Chronic Kidney Failure with Fatigue and Muscle Cramps

Fatigue and muscle cramps, especially leg and foot cramps, are two leading complaints of people with chronic kidney failure. Both of these two symptoms are closely associated to kidney disfunction.

Fatigue and muscle cramps in chronic kidney failure

Kidney failure refers to kidney function lower than 15%. When kidneys can’t play their filtration, regulation and secretion function normally, the following conditions occur easily, thus leading to fatigue, muscle cramps and other problems.

-fatigue: It is often caused by fewer nutritions and oxygens transported to organ cells. Anemia and build up of too many waste products and toxins are commonly the direct causes.

- Muscle cramps: An deficiency in potassium can induce muscle cramps. With kidney failure, some patients suffer chronic diarrhea or nausea and vomiting that can cause a low level of potassium, resulting in muscle cramps. In addition, low calcium level, cold exposure and certain drugs like ACEI may also trigger muscle cramps.

How to relieve fatigue and muscle cramps for kidney failure patients?

The immediate relief of these uneasy symptoms should begin from dealing with the underlying causes.

- Increase the iron in your diet: As iron is an essential element to alleviate anemia and fatigue, eating more foods high in iron can be helpful, if necessary some iron supplements and medicines like EPO. Black fungus, cherry, celery, soybean, etc, are rich in iron, but not all of them are suitable for everyone. You can send your illness condition to kidneycares@hotmail.com, so we can give you find a scientific food list.

- Balance your potassium level: Nearly all of potassium in our body comes from the foods we eat. If your muscle cramps are due to the severe loss of potassium, increase the intake of potassium correctly. The amount is very important. Because failed kidneys can’t eliminate excess potassium out of the body, potassium supplement in large dose is more likely to cause other problems.

- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes: It is a best way to keep you from cold exposure and then avoid muscle cramps. Besides, taking a hot shower or bath is also a good choice.

- Massage: As a natural remedy, massage has been used popular throughout the whole world. Wherever you are, you can find a doctor who is specialized in massage to ease your muscle cramps.

- Repair damaged kidney: Taking prompt treatment to stop the decline of kidney function and try to repair damaged kidney cells is our ultimate goal.

The accurate treatment should depend on patients’ illness condition. If you haven’t accepted a systemic therapy, leave us a message so we can find your question quickly and then give you our suggestions.