21/06/2019
Muscle Cramp and Chronic Kidney Disease
One of the most common complaint of CKD patients is muscle cramps. Many patients experience the cramps in their legs, underneath their knees and other parts etc. How are CKD and muscle cramps connected? Most symptoms is associated with the underlying kidney damage, so deos the muscle cramp.
What Is Muscle Cramps?
Muscle cramps are painful, sometimes disabling, involuntary contractions of muscles under voluntary control caused by abnormal functioning of the nerves which control the muscles. Cramps can reoccur multiple times in a single episode before they subside. In some instances cramps can be observed as visible distortion of the muscle and muscle twitching beneath the skin. It was reported that muscle cramps occured in 35%~86% of Dialysis patients.
How Are Muscle Cramp and Chronic Kidney Disease Connected?
Not everyone with CKD will be affected by muscle cramps, but they are more likely to get this than healthy individuals. Muscle cramps and CKD are connected mainly through the following ways.
Damages to Muscle and Nerve
Kidneys are important organs to remove the waste products from the body. When Chronic Kidney Disease is mild or moderately severe, the kidneys cannot absorb water from the urine to reduce the volume of urine and concentrate it. As time goes, the kidneys have less ability to excrete the acides normally produced by the body and the blood becomes more acidic.
As a result of high levels of metabolic wastes in the blood, damages to internal organs and tissues may occur. When the metabolic wastes creates damage to muscles and nerves, it may cause muscle cramps, pain, weakness etc.
Dialysis Sides Effect
Besides the high levels of metabolic wastes, dialysis is another cause of muscle cramps in patients with CKD. It was reported that as many as 33%~86% of dialysis patients complain of cramps, and often the session is stoped early due to this problem. Muscle cramps can involve the legs, most commonly in the feet, but can also involve arms and hands, as well as abdominal muscles.
Muscle cramps can be painful and this may impact quality of life. Cramps may also limit a patient's ability to tolerate dialysis and, therefore, contribute to underdialysis or chronic fluid overload.
Is There Any Suggested Treatment for Muscle Cramp?
Treatments for muscle cramps in CKD patients differ from person to person, due to variable underlying cause and medical conditions. The goal of treatments should not only deal with muscle cramp, but also treats the Kidney Damage. If you happen to be a person with muscle cramp, your doctor may recommand one or more of the following managements.
Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy
Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy is a natural therapy which develops on the basis of Chinese Herbal Medicine. In the view of Chinese Herbal Medicine, human body is a whole organism. If you feel a symptom, the management should get not only focus on the surface of discomforts, the undelrying cause should be also treated.
Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy is designed to treat Kidney Disease in particular. Its herbal formula differs from person to person. The only factor which decides your herbal formula is your own medical conditions. It helps repair the damaged kidney tissues, alleviate the symptoms and improve kidney functions naturally.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been established for more than 5.000 years, since the peroid of very ancient China. It includes many traditional forms, such as Chinese Herbal Medicine, Medicated Bath, Acupuncture etc. All of them helps improve the “Qi”--the body energy, so as to strengthen your health condition.
It was reported that Traditional Chinese Medicine helps offset the side effects of dialysis. It not only helps prevent the muscle cramps during dialysis, but also alleviate other symptoms, such as stroke, infection, fatigue etc.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E may be an alternative therapy for the management of leg cramps for patients receiving dialysis.
Specific Diet
Specific Diet is always suggested for patients with CKD or on dialysis. A specific diet helps patients manage a better conditions of CKD. Your diet changes may include:
- limitation in your salt, potassium and phsophorus etc.
- taking a low-protein diet
- limited water intake
- keep your calories intake enough, if you plan to lose weight.
Thanks
