COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
I am new to this forum. I have been a silent reader for many months. I am so grateful to you all for your willingness to share. My husband has COPD. Needless to say it is a difficult journey. He has suffered with muscle cramps and terrible spasms. He told our GP about it and he said HHHMMM maybe you have a muscle disease (really). Anyway there was a conversation on here about it. One person talked about how lack of oxygen to muscles can cause the cramping and pain. She tried pickle juice and it helped. Pickle Juice helping???? . OH MY goodness that is a life saver!! Whoever you were thank you so much. It absolutely helps!!! He sleeps with a glass of it by the bed for night time spasms and cramps that wake him. This group is amazing and I admire your courage and positive attitudes. Thank you so very much. ( I wish Drs would come here and learn a thing or two LOL)
[Interesting to me, is that while most home pickling recipes call for adding various amounts and types of vinegars, all commercial pickles are naturally fermented. They just fill huge vats with cucumbers and sea water and let it sit. So there is one case where commercial pickles (and the juice) are likely healthier than 'home-made'. ]
Another point I think should be made is that no one yet fully understands why we cramp in the first place. There are the obvious reasons such as where one is severally de-hydrated during extreme exercise, but why and when someone gets them just lying there, or why and when something 'fixes' it - is pretty much still unknown. If you look closely at any articles what you will see is a bunch of probabilities - THIS seems to wok HERE, THAT seems to work THERE. Electrolytes are at the core of it all - but still a mystery as to qualities.
As for pickle juice most studies are inconclusive - it seems to work of some, but not for others. They also did a test with a couple of drops of acetic acid. It seemed to help in some cases leading the researchers to suggest - maybe just the taste of "acid" fools the brain.