Muscle cramps and charlie horses

I may have posted this on several sites as well because I want and need to get as much input as I can on this subject,because sometimes I feel our doctors don't do enough or act fast enough( especially if you a Vet in the V.A system) and feel the need to readdress it here in a blog.

Lately I have been getting muscle cramps, I don't mean mild ones but ones that bring you to your knees, bring tears to your eyes or make you want to amputate the appendage. Most of the severe ones happen at night while I'm in bed, These are usually in my calves, (they sometimes will happen when I stretch.) my thighs, and ankles, that one was one of the worst, I didn't think I was going to be able to straighten out my foot. the ones in my hands can happen any time, The ones in my tongue (yes I said tongue) happen mostly when I play my harp but there are other times, In my abdomen, when I am twisting like when I'm seated and bending to pick something up. and in my back. I pretty much get them everywhere and they knot up the muscle and when I do work it free it hurts for a while afterward, sometimes for days.

Anyway they are getting more frequent, tonight I couldn't play my guitar at practice because my hand cramped so bad. Very depressing and I'm scared. One of my biggest fears is to end up like this guy I was in the hospital with back in the 70's. His whole body was knotted up from cramps it was permanent and he had to be hooked up to this machine that sent electric current through his muscles for relief. I've always worried about this. And I've told my wife if I end up this way she needs to figure out a way to kill me because I do not want to live like that.

My wife heard something about cold laser therapy and thinks I should look into it. Has anyone here tried it?

Please let me know if any of you are experiencing this.

Rick