There are many reasons why diabetes and muscle spasms occur together, though it is rare that muscle spasms are due to diabetes. One must understand that any condition that can happen to anyone else can also happen to a diabetic. However, for diabetics these conditions occur at a younger age and much more severely than they would for someone without the disease. In addition, diabetes may lead to kidney disease, hormone issues, or thyroid conditions which may lead to muscle spasms.
One major cause of muscle spasm diabetes symptoms is dehydration. The large amounts of blood sugar levels caused by diabetes often cause diabetics to urinate more often. This leads to dehydration. When the body becomes dehydrate and electrolytes are depleted, muscle spasms may occur. Also, according to MedicineNet.com, muscle spasms may occur because the muscles are lacking water and glucose or the lack of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Vitamin deficiencies are common among diabetics.
Furthermore, diabetes promotes atherosclerosis. This impairs the circulation to many of the tissues of the body. This decreased blood flow can lead to cramping in these tissues, and in worse case scenarios the death of these localized areas of muscle. Diabetes may also lead to nerve damage in which muscles begin to waste away due to inadequate nerve supply. In these conditions, pain may develop in the muscles as well as muscle twitching. For these reasons, if you are experiencing diabetes muscle spasms, it is best to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Treatment of Diabetes and Muscle Spasms
The treatment of diabetes and muscle spasms will depend largely on the source of the condition. If the muscle spasms are due to exercise it is likely that the treatment will only entail anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen and Advil. In some cases narcotics and muscle relaxants may be used. Non-athletes should remember, that jobs like raking, mowing, and shoveling snow are forms of exercise, and one should consider these as not only sources of the trauma, but also remember that it may help to stretch and do light aerobic exercises to “warm-up” before these heavy activities.
Depending on the cause of the condition of diabetes and muscle spasms, a variety of medications may be selected. These include:
- Anti-Parkinsonism drugs such as benztropinemesylate
- Muscle Relaxants such as diazepam
- Medications that affect dopamine levels such as Levodopa
- Seizure-control drugs such as Carbamazepine
- Drugs that paralyze as certain area such as Botox
