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What Causes Muscle Twitches Throughout The Body?
Question: hello I am a 30 year old male, I am having symptoms of random muscle twitches throughout my body and a sensation that cool drops of water are touching my skin. this has been going on a few weeks now.im having muscle spasms in my foot. nothing crazy no muscle weakness or loss of sensation. I initially thought I had MS but I went to my primary who ran a blood test and everything came back fine besides my calcium level (10.5 and my bun was 23 and creat 1.4.) also my albumin was 5.3. All other levels were perfect. so I started thinking I may have hyperparathyroidism. I was thinking the twitching and spasms and strange sensations might be from elevated calcium level due to my parathyroid... But if I use a calcium correction with my albumin my calcium is 9.5. my question is do I go with the corrected calcium level or the standard one that says 10.5 and what other blood tests besides pth should I ask my primary for? Thank you! -paul
Brief Answer:
Tests
Detailed Answer:
Sorry to learn about your bothersome symptoms.
I know what you are saying about the calcium-albumin correction. However that is not entirely accurate. There are limitations to that indirect estimation. So the best way to confirm if you have an abnormally high blood calcium level or not is to check Serum Ionized Calcium after overnight fasting.
When I see someone like you in my practice, I typically order the following blood tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:
CBC (Complete Blood Count, also known as Hemogram; includes Hemoglobin, WBC and Platelet counts)
Electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium in particular)
HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin = your last 3 months' glucose average). Also known by other names such as GlycoHemoglobin or Glycated Hemoglobin or A1c
Liver function tests (SGOT , SGPT, Albumin, Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase)
Kidney function tests (BUN, Creatinine)
TSH (checks your thyroid)
25 hydroxy Vitamin D levels (ideal range 40 to 60 ng/ml = 100 to 150 nmol/liter)
If your ionized calcium is high then further tests will be necessary, ideally on that same blood sample such as
Phosphorus
intact PTH
Magnesium
Correct diagnosis and treatment requires the opportunity to examine the patient so you must see an endocrinologist in-person.
Tests
Detailed Answer:
Sorry to learn about your bothersome symptoms.
I know what you are saying about the calcium-albumin correction. However that is not entirely accurate. There are limitations to that indirect estimation. So the best way to confirm if you have an abnormally high blood calcium level or not is to check Serum Ionized Calcium after overnight fasting.
When I see someone like you in my practice, I typically order the following blood tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:
CBC (Complete Blood Count, also known as Hemogram; includes Hemoglobin, WBC and Platelet counts)
Electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium in particular)
HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin = your last 3 months' glucose average). Also known by other names such as GlycoHemoglobin or Glycated Hemoglobin or A1c
Liver function tests (SGOT , SGPT, Albumin, Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase)
Kidney function tests (BUN, Creatinine)
TSH (checks your thyroid)
25 hydroxy Vitamin D levels (ideal range 40 to 60 ng/ml = 100 to 150 nmol/liter)
If your ionized calcium is high then further tests will be necessary, ideally on that same blood sample such as
Phosphorus
intact PTH
Magnesium
Correct diagnosis and treatment requires the opportunity to examine the patient so you must see an endocrinologist in-person.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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