunned supplementation - that is until now. There is no need for anyone to be suffering from crippling calf pain.
terj's excellent post written on September 28, 2011:
I amd a 39 year old, white male who having read the symptoms above and began nodded enthusiastically since I have been experiencing the same thing. Here is what just worked for me...
PROBLEM: focused muscular pain on the outside of both calves that was exceptionally strong. I found it not able to be releaved by massage and it was particularly bad after not having moved for a few minutes or hours. First thing in the morning was the worst, but even standing up from a seated position. I walked with a pronounced limp. It also began to move up into my thighs a tough and was focused on the lower part of each outer thigh. This was not as severe and it felt like a bruise on each thigh.
SOLUTION: based on what I read here, I figured that I'd try a supplement or two. I originally thought I must have been low on Potassium, but that wasn't it. I went to Walgreens drugstore and picked up a single supplement called "Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc". (It was the only one they had with Magnesium in it. Each pill contains 33% of the FDA recommended levels of Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc and also contains 50% of the Vitamin D3. Well, after a couple days of taking this supplement 3x per day, my legs have dramatically improved. I would say the pain level went from a pain level of 7 out of 10 down to about a 2 out of 10 and it is improving daily. I'm not a big holistic guy or a supplement guy, but it appears that my leg pain originated from a deficiency in Magnesium. I just wanted to share that information here since it could help others experiencing the same thing. Good luck!
The same thing has happened to me twice and I found relief in only a couple of days. The calcium, magnesium, and zinc combination is also helpful for those who suffer from chronic upper respiratory infections. Doctors now know that antibiotics don't help these problems.
I am into holistic health but I shunned supplementation - that is until now. There is no need for anyone to be suffering from crippling calf pain.
terj's excellent post written on September 28, 2011:
I amd a 39 year old, white male who having read the symptoms above and began nodded enthusiastically since I have been experiencing the same thing. Here is what just worked for me...
PROBLEM: focused muscular pain on the outside of both calves that was exceptionally strong. I found it not able to be releaved by massage and it was particularly bad after not having moved for a few minutes or hours. First thing in the morning was the worst, but even standing up from a seated position. I walked with a pronounced limp. It also began to move up into my thighs a tough and was focused on the lower part of each outer thigh. This was not as severe and it felt like a bruise on each thigh.
SOLUTION: based on what I read here, I figured that I'd try a supplement or two. I originally thought I must have been low on Potassium, but that wasn't it. I went to Walgreens drugstore and picked up a single supplement called "Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc". (It was the only one they had with Magnesium in it. Each pill contains 33% of the FDA recommended levels of Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc and also contains 50% of the Vitamin D3. Well, after a couple days of taking this supplement 3x per day, my legs have dramatically improved. I would say the pain level went from a pain level of 7 out of 10 down to about a 2 out of 10 and it is improving daily. I'm not a big holistic guy or a supplement guy, but it appears that my leg pain originated from a deficiency in Magnesium. I just wanted to share that information here since it could help others experiencing the same thing. Good luck!
Had to comment here. Until 4.5 months ago I was great, ran 4.5miles/day and rode up to 25 miles on my bike on alternating days, 20lbs less weight than now too.
I went on vacation in Mexico for a week, eating and drinking way out of my norm. Woke up one day towards the end of the vacation and my ankles (like balloons) and legs were swollen and I felt terrible. Had to stay in bed for the last 1.5days of vacation with pain in my legs, fatigue, stomach problems, etc.
I got home and it got worst, tried exercise and the burning in calf's and thighs was unbearable which moved into my arm muscles and wrists so I had to stop. To the doctor I went. They did an EKG, chest x-ray, urine tests, several blood tests for anti-immune, Lyme, R\W blood cell counts, etc., etc. and all came back, you guessed it, "normal". They (2 doctors) had no answer.
Well obviously I must see another doctor, an RA doctor this time. I asked why and received no answer that made any sense. Remember, this happened virtually overnight in Mexico, I was perfect before then. So far I have not seen the RA.
I saw this forum and started taking vitamins, anti-toxins, no alcohol and am slowly trying to get back to an exercise routine which is painful to say the least but seems to be getting just a little better since dropping the alcohol and taking vitamins. The pain is way worst in the morning but is there to some extent throughout the day. Fatigue is constant. I honestly do not know what to do from this point other than to wait and see with my new diet, vitamins, fluids and exercise. The doctors have only helped to relieve me from money in my bank account and add to frustration since they don't seem to want to listen to anything one has to say, for instance, I asked for an anti-biotic for the hell of it since I got bit by something in Mexico and it couldn't hurt in case I had some type of infection they missed, but nnnnnnnnno, they rather do nothing but order more seeming useless expensive tests.
Sorry if I sound bitter, but I am so tired and hurt so bad, this is getting just a little old. By the way, I found a condition called Alcoholic myopathy. Symptoms including deep calf pain. Worth a read if you may have indulged too much or have for a long time. http://flipper.diff.org/app/items/info/3992
Keep those suggestions coming, something has to work.
FYI: Male, mid 50's, outdoorsman, never had anything like this before.
I went on vacation in Mexico for a week, eating and drinking way out of my norm. Woke up one day towards the end of the vacation and my ankles (like balloons) and legs were swollen and I felt terrible. Had to stay in bed for the last 1.5days of vacation with pain in my legs, fatigue, stomach problems, etc.
I got home and it got worst, tried exercise and the burning in calf's and thighs was unbearable which moved into my arm muscles and wrists so I had to stop. To the doctor I went. They did an EKG, chest x-ray, urine tests, several blood tests for anti-immune, Lyme, R\W blood cell counts, etc., etc. and all came back, you guessed it, "normal". They (2 doctors) had no answer.
Well obviously I must see another doctor, an RA doctor this time. I asked why and received no answer that made any sense. Remember, this happened virtually overnight in Mexico, I was perfect before then. So far I have not seen the RA.
I saw this forum and started taking vitamins, anti-toxins, no alcohol and am slowly trying to get back to an exercise routine which is painful to say the least but seems to be getting just a little better since dropping the alcohol and taking vitamins. The pain is way worst in the morning but is there to some extent throughout the day. Fatigue is constant. I honestly do not know what to do from this point other than to wait and see with my new diet, vitamins, fluids and exercise. The doctors have only helped to relieve me from money in my bank account and add to frustration since they don't seem to want to listen to anything one has to say, for instance, I asked for an anti-biotic for the hell of it since I got bit by something in Mexico and it couldn't hurt in case I had some type of infection they missed, but nnnnnnnnno, they rather do nothing but order more seeming useless expensive tests.
Sorry if I sound bitter, but I am so tired and hurt so bad, this is getting just a little old. By the way, I found a condition called Alcoholic myopathy. Symptoms including deep calf pain. Worth a read if you may have indulged too much or have for a long time. http://flipper.diff.org/app/items/info/3992
Keep those suggestions coming, something has to work.
FYI: Male, mid 50's, outdoorsman, never had anything like this before.
You are reading content posted in the Exercise & Fitness Community
14 super-healthy foods that are worth the hype
Small changes make a big impact with these easy ways to cut hundreds of calories a day.
Forget the fountain of youth – try flossing instead! Here are 11 surprising ways to live longer.
From STD tests to mammograms, find out which screening tests you need - and when to get them.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
