Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
126 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Do Low Potassium Levels In The Body Cause Pain In The Knees, Lower Back And Neck?

I'm 77 yrs old and taking meds for hi bp including carvidelol and chlorthalidone. While bp has improved, the last few weeks I have developed achy knees, my calves hurt, low back pain above the waist, also pain in neck on left side . I also have a bulging disc in my lower cervical area which was not causing any trouble for quite awhile.
QUESTIONS
could I be developing low potassium from the chlorthalidone, leading to all these aches and pains or is it something else ?L.B.
posted on Mon, 11 Jun 2018
Twitter Fri, 17 Aug 2018 Answered on
Twitter Wed, 22 Aug 2018 Last reviewed on
Report Abuse
Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hello,

Although low potassium may lead to rhabdomyolysis (damage in muscle cells) which may indeed present with pain in various muscle groups, it is a rather unlikely scenario, as it requires an extremely low potassium (less than 2.5 mEq/L) and usually other symptoms alert the patient first (serious weakness and perhaps arrhythmias). A bulging disc may exert pressure on nerve fibers and cause pain in lower parts of the body. Checking serum potassium and magnesium and CPK (creatine phosphokinase) are important tests to do before diagnosing anything.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
I find this answer helpful
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
Do Low Potassium Levels In The Body Cause Pain In The Knees, Lower Back And Neck?

Hello, Although low potassium may lead to rhabdomyolysis (damage in muscle cells) which may indeed present with pain in various muscle groups, it is a rather unlikely scenario, as it requires an extremely low potassium (less than 2.5 mEq/L) and usually other symptoms alert the patient first (serious weakness and perhaps arrhythmias). A bulging disc may exert pressure on nerve fibers and cause pain in lower parts of the body. Checking serum potassium and magnesium and CPK (creatine phosphokinase) are important tests to do before diagnosing anything. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.