Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma, seizures, electrolyte imbalance, medications (statins), viruses, and bacteria. Treatment of rhabdomyolysis depends on the cause. Read more: Rhabdomyolysis Article
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Healthy Aging: Causes of Muscle Weakness
From aging to illness, many things can cause your muscles to get weaker. Learn about the causes and what you can do to make it...
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Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse) and Muscle Spasms
What are the differences between muscle spasms and cramps? Learn about the causes of muscle spasms and cramps (charley horse) in...
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Pain Management: Signs Your Muscle Pain Is Something Else
Could your achy muscles be a sign of more than a tough workout? Learn when a twinge might warrant a visit to the doctor's office.
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Pain Management: Why Does My Calf Muscle Hurt?
There's a group of muscles on the back of each lower leg that doctors call "calf muscles." They play a key role in helping you...
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Picture of Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the back of the abdomen. See a picture of the Kidneys and learn more about the health...
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Muscle Cramps: Foods That Help and Prevent Cramping
One way to prevent muscle cramps is to get enough of these nutrients: potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. They’re called...
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Causes of Muscle Twitches and Spasms
Sometimes your muscles seem to have a mind of their own. WebMD explains what could be behind your twitches, spasms, and cramps.
QUESTION
Muscle weighs more than fat. See AnswerRelated Disease Conditions
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Kidney (Renal) Failure
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss, dehydration, or medication. Some of the renal causes of kidney failure include sepsis, medications, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma, and acute glomerulonephritis. Post renal causes of kidney failure include bladder obstruction, prostate problems, tumors, or kidney stones.Treatment options included diet, medications, or dialysis.
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Cancer
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
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Drug Abuse and Addiction
Drug abuse and addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
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Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Symptoms and signs of a muscle spasm include an acute onset of pain and a possible bulge seen or felt beneath the skin where the muscle is located. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.
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Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps are involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscles that do not relax. Extremely common, any muscles that have voluntary control, including some organs, are subject to cramp. Since there is such variety in the types of muscle cramps that can occur, many causes and preventative medications are known. Stretching is the most common way to stop or prevent most muscle cramps.
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Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is any state in which thyroid hormone production is below normal. Normally, the rate of thyroid hormone production is controlled by the brain by the pituitary gland. Hypothyroidism is a very common condition and the symptoms of hypothyroidism are often subtle but may include constipation, memory loss, hair loss, and depression. There are a variety of causes of hypothyroidism, and treatment depends on the cause.
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Flakka
Flakka (also known as "bath salts" or several other slang names) is a dangerous synthetic or "designer" drug. Users take it to experience euphoria, but it can often lead to dangerous delusions, paranoia, and bizarre behaviors. Dehydration, hyperthermia, and a dangerous condition that affects the kidneys called rhabdomyolysis can occur as a result of using Flakka.
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Cholesterol (Lowering Your Cholesterol)
High cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Getting your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in an optimal range will help protect your heart and blood vessels. Cholesterol management may include lifestyle interventions (diet and exercise) as well as medications to get your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides in an optimal range.
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High Potassium (Hyperkalemia)
Hyperkalemia is an abnormally high level of potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia symptoms include nausea, fatigue, tingling sensations, or muscle weakness. Hyperkalemia may also cause no symptoms. Hyperkalemia treatment may include a low-potassium diet, medications, and intravenous glucose and insulin. Causes of hyperkalemia include kidney dysfunction, certain medications, adrenal gland diseases, and potassium shifts.
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Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law. It can cause myriad health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver, birth defects, heart disease, stroke, psychological problems, and dementia. Counseling and a few medications can be effective for alcoholism treatment.
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Hypothermia
Hyothermia or extreme exposure to cold can be classified as either accidental hypothermia (unintentional cold exposure) and intentional hypothermia (generally induced for a medical procedure). Hypothermia is caused by exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Risk factors for hypothermia include cold exposure and/or certain medical conditions. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering; increased heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure; apathy, confusion, slurred speech, no reflexes, and dilated pupils. Medical attention is generally necessary to treat hypothermia.
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Burns (First Aid)
Burn types are based on their severity: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are similar to a painful sunburn. The damage is more severe with second-degree burns, leading to blistering and more intense pain. The skin turns white and loses sensation with third-degree burns. Burn treatment depends upon the burn location, total burn area, and intensity of the burn.
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Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndrome is a condition in which swelling and an increase in pressure within a limited space presses and compresses blood vessels, nerves, or tendons that run through the compartment. There are two types of compartment syndrome: acute compartment syndrome, which is treated with surgery (fasciotomy), and chronic compartment syndrome, which is treated with rest and modality to the affected limb. Symptoms of compartment syndrome include: pain, change in sensation, change in color, paralysis, or numbness in the affected limb.
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Drowning (Dry, Wet, Near)
Drowning is a common cause of death and disability worldwide. In the US, it is the third most common cause of accidental death. Complications of drowning include: brain damage, pneumonia, ARDS, hypothermia, and spine fractures. At times, there are discussions of near drowning, wet vs. dry, or salt vs. fresh water drownings. Children and young adults are at most risk for drowning accidents. Medical emergencies in the water may lead to drowning such as: seizures, hypoglycemia, sudden cardiac death, or heart attack. Treatment of a drowning victim depends up on the severity of the injury. Prevention is the key to prevent drowning.
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Snakebite (Snake Bite)
There are venomous (poisonous) and nonvenomous (nonpoisonous) snakes. A venomous snakebite penetrates the skin and injects, secretes, or spits a toxin into the penetrated wound. Symptoms of a venomous snakebite include redness at the site of the bite, swelling at the site of the bite, severe pain at the site of the bite, nausea and vomiting labored breathing disturbed vision increased sweating and salivation, and numbness or tingling in the face or arms and legs. Treatment of a venomous snake is a medical emergency, and the person that has been bitten needs to be taken to an emergency department or other emergent care facility as soon as possible.
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Seizure (Epilepsy)
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
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Seizures Symptoms and Types
Seizures are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures are produced by electrical impulses from throughout the brain, while partial seizures are produced by electrical impulses in a small part of the brain. Seizure symptoms include unconsciousness, convulsions, and muscle rigidity.
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Child Abuse
Approximately 40 million children suffer abuse every year around the world, and more than 1,500 children die of abuse in the U.S. every year. Symptoms and signs of child abuse include poor school performance, physical injuries, regression, anxiety, and panic. Treatment involves ensuring the safety of the child and tending to any physical injuries.
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Hyperthermia (Heat-Related Illness)
Heat-related illness include heat rash, cramps, exhaustion, stroke, and sunburn. Treatment of heat related illnesses depend on the condition, but symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, seizures, and coma. Heat stroke is a medical emergency, and may result in death if not treated promptly. Heat exhaustion may lead to heat stroke if not treated properly.
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Malignant Hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia is a severe reaction to certain drugs that are often used during invasive procedures or surgery. Certain mutations in genes increase the risk of a person having malignant hyperthermia. Without prompt treatment, the complications of malignant hyperthermia can be life-threatening.
Treatment & Diagnosis
- Myositis Muscle (Pain and Inflammation) Serious Drug Interactions
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- FDA: Stop Using Hydroxycut
- What's the Strongest Muscle in the Human Body?
- Rhabdomyolysis Symptoms and Causes
- Muscle Cramp (Charley Horse) Treatment and Symptoms
- How Muscles Work & Respond to Resistance Training
Medications & Supplements
Prevention & Wellness
- Health Tip: Understanding Muscle Spasms
- Health Tip: Reducing Soreness in Muscles
- Extended Chemo Extends Life for Children With Rare Cancer
- Sickle Cell Trait Not Linked to Early Death in Study
- Negative News on Statins Tied to Dropped Prescriptions
- Health Tip: Why Muscles Cramp
- Health Tip: Soothe Sore Muscles
- Health Tip: Easing Muscle Soreness
- Statins Plus Certain Antibiotics May Set Off Toxic Reaction: Study
- Study: Statins May Be Linked to Fatigue
- Health Tip: What's Causing My Muscle Cramps?
- Rate of Statin-Linked Muscle Woes Unclear, Study Suggests
- Health Tip: Help Prevent a Pulled Muscle
- Health Tip: At Risk for Muscle Cramps
- FDA Limits Highest Dose of Cholesterol Drug Statin (Includes Zocor, Vytorin, Simcor)
- Should Healthy People Take Statins?
- FDA Warns of Zocor Risk to Muscles
- Health Tip: Dealing With Muscle Cramps
- Muscles Sore After Exercise? Sip Caffeine
- Health Tip: Muscle Sprains and Strains
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