[OM] [OT] What causes cramps, was: Bed soap revisited

[Chuck Norcutt]

According to the guys who invented this stuff 
<http://www.teamhotshot.com/> cramps are not caused by problems with the 
muscles but rather by erratic nerve impulses originating in the spinal 
cord.  Starting from the folk lore of pickle juice, mustard and other 
strong flavored foods as a rapid treatment for cramps they determined 
that strong tasting foods cause a very sudden response in TRP channels 
in the mouth, esophagus and stomach.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_receptor_potential_channel>
This sudden flood of electrical impulses to the brain in some way acts 
as a distraction and quiets the erratic signals from the spinal cord to 
the muscles.  The TRP channels explain why foods act so quickly.  These 
foods do not need to be digested to quiet the cramp.
I don't know what's in the little 1.7 oz. "HotShot" bottles (probably at 
least some amount of capsaicin) but it costs almost USD 6 per dose.  I 
think I'll stick to pickle juice if the soap stops working as a 
preventive (I'm hopeful but it's still too early to assume that it is).
Chuck Norcutt


On 8/4/2016 10:35 PM, Rick Beckrich wrote:
> You all may make a believer out of me yet... I'm looking for that stash of
> motel soap bars that's tucked away somewhere.
> Meanwhile, I'll stick with the magnesium tablets my PCP suggested.
> Chris: sciatica in a cockpit? Does not sound pleasant.
>
> On Aug 4, 2016 8:02 PM, "Tina Manley" <tmanley@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Works for me!! Mine falls out sometimes and I just replace it.  No cramps
> > as long as I keep the soap under the sheet.
> >
> > Hope it continues to work for you!
> >
> > Tina
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On Aug 4, 2016, at 11:42 AM, Chuck Norcutt <
> > chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > About 6 weeks ago I wrote the little report below saying "bed soap"
> > didn't work for me.  Since then I had forgotten about it until this morning
> > when one of the the two little bars I put under the mattress cover managed
> > to work its way out and fell onto the floor at the end of the bed.
> > > As I picked it up I suddenly realized that I haven't had a single leg
> > cramp since not long after writing the post below... probably a month or
> > more. It's a huge change from the time I was having 1-3 severe leg cramps
> > most every night.  Maybe it takes 2-3 weeks to start working.  In any case
> > the soap will stay as long as leg cramps stay away.
> > > Chuck Norcutt
> > >
> > >
> > > ====================================================================
> > > Bed soap (at least the type that I have) doesn't work (for me) to
> > prevent cramps.  I'm still getting up 1-3 times most nights with leg and
> > foot cramps, then head for the fridge for some dill pickle juice to resolve
> > what I can't prevent.
> > > It's possible that the pickle juice is a placebo.  After all, walking
> > and time will ultimately resolve the cramp and I have to walk a fair
> > distance from bedroom to kitchen.  Perhaps the cramp would resolve itself
> > in the same amount of time and I need to (but am reluctant to) test the
> > theory. :-)
> > > --
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