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Suggest Treatment For Muscle Weakness In An Elderly Person
Question: I have been having muscle weakness in my leg. I am 80 years old and have been very active, wt around 155 lbs and height 5' 6". Asian male Had thyroid checked and MRI on my Carrated Artery was negative(OK).
Brief Answer:
Peripheral neuropathy due to nutritional deficiency possibly.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. Numbness and muscle weakness could be due to either vascular causes or neural causes.
2. As you have an active life along with good weight control, I do not think of any muscular causes. Good thyroid test rules out any thyroid illness.
3. If it were to be vascular causes, it should get aggravated with walking and disappear on resting and you might get a claudication pain. This will be usually limited to one leg normally.
4. I am thinking more of neural causes as it is bilateral and some amount of numbness is also there. Numbness, tingling, weakness, sometimes burning pain, etc are usual features of peripheral neuropathy. At present, it appears to be early stages.
5. They can be side effects of medications (if anything new started and these symptoms started), or secondary to alcohol or most commonly nutritional deficiencies.
6. Not sure about your diet, but more commonly in vegetarians or imbalanced diet. As it is more probably nutritional cause for peripheral neuropathy, you will require supplements containing, Vit B1, B6 and B12. Hope you are not diabetic. If diabetic an additional alpha lipoic acid also will be necessary.
Continue with active life along with balanced diet. Vitamin supplements essential and would take at least one to months for recovery.
Use walking stick or walker for support, as fall at this age is very serious issue. Take care about walking until weakness and numbness disappears.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Peripheral neuropathy due to nutritional deficiency possibly.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. Numbness and muscle weakness could be due to either vascular causes or neural causes.
2. As you have an active life along with good weight control, I do not think of any muscular causes. Good thyroid test rules out any thyroid illness.
3. If it were to be vascular causes, it should get aggravated with walking and disappear on resting and you might get a claudication pain. This will be usually limited to one leg normally.
4. I am thinking more of neural causes as it is bilateral and some amount of numbness is also there. Numbness, tingling, weakness, sometimes burning pain, etc are usual features of peripheral neuropathy. At present, it appears to be early stages.
5. They can be side effects of medications (if anything new started and these symptoms started), or secondary to alcohol or most commonly nutritional deficiencies.
6. Not sure about your diet, but more commonly in vegetarians or imbalanced diet. As it is more probably nutritional cause for peripheral neuropathy, you will require supplements containing, Vit B1, B6 and B12. Hope you are not diabetic. If diabetic an additional alpha lipoic acid also will be necessary.
Continue with active life along with balanced diet. Vitamin supplements essential and would take at least one to months for recovery.
Use walking stick or walker for support, as fall at this age is very serious issue. Take care about walking until weakness and numbness disappears.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, here to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for the reply. I am Type Diabetic, taking Metformin and Glyburide, Taking high blood pressure pill, Lisinopril,HTCZ, Lisinopril for my prostate, and Lovastatin for Cholestrol. With these medication, my problems are well in control. I guess I need to start eating more meat and start taking the vitamin supplements you suggests. Thank for your expert advice. XXXXXXX XXXX
Brief Answer:
You are welcome
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX XXXXX,
Welcome and thanks for replying.
Yes, you need to improve your nutrition and start with vitamin supplements. As you are diabetic too, additional alpha lipoic acid along with B1,B6 and B12 is necessary.
Improvement could take upto 1-2 months. Strict adherence to medication is necessary.
Hope it helps.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Prakash HM
You are welcome
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX XXXXX,
Welcome and thanks for replying.
Yes, you need to improve your nutrition and start with vitamin supplements. As you are diabetic too, additional alpha lipoic acid along with B1,B6 and B12 is necessary.
Improvement could take upto 1-2 months. Strict adherence to medication is necessary.
Hope it helps.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Prakash HM
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Deepak
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