Immediate Relief From Muscle Cramps
Looking for immediate relief for aching muscles? Try this simple method and see if it works for you.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with a painful muscle cramp in your leg, arm, etc? Does it hurt to the point where it feels like the muscle is about to squeeze tight and never let go? Does it take hours or days for you to recover from the cramp? It has happened to me on many occasions.
What would you do to alleviate the situation?
- Take a hot bath (if you can crawl to the bathtub in agony.)
- Look in the medicine cabinet for a magic pill (only Merlin the magician has those.)
- Have someone drive you to the doctor (at 3 am?)
Seriously speaking, there is an alternative which has worked for me. Now you may find it hilarious to try, but I assure you that at least for myself, it works every time.
Fast Results
I heard about it decades ago when I was awake one night at around 2 am. The radio station I was listening to had someone talking about muscle cramps. The discussion was very informative and I vowed to remember what was stated since there was the possibility that it could help me directly.
The person being interviewed said that if you use pressure above your upper lip just below your nose (using your knuckle or finger on the area above your teeth (pushing on the skin where your upper gum is located), and keep very firm pressure in that area for 1-2 minutes (as much pressure as possible without hurting yourself), then your cramp will loosen up and the pain will subside. It’s best to put pressure on the opposite side of the body where the cramp is located. If the cramp is in your right leg, firmly press above your upper lip on the left side. If the cramp is in your left leg, firmly press the right side above your upper lip. Within a few minutes, it’s like you never had the cramp in the first place.
Of course, you’ll look very funny standing at the bus stop or sitting at the conference table and pinching your lip if a cramp happens to strike you at that particular moment. However, if it works for you, then it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. The instant relief it provides is well worth a chuckle or two. In addition, you may end up enlightening someone else who may be pleasantly surprised with this helpful bit of information.
Regarding why this method works, it seems that the area where the pressure is applied is an acupressure point (used also for acupuncture). Chinese medicine has all the details if you are interested in the subject.
Conclusion
Now, it may not work for everyone. But if I can help just one person with this information, then this article is worth its weight in gold.
Liked it
Scottmandoo | Jan 7, 2008 | Reply
Great article, this will come in very handy.
mbernardo | Oct 2, 2008 | Reply
This really works! I was ready to try anything. I got out of bed in the middle of the night in tears from cramps in both the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. It took only about a minute and the cramps were gone and all the pain. Amazing! Thank you!!
Brendan Carney | Oct 31, 2008 | Reply
I am a licensed acupuncturist. I can confirm these results. I have used this point – DU26 or GV26 (same point, different names) numerous times for cramps in the legs as well as lower back pain. It really works. For lasting results see an acupuncturist.
Des M | Dec 31, 2008 | Reply
Have had continuous lower back pain for three months. Tried Doctor, Phsysio and Chiropractor. No joy. No golf. No hope ? Tried Google and got here – two ‘treatments’ and immediate relief. Still some residual pain but very minor. Goldfinger nickname entirely apt. Thanks, mate!!
Hetal | Jan 25, 2009 | Reply
Excellent! While reading it, I immediatelt pressed my right upper lip portion as I had a cramp in my left leg.Within a minute the pain reduced by 90%. Thank you for sharing this valuable information
Bro. Myron J. Johnson | Feb 4, 2009 | Reply
It’s great that various homeopathic methods exist to eleviate and prevent muscle cramps. Thank you for the numerous imput, observations, and advice.
Mike | Apr 10, 2009 | Reply
My dad tried it for like 2 seconds and said it was bs he wont believe me he said it just makes it hurt enough to make you not realize the leg cramp
Johny | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
Something interested for me that works. I have found that when I have a leg cramp in the middle of the night, that when I flexed that the muscles harder than the cramp, the cramp went away almost immediately.