Is it possible for serious electrolyte imbalance to caise severe muscle and joint pain throughout the body?

Answer 1

I am not a doctor, but I believe I have issues with electrolyte imbalance. I notice that every so often I begin to get a pain that starts in my abdomen and slowly creeps up my chest and is most severe in my spinal column. I noticed that when I would take pain medications like (Tylenol, aspirin, etc.) it would make the pain worse. Sometimes it goes away when I drink more water, sometimes when I eat things with potassium. I wish there was an at-home testing device so that I could easily figure out what it is that my body needs.

The reason why I think that it's an electrolyte imbalance is the first time I ever felt that same pain was when I was once severely dehydrated at school. (we were on the 3rd floor in the summertime... the windows were broken and they refused to let us bring in waters.)

I sometime will get it when I have my period (it might be because hormones get all weird and so electrolyte levels get affected)

I had mentioned this pain to a pharmacist and she said that the same thing happened to her and not to take pain medication. I can't remember exactly but it either uses up electrolytes or water in your body, making the pain worse. She also said that that particular "pain" that I was feeling was my body taking water from my spinal column and using it in other areas more crucial. The result is the spaces between the spinal column have no "water cusion" and so are rubbing together resulting in the severe pain.

Once one of my friends was complaining to me that he was having severe Back pain, and it wasn't a normal pain he was used to. It was sounding awfully familiar to the symptoms I have. It was a really hot day during the summer and I happened to ask him what he ate that day. He told me ramen noodles (which are loaded with salt). I told him to start drinking lots of water and hopefully it would flush out all that excess salt. He did and eventually started to feel better.

My thoughts of what's going on based on what info I've collected is:

Your body has a balance going on of electrolytes and water. You need water to survive, as well as electrolytes. The water doesn't go where it's supposed to automatically, the electrolytes tell it what to do and where to go. If you have too little electrolytes it can result in a siezure. In my case I believe that I'm taking in too much or too much of one type of electrolyte and it's causing an imbalance. Electrolytes can be sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and I believe a couple of other things.

I tried to tell my primary care doctor that I think that I have an electrolyte imbalance, but she was rude and essentially thought I was crazy. I switched doctors, so hopefully I can see if my new doctor will at least give me a blood test or something to see if this is the case.

To me the pharmacist that told me she had the same symptoms and the same reaction to pain medication lets me know that I'm not crazy and maybe there's something to my constant battle of electrolyte imbalance.

Hi, my name is Barb and I wish to add to this Answer.

My 4 year old daughter has had mild to severe diarrhea off and on for 4 weeks. Seen by 4 different doctors and 3 different hopitals and clinics over this time. She has obvious electrolyte imblance, is week and generally looks like hell. As of late she's been unable to raise her right arm, limps with a walk and overall is weak/sore upon movement. After discussion with the doctor it was decided that I up her intake of foods higher in potassium and continue give her Pedialyte electrolyte and fluid replacement. She is improving slowly now. (we are also waiting on tests to help determine her problem). My opinion is that YES, electrolyte imbalances can cause muscle weakness.