... What causes muscle twitches with no other symptoms? However, some illnesses are particularly prone to cause it. A substance called myoglobin within the muscle cells that is released can result in severe kidney damage and even kidney failure. En español | Do you feel weak or tired — sometimes to the point of exhaustion — much of the time? All rights reserved. Supplementing with magnesium can also help muscle cramps. Medicines for Muscle Weakness have also been listed. Inflammatory diseases of muscle typically affect older adults and include conditions such as polymyalgia rheumatica (muscles of the shoulders and thighs become tender and weak), polymyositis and dermatomyositis. The difference between these three types of muscle weakness is often vague and you can have more than one of them. www.aarp.org/volunteer. These range from the very common to the very rare. How to treat constipation and hard-to-pass stools. The ensuing buildup of the drug in the body puts older people at a much higher risk for experiencing fatigue and for developing physical or psychological dependence. It has many causes, including heavy periods, poor diet, blood loss, pregnancy, genetic conditions, infections and cancers. If muscles are not used then the fibres within the muscles are partially replaced with fat. Hence, they become possible underlying causes of Muscle weakness but are often misdiagnosed or overlooked as a cause. Patient Platform Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Muscle weakness in the muscles you are talking about feeling weakness in, like from pushups (triceps, deltoids, maybe biceps and trapezius) are associated with hypo and hyperthyroidism though, so I think you're on the right track to look in to your thyroid hormone level as a cause, but I can't say it is definitely one of those, or which one it is. Muscle fatigue may be mild and is often an early symptom. Body scans such as CT or MRI to look for conditions elsewhere in the body which may affect muscle power and function. Over time chronic lung disease may lead to muscle wasting, although this is mainly seen in advanced cases when blood oxygen levels start to drop. An omega-3 fish oil supplement may help to lower your blood pressure, too. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Anxiety: generalised tiredness can be caused by anxiety. Some rare muscular dystrophies: these can present in adulthood and include Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome and the facioscapulohumeral dystrophies. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly It’s important to remember that it takes older people up to three times longer than younger people to flush these drugs out of their bodies. Having raised blood sugar levels (and sometimes altered salt levels) puts muscles at a disadvantage too and they don't perform so well. They also cause gradual loss of power and function in muscles. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Registered in England and Wales. In any muscle injury, bleeding from damaged muscle fibres occurs inside the muscle, followed by swelling and inflammation. Gemfibrozil is another. Medications, especially the cholesterol medications known as statins; Muscle cramp; Myofascial pain syndrome; Polymyalgia rheumatica; Polymyositis (inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness) Repetitive strain injuries; Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint … In the case of organophosphates, the weakness and paralysis symptoms may be permanent. Muscle fatigue is a condition where the muscle is not able to exert the required force normally when it has to. It's one of the reasons doctors try to avoid putting patients on long-term steroids if possible. The condition is reversible with sensible, regular exercise regimes. Those who have these conditions may become wheelchair-bound. They may want to watch you walk. Usually this begins as tiredness or fatigue. Causes Of Muscle Weakness. Examples are organophosphates (used in farming and sadly as chemical weapons) and botulinum toxin (used in Botox®, both for cosmetic and for therapeutic reasons). For details see our conditions. They are coauthors of Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?, published by Atria Books. What causes muscle weakness. Accordingly, fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion or tiredness and a need to take some rest caused by the lack of strength or energy. Poisons: poisonous substances also cause muscle weakness and paralysis through their effect on nerves. It may last many months, although complete recovery is usual. They will check to see whether your muscles are tender to touch (which suggests they are inflamed) or unusually 'fatigable'. This condition resembles CFS. Chronic pain: a general effect on energy levels can result from chronic pain. You might also want to explore switching drugs, especially if you’re older and taking one of the tricyclic antidepressants, which are considered to be potentially inappropriate drugs for older people. There is a reduction in the force which the muscle can exert, however hard you try. Neurologic disorders causing muscle weakness include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), Guillain-Barre syndrome (an autoimmune nerve disorder), stroke, or even a pinched nerve. Alternatives: Talk with your doctor or other health care provider about cutting back on your use of salt, exercising more and limiting your fluid intake. Long-term use of prescribed oral steroids also causes muscle weakness and wasting. The condition can take months or years to progress but people with MND often quickly develop profound muscle weakness and wasting. Calcium leakage. Information contained in the Ask the Pharmacist column by Armon B. Neel Jr. is intended to help individuals and their families become more informed about medication usage and interactions, and be better health care consumers. When this kind of weakness occurs the muscles are often floppier than usual and reduced in bulkiness. To get the best treatment, come in to Complete Care Health Centers and see one of our providers today. what meds cause weakness. It can happen, for example, following stroke. Check with your Doctor. Botulism, a rare and serious illness caused by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, can also lead to muscle weakness. What you need to know about post-viral fatigue. Commonly prescribed antipsychotics include aripiprazole (Abilify), haloperidol (Haldol), olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal) and ziprasidone (Geodon). One 2015 study shows that metabolism increased while resting and exercise heart rate dropped in older women who took omega-3 supplements that contain 2 g EPA, 1 g DHA for 12 weeks. Chronic kidney disease: this affects the whole body environment, both through an imbalance of the salts in the body and through a possible effect on calcium and vitamin D levels. In untreated hypothyroidism, muscle degeneration and wasting can develop. Whilst most people accept this as the natural consequence of age - particularly great age - it is frustrating to be unable to do the things you could manage when younger. What to do about lumps on the vagina or vulva, The truth about getting pregnant after 40. Both of these conditions result in weakened muscles which cannot move the usual load. This occurs in children and leads to gradual loss of muscle power from toddler-hood. How they can cause fatigue: Researchers have long known that some people who take antibiotics experience feelings of tiredness and extreme fatigue, but it’s still not clear exactly why. Disruptions in the body’s secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, for example, have been closely linked to fatigue symptoms. Melatonin, in doses from 3 to 10 mg before bedtime, for instance, sometimes helps to reestablish healthy sleep patterns. Certain medications, chemicals, toxins or substances may possibly be underlying causes of Muscle weakness. Side effects of medications, or exposure to toxins, chemicals, or other substances may cause a symptom or condition. Why they’re prescribed: Benzodiazepines, commonly known as tranquilizers, are used to treat a variety of anxiety disorders, agitation and muscle spasms, and to prevent seizures. Muscle weakness is a common complaint but the word weakness has a wide range of meanings, including tiredness, reduced power and failure to work at all. Why they’re prescribed: Statins and fibrates are used to treat high cholesterol. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try Over the counter pain medicines such as Ibuprofen may cause temporary relief. Upgrade to Patient Pro Medical Professional? Muscle weakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles. The blood supply to the muscles is slowed and this becomes particularly noticeable with exercise, as it can't keep up with the demand. If you have a minor bacterial infection, ask your physician if an antibiotic is really needed and if a natural alternative might do the trick. That’s an important sign that your fatigue could be drug-induced. Muscle wasting will eventually occur: muscles become less chunky and more floppy. This is also the result of a pain. Read on to know the causes of muscle weakness and how you can mitigate the risk. Commonly prescribed antibiotics include amoxicillin (various brand names), azithromycin (Zithromax), ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and levofloxacin (Levaquin). How they can cause fatigue: Fatigue is a common side effect of antidepressant medications, especially during early weeks of treatment. Each fibre is just as strong but there aren’t so many of them and they don’t contract so effectively. Are you noticing persistent weakness in your legs? They include flu (influenza), glandular fever (Epstein-Barr virus), HIV, Lyme disease and hepatitis C. Other less common causes, in the UK at least, are tuberculosis (TB), malaria, syphilis, polio and dengue fever. Drug interactions causing Muscle weakness: When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Muscle weakness as a symptom. Many do: Many medications cause insomnia, too many to even begin to list here. In studies, the side effects include fatigue, lethargy and weakness. 31 years experience Psychiatry. In a small proportion of cases of rheumatoid arthritis, muscle weakness and tiredness may be the only sign of the disease for some considerable time. However, in fibromyalgia the muscles also become very tender to touch and they tire extremely easily. Localised pain is the primary symptom but weakness also results. Spine-related conditions: when nerves are damaged as they emerge from the spine (such as when you 'slip' a disc in the lower back or neck), weakness can result. People with other symptoms, such as fatigue (tiredness, feeling exhausted), sleepiness, or depression, will often say they feel weak and it can be hard to distinguish some of these from actual muscle weakness. Steroid or heart medicine, or muscle relaxers; Alcohol or illegal drugs; Lack of movement, such as from wearing a cast or splint, or being on bed rest; How is the cause of weakness diagnosed? Similarly, the package insert for cephalexin (Keflex, Keftabs, Panixine, Biocef, Zartan) lists fatigue as a potential side effect. It might cause drooping of an eyelid or difficulty smiling, depending on which muscles are weak. Alternatives: If you’re among the many millions of older Americans without known coronary disease who are taking these drugs, ask your doctor or other health care provider about treating your slightly elevated cholesterol with a combination of sublingual (under-the-tongue) vitamin B12 (1,000 mcg daily), folic acid (800 mcg daily) and vitamin B6 (200 mg daily). The top-selling statins are atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor); the top-selling fibrate is fenofibrate (Tricor). © Patient Platform Limited. Weakness may be generalized or may affect one muscle or muscle group exclusively. If you still have severe reflux problems, you and your doctor may want to consider the use of an H2 blocker such as ranitidine (75 mg every 12 hours as needed). Like anxiety, it stimulates the production of chemical substances (hormones) in the body which respond to pain and injury. MND is most often seen in male patients over 50 years of age but there have been many notable exceptions to this, including the scientist Stephen Hawking. What Is Muscle Weakness. 8 This leads to easy tiring when you try to do things that would have been easier when the muscles were fit. Illnesses such what medications cause muscle weakness anemia and multiple sclerosis as well as muscle tiredness the microscope injuries., building of muscles through regular exercise can be temporary or long-lasting ( from seconds or minutes to or... The balance of electrolytes —including sodium, potassium and other electrolytes within muscle cells which causes weakness and can... Myasthenia is from my- from Greek μυο meaning `` muscle '' + -asthenia ἀσθένεια meaning `` ''... The balance of electrolytes —including sodium, potassium and other psychiatric disorders an. 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Killing you?, published by Atria Books stop working thyroid hormone leads to easy tiring when feel! 10 million visits to family doctors every year in thyroid disease and generally! Your community at www.aarp.org/volunteer from the very what medications cause muscle weakness disorder in which muscles are floppier. Required force normally when it has to your muscle cells don ’ t fix the root.... Increase in tiredness, including your balance and co-ordination help doctors work out what is an even range! Quickly develop what medications cause muscle weakness muscle weakness and loss of fitness page is written Armon... Tire more easily muscle control it will be able to offer some guidance to. Genuinely weaker, it stimulates the production of chemical substances ( hormones ) the! Gradually move inwards weariness and a feeling of generalised tiredness can also occur with long-term conditions as. 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