Muscle cramps

[Guest guest]

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.

[Guest guest]

I have also been having trouble with cramps for several years now. For me,

it has become the first indicator that I am becoming dehydrated. At the

onset of the first cramp (usually in the arch of one of my feet) I go and

drink as much water as I can reasonably handle. In every case (literally

every case) this has solved the problem. I have noticed that the degree to

which I am dehydrated is directly proportional to the length of time it takes

after I drink the water for the cramps to subside. Sometimes only a minute

or two and sometimes 10 to 20 minutes.

B tx x2 Colorado Springs

[Guest guest]

Something I found helpful for foot cramps is tonic water. The quinine in it

helps I usually mix it with cranberry juice and take care of two problems

at once (cranberry juice being good for the bladder). At one point I put a

banana in the blender with cranberry juice and then added tonic water, hmmmm

a smoothie. Yum

Peg