Guest guest Posted December 13, 2000 Report Share Posted December 13, 2000 Hi Everyone, Here is some interesting info on muscle cramps which relates to liver disease. This last year I started waking up in the middle of the night with a cramp in the arch of my foot. I started doing some stretching excercises for my legs and feet and that seems to have helped a lot. - D. subj: Muscle cramps and liver disease http://www.healthmall.com/medline.html BACKGROUND: While not life threatening, muscle cramps severely affect the quality of life of patients with cirrhosis. AIM: To determine whether oral zinc sulfate therapy decreases the frequency and severity of muscle cramps in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: 12 patients with cirrhosis (5 Child's A, 3 Child's B, and 4 Child's C), hypozincemia and muscle cramps at least thrice weekly received oral zinc sulfate 220 mg BID for 12 weeks. Patients answered a questionnaire regarding their muscle cramps symptoms at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: Muscle cramps occurred in all patients at rest, mainly while sleeping (8/12), and in two patients also during exercise. Cramps were located in calves (10/12), feet (4/12) and hands (4/12) more commonly. Zinc supplementation improved cramps in 10/12 patients, and in seve>>>> EXCERPT>>>>>>> CONCLUSION: A potential relationship between zinc deficiency and muscle cramps in the setting of cirrhosis has not been suggested before. Zinc supplementation may lead to improvement in symptoms associated with muscle cramps in cirrhosis. Muscle cramps are a common complaint in clinical practice. They are associated with various metabolic, endocrine, neurological and electrolyte abnormalities. A variety of hypotheses have been generated to explain the cause of muscle cramping, yet none has been able to support a consistent pathophysiological mechanism. Muscle cramps are painful, involuntary contractions of skeletal muscle. They occur frequently in individuals with cirrhosis, regardless of the etiology, and are thought to be a symptom of cirrhotic-stage liver disease. The pathophysiology of these cramps remains elusive; hence, a specific therapy has not been identified. Many therapeutic approaches have been offered, yet their efficacy, safety and mechanism of action remain poorly defined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2000 Report Share Posted December 13, 2000 Muscle cramps This last year I started waking up in the middle of the night with a cramp in the arch of my foot..... - I started getting muscle cramps about 5 years ago (mostly calf and foot). They've gone away almost entirely since I started a multi-vitamin regimen, about 3 years ago (does include zinc). I attributed it to age, but it might be something else! Arne 49 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000 Alive and (mostly) well in Minnesota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2000 Report Share Posted December 13, 2000 Muscle cramps This last year I started waking up in the middle of the night with a cramp in the arch of my foot..... - I started getting muscle cramps about 5 years ago (mostly calf and foot). They've gone away almost entirely since I started a multi-vitamin regimen, about 3 years ago (does include zinc). I attributed it to age, but it might be something else! Arne 49 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000 Alive and (mostly) well in Minnesota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2000 Report Share Posted December 14, 2000 > > subj: Muscle cramps and liver disease ******************************************************************** Muscle cramps.....GROAN!! For months, I have been having horrendous calve and sometimes foot and hand cramps that my Drs cannot figure out. I know that they have never connected it to my brepeated bouts of chonlangitis and other liver-related symptoms. Probably because they are still waiting for the " classic " picture of psc which they do not see in me. Becaue they don't see all of the signs of psc they are used to, they keep see-sawing about the diagnosis. I hope next week's MRCP gives them what they want. Anyway the cramps are miserble and no amount of stretching has seemed to help. I guess I'll try extra zinc..it couldn't hurt. My bottle of 'Natural' Zinc says " Zinc as zinc gluconate " . Anybody know if this would be the same as the zinc sulphate the article mentions?? Thanks! ine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2000 Report Share Posted December 14, 2000 > > subj: Muscle cramps and liver disease ******************************************************************** Muscle cramps.....GROAN!! For months, I have been having horrendous calve and sometimes foot and hand cramps that my Drs cannot figure out. I know that they have never connected it to my brepeated bouts of chonlangitis and other liver-related symptoms. Probably because they are still waiting for the " classic " picture of psc which they do not see in me. Becaue they don't see all of the signs of psc they are used to, they keep see-sawing about the diagnosis. I hope next week's MRCP gives them what they want. Anyway the cramps are miserble and no amount of stretching has seemed to help. I guess I'll try extra zinc..it couldn't hurt. My bottle of 'Natural' Zinc says " Zinc as zinc gluconate " . Anybody know if this would be the same as the zinc sulphate the article mentions?? Thanks! ine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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