safer to get potassium from food unless a clinician recommends supplements.
Good sources include:
- Potatoes
- Beans
- Lentils
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Yogurt
- Leafy greens
Simple Ways to Reduce Night Cramps
Helpful habits may include:
-
- Staying appropriately hydrated
- Stretching regularly
- Increasing exercise gradually
- Moving more during the day
- Wearing comfortable shoes
- Eating a balanced diet
When Leg Cramps Need Medical Attention
See a healthcare professional if cramps:
- Happen very often
- Are getting more painful
- Regularly wake you from sleep
- Last unusually long
- Come with muscle weakness
- Are associated with numbness or tingling
- Started after a medication change
A Red, Swollen, Warm Leg Is Different
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A normal muscle cramp usually improves as the muscle relaxes.
A leg that remains:
- Swollen
- Red
- Warm
- Tender
- Painful
needs evaluation, especially if only one leg is affected.
Seek emergency care if this happens with:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Coughing up
