Having problems with message search?
We have just received our copy of the British Polio Fellowship Sept 08 The Bulletin and see on page 9 you have a query about muscle and tendon twitching from Ken Marshalls.
He writes "I was first diagnosed with PPS in 2003 when I was forced to give up work. Now some five years later I am having a lot of trouble with muscle and tendon twitching, which is driving me mad. In my less affected leg, the muscles in my thigh are the problem. With my weaker leg it is the same, plus the tendons in the back of my knee and the tendon between my big toe and my foot, which pulls my toe up at almost 90 degree angle tomy foot. In the evening this can go on for 2 or 3 hours. The only way I have found to stop it is to stand on it with my other foot!"
In Western Australia we have solved these problems with a little supplemental magnesium for tight, twitching, cramping, aching muscles and manganese for tendon problems. Most minerals apart from calcium, are low in our soil here so many of our polios need regular reasonable doses of these two minerals in particular, to avoid or repair torn or strained muscles and tendons but I have found that UK polios that I see when visiting relatives over here, don't usually require as large a dose as Aussie polios, so your soil content must be better.
I found the reason why these work in a physiology book. Muscles contract because the neurotransmitter from the nerve activates calcium to attach to muscle myofibrils, causing movement. The myofibril stays locked in this activated position until magnesium de-activates or releases the calcium and then with ATP, an energy unit from food breakdown, primes the myofibril ready to repeat the action with the next nerve messenger. This is normal muscle action.
If there is not enough magnesium to go round to allow natural normal relaxation of muscle, we experience twitches, tics, spasm, cramps, tight knotted muscles, muscle aches, backaches and headaches. Even hiccups are just a muscle in spasm and all of these problems resolve by taking a bit more magnesium.
We find the chelated magnesium in capsule or powder form, is better absorbed, usually giving relief within 2 minutes of taking it. If you are still having problems after 5 minutes you haven't taken enough so take a bit more. Magnesium only lasts around 12 hours in the body so needs to be taken twice a day. Better results if taken on an empty stomach, so best before breakfast and before bed. Extra can be taken at other times if any of these symptoms re-occur. Magnesium is self-limiting. If you take too much your bowels will get loose and your tummy may grumble. So reduce the dose slightly if this happens, until you are comfortable. Great to keep you regular too.
Magnesium is found in the diet in leafy green vegetables and calcium in dairy foods. So eating milky foods including cheese, icecream and yoghurt can cause these muscle problems. If this occurs we just need more magnesium to counter-balance the extra calcium in the food we have eaten.
Tight muscles will pull on tendons (which attach muscle to bone) and so they become exhausted as well. Manganese is the primary solution for tendon problems. Tendon injuries may need up to 6 of our 20mg of elemental manganese tablets per day for a year or so. Iodine and gelatine can also help with contractures. Tinnitus may resolve or lessen on 3-4 tablets of manganese. The stiffness of old age and twinges across joints can disappear with extra manganese too. Bumping into doorways and furniture, clumsiness and other balance problems which are important to stop falls for polios, improve as well with extra manganese.
A less commonly talked about, excruciatingly painful condition, officially called "proctalgia fugax", but that I call "anal cramps", affects at least 17% of women and 9% of men. Doctors have no answer for it but this too is easily resolved with a little extra magnesium. I hate for people to be in agony with these problems that are so easily fixed - if we only know how!
Tessa Jupp RN
Polio Clinic Western Australia
Offline 
Send Email