# Soap in bed stops cramps?! This is just nuts, but it worked for me.



## FishWisher (Sep 16, 2013)

I searched this site for "cramps soap" and nothing came up so I guess this topic hasn't come up here. If so, excuse the duplication.

I read some time ago that putting a bar of soap in bed with you, at your feet or legs, will stop cramping muscles. I chuckled at the idea, and forgot about it. 'Til last night.

I'm in my motorhome at a marina for a few days fishing. Last night my ankle and calf were driving me nuts with cramping. This happens often for me and usually just getting out of bed and standing a minute or so will stop it. I also take calcium and magnesium for it. But last night it would not stop. 

I grabbed a bar of Ivory soap, left the wrapper on, and put it between the sheets with me, down by my feet. At once I felt the ankle and calf relax. I slept the rest of the night with no more cramping. How can this be?

I've been searching the Internet about this phenomenon and find that many people have found that cramps go away with soap in bed with them. Nobody seems to be able to explain it, but for lots of people it works.

Anyone else tried this? Did it work?


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## Anne (Sep 16, 2013)

No, but I've heard about it, and should try it as I get occasional leg cramps that wake me up.  Wonder if it's any soap??


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## Jillaroo (Sep 17, 2013)

_That's amazing i wonder what ingredient in the soap is helping the cramp_


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## rkunsaw (Sep 17, 2013)

I heard about it, tried it and it didn't work for me. Drinking tonic water or a glass of water with a tablespoon of vinegar in it seems to help.


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## JustBonee (Sep 17, 2013)

Never tried it ... never heard of it!  Can't imagine why it works, but if it does, GREAT...


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## Sid (Sep 17, 2013)

That ain't all it stops


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 17, 2013)

I never tried it, but I swear by Magnesium Oil for immediate relief of cramps and charleyhorses.  The best one I've used is from http://www.globallight.net/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=245, pricey but a bottle lasts forever.  We always have some on hand, and even take a small bottle when camping.  On our last trip, my hubby got an intense toe cramp, rubbed some mag oil on it, and it was gone.  Calcium restricts the muscles, and will actually cause cramping.


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## That Guy (Sep 17, 2013)

Jillaroo said:


> _That's amazing i wonder what ingredient in the soap is helping the cramp_



Anitcrampistoniaphenoliftymis4


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## That Guy (Sep 17, 2013)

Well, it sounds just plain silly but during the next leg cramp I get at night I'll wish I had the soap in bed with me...


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## That Guy (Sep 17, 2013)




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## SifuPhil (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm skeptical. 

I'm glad it works for some people but I just don't see any possible _mechanism_ for it to work, outside of a placebo effect. If you were to _rub_ it on your legs I might find it a bit easier to figure something out, but in a _wrapper_? 

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to find out that for some arcane reason it really does work every time. I just can't for the life of me figure out _how_. I might add that I also don't subscribe to concepts such as homeopathy or coffee enemas ...


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## Diwundrin (Sep 17, 2013)

2 things that ever worked for me. 
Half a teaspoon of bicarb soda in a small amount of water.  Tastes 'orrible but toss it back fast and cramps are gone in minutes.
(a tip from a  netballer.)

A swig of Hydralyte.  Cramps are often caused by a lack of eloctrolytes, due to heavy sweating or being on diuretics.

Soap?  in the bed?  Really?...mmmm  they're still trying to find out why people think copper bangles work for arthritis too.  Strangely it never works for those with a full on dose of it, but whatever.  I guess if they think it works, then it works after a fashion.

Why did this thread make me think of that gadget that blew smoke up the clacker of drowning victims?????


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## FishWisher (Sep 17, 2013)

Here is a page of comments from some who have tried soap to stop cramps. Many say it works. One thing for sure: If you're suffering from leg cramps, what's a night between the sheets with a strange hunk of soap gonna hurt?! 

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/01/24/how-soap-in-the-bed-eases-leg-cramps--a-hypothesis/


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## Diwundrin (Sep 17, 2013)

True, no harm in trying.


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## SifuPhil (Sep 17, 2013)

FishWisher said:


> Here is a page of comments from some who have tried soap to stop cramps. Many say it works. One thing for sure: If you're suffering from leg cramps, what's a night between the sheets with a strange hunk of soap gonna hurt?!
> 
> http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/01/24/how-soap-in-the-bed-eases-leg-cramps--a-hypothesis/



I went along with the possibility until the last line - 



> If you have a cramp in the night you can conclude that vapour phase  transfer of the scent molecule is not sufficient to protect the leg from  cramps. *If you have no cramp the vapor phase transfer mechanism is  confirmed.*



It confirms no such thing. That's just poor experimental design. Since leg cramps are not predictable you would need a fairly large population of test subjects that are often prone to cramping, along with an equal-sized control group. Double-blind and all that. 

In other words, maybe you just weren't going to _have_ cramps that night.

And I'm sorry, but even as a former "alternative therapy" provider I would say that the JoACM is hardly a widely-accepted or trusted publication for scientific results.

I DO agree that there's no harm in trying.


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## Pappy (Sep 18, 2013)

I do have horrible leg cramps at times so have increased intake of electrolytes. This seems to help as much as anything. I was losing a lot of moisture from sweating and I would get repeated cramps all night. Much better now. 

I ran out of bar soap, so I poured Dawn dishwasher soap in the bed but I kept sliding out on the floor..... :lame:


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## Diwundrin (Sep 18, 2013)

Oh geeze, you're not related to Phants are you?


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## That Guy (Sep 18, 2013)

Maybe, it works because you are thinking, "Sheesh, I've got a damned bar of soap in bed with me!" and that takes your mind off the cramps . . .


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## Anne (Sep 18, 2013)

Pappy said:


> I do have horrible leg cramps at times so have increased intake of electrolytes. This seems to help as much as anything. I was losing a lot of moisture from sweating and I would get repeated cramps all night. Much better now.
> 
> I ran out of bar soap, so I poured Dawn dishwasher soap in the bed but I kept sliding out on the floor..... :lame:



Bet you don't have oily skin, tho!!


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## Ozarkgal (Oct 29, 2013)

Just ran across this...it occurs to me that maybe the cramps go away because you stretched out the muscle walking to the bathroom to get the bar of soap. Now if that bar of soap is already in your bed, you shouldn't have the cramps in the first place.

 I know the only thing that stops the cramp for me is to not let the muscle contract by pointing my toes toward my knee cap as hard as possible, gritting my teeth (this is mandatory) until the muscle lets loose.


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## Katybug (Oct 30, 2013)

Anne said:


> No, but I've heard about it, and should try it as I get occasional leg cramps that wake me up.  Wonder if it's any soap??



*Same here, Anne, the occasional ones are so bad it's certainly worth trying...and I'm going with Ivory since it's inexpensive and we know it worked for Fishwater.
*


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## Old Hipster (Oct 30, 2013)

That Guy said:


>



Oh crikey! I LOVE that album. Every song is pure gold.


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## Sunny (Oct 30, 2013)

Maybe it isn't the soap, maybe it's just having an object of that size and shape that elevates or shits the position of the feet?  In other words, a small box the size and shape of a bar of soap would work just as well?


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## drifter (Oct 31, 2013)

I've heard about it and I've tried it. It don't work for me. An old wives tale. But if it works for you, I'm glad, but that's a psychology thing and over my head and above my pay grade.


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## terra (Nov 1, 2013)

As soon as the cramps strikes, take one Magnesium capsule.  The cramp will go like magic after a minute or two.

Maybe it's the greatest placebo around, but what the heck... if it works, it works !


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## thehandyman1947 (Nov 10, 2013)

fishwisher, don't know if soap works or not, muscle cramps are caused by a lack of magnesium,if you keep magnesium in caps or liquid, break one open and put it on the tip of your tounge, it will take away cramps in seconds. if it doesn't you need potassium also. magnesium relaxes muscles,keep in mind your heart is a muscle. your body is telling you it needs magnesium. don't over do the magnesium,as it can make you run for the bathroom, try 500 mg twice a day, and or eat dark leafy greens 4 or more times a day it will help with the magnesium, and you will alkalize. cramps are usually a result of eating too much sugar,also people who get cramps should watch their blood sugar


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## grannyjo (Nov 10, 2013)

I've found that rubbing my feet with Vicks works just as well as a bar of soap.  I used to wear bedsocks,  with a cake of Sunlight soap tucked in them to bed.  Made it darned awkward to get up in the middle of the night for the inevitable pee break.  Then I discovered that if I drank a glass full of Schweppes Bitter lemon,  which has just a touch of quinine in it,  I didn't have so many problems.  Of course,  now the medical profession tell you that quinine is a bit bad for you.


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