Hypocalcemia refers to the lack of calcium in the blood. Because calcium is important for a variety of body functions, a deficiency can lead to bone, muscle, and nerve damage.
What is hypocalcemia?
Calcium is essential for health and vitality of the body. It plays an important role in bone growth, within nerve and brain function, cell growth, and muscle contraction. When blood calcium levels fall below a critical level, it is called hypocalcemia. People with hypocalcemia may not notice any symptoms, especially at the beginning of the condition. But the burden increases as the condition becomes more serious. These can manifest as muscle twitching, nervous reflexes, stinging in the hands and feet, or irregular heartbeat, among other symptoms. Hypocalcemia in newborns is considered particularly critical. The deficiency condition can negatively affect the child’s growth and healthy development. If newborns show signs of muscle or nerve twitching, tremors or are difficult to feed, a doctor should be consulted to diagnose possible hypocalcemia and initiate treatment.
Causes
The reasons for low calcium levels are thought to be underactivity of the adrenal gland. This regulates calcium levels throughout the body. Apart from this, too much phosphorus may be a cause of hypocalcemia because it causes calcium levels to drop. Low levels of the protein albumin, which is produced in the liver, can also depress calcium levels. The intake of calcium through food, in addition to vitamin D and magnesium is equally important for the body’s calcium balance. Foods high in calcium include dairy products, spinach, broccoli, or oranges. The most common causes of hypocalcemia are other diseases. Hypocalcemia occurs here as a serious side effect. These include: Alcoholism, kidney or liver disease, malnutrition, malnutrition (lack of calcium in food).
Symptoms, complaints and signs
Hypocalcemia is manifested by deficiency symptoms such as fatigue and impaired physical and mental performance. In the heart, cardiac arrhythmias and chest pain may occur. In some patients, cardiac pump function decreases, from which cardiac insufficiency may develop. Furthermore, hypocalcemia can cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Typical symptoms are diarrhea and constipation, but also nausea and vomiting. In individual cases, heartburn and inflammation of the throat occur. The symptoms usually develop gradually and persist until the electrolyte imbalance is corrected. Afterwards, the symptoms slowly subside, although long-term consequences may remain depending on the severity of the individual symptoms. For example, chronic cardiac insufficiency may develop or there may be permanent damage to the gastrointestinal tract. If hypocalcemia is not treated, it can develop into a chronic disease. Chronic hypocalcemia may cause disturbances in hair and nail growth. Sometimes tartar, caries or other disease of the teeth develops. Accompanying psychological changes occur, for example, depression and anxiety. Furthermore, in the chronic form, there may be a persistent feeling of illness. Those affected often feel tired and weary or are listless.
Diagnosis and course
Hypocalcemia is diagnosed by a blood test. In most cases, the doctor detects the deficiency before the patient discovers the symptoms in himself. Once hypocalcemia is detected, other blood tests will usually follow to check the quality of kidney function and to test blood levels of magnesium, adrenal hormones, magnesium, and phosphorus. Further tests are considered if the cause of the hypocalcemia cannot be clearly determined. Apart from blood serum checks, hypocalcemia can also be detected by increased phosphorus levels in the urine.
Complications
Hypocalcemia causes a variety of symptoms. As a rule, the extent of the complaints depends greatly on the severity of the calcium deficiency, which is why no general prediction is possible. The affected person usually suffers from muscle atrophy and can no longer easily perform physical activities or sports.If the calcium deficiency persists over a longer period of time, damage can occur to the nerves, so that paralysis or sensory disturbances occur in the patient. These can make everyday life considerably more difficult. The function of the brain is also impaired by hypocalcemia, and the patient may experience concentration problems or impaired thinking. The patient often feels ill and weak and suffers from a reduced pulse. Furthermore, the kidneys may suffer, and in the worst case, the patient may be dependent on dialysis. Treatment of hypocalcemia does not lead to complications in most cases. It can be administered acutely by infusions or with the help of a healthy and balanced diet. If necessary, the underlying disease responsible for the hypocalcemia must also be treated. Life expectancy is then limited if no treatment is given.
When should you see a doctor?
If symptoms such as muscle atrophy and an increasing feeling of illness are noticed, hypocalcemia may be underlying. A visit to the family doctor is necessary if the above signs do not resolve on their own within a few days. If further symptoms such as paralysis or sensory disturbances occur, a doctor must be consulted promptly. In the event of a severe feeling of illness, possibly associated with complaints of the kidneys, the emergency services should be alerted. It is possible that damage has already occurred to the internal organs which, if left untreated, could lead to serious complications. In principle, untreated hypocalcemia severely limits life expectancy, which is why the disease must be clarified and treated in any case. Individuals who have been diagnosed with hypofunction of the adrenal glands are particularly susceptible to developing hypocalcemia. Malnutrition, alcoholism or kidney or liver disease are also possible triggers. Anyone who belongs to these risk groups should consult a physician with the symptoms mentioned. In addition to the general practitioner, a specialist in internal medicine is the right contact.
Treatment and therapy
Hypocalcemia is treated by infusions to ensure healthy calcium levels in the body. These infusions may be combined with supplements taken orally. If the hypocalcemia is caused by an underlying medical condition, that cause is treated as well. In some cases, hypocalcemia resolves on its own. This is even more likely if there are no noticeable symptoms. The treating physician must decide individually which type of treatment is the right one. In newborns, treatment usually focuses on close monitoring of health and body weight, tolerance to foods, medications, and therapies; and a parental preference for a particular treatment. Untreated hypocalcemia can seriously compromise a newborn’s health. But the impact on an adult should not be underestimated either. To avoid further dangers, the doctor’s instructions should be meticulously followed. Consequential damage may include: Damage to nerve and brain function; osteomalacia: soft and weak bones due to a lack of vitamin D during growth; osteoporosis: thinning and weakening of bones; worsened growth; cramp disease: hyperactivity of nerves causing severe pain.
Prevention
To prevent hypocalcemia, attention should be paid to a healthy lifestyle. This includes, first and foremost, a balanced, healthy diet. Regular consumption of foods high in vitamin D promotes the absorption and processing of calcium in the body. This includes tofu, milk, almonds, oats and cabbage. Alcohol should also be avoided, as it depletes magnesium reserves and consequently leads to hypocalcemia. The additional intake of calcium tablets can regulate the supply as well.
Follow-up
There is no specific aftercare for hypocalcemia for those affected. The exact type of therapy and also the subsequent measures depend on the individual clinical picture and on the cause. In any case, patients should pay attention to possible complications in order to avoid a worsening of the health condition. It is essential to follow the doctor’s advice on reducing dietary calcium intake. In this context, food control is a relevant factor.A corresponding change in diet thus becomes the focus of follow-up care. In addition, patients should drink sufficient fluids to avoid an excess of calcium or to accelerate excretion. Following the actual treatment, the main concern for those affected is to ensure that the disease does not recur. For this reason, doctors also look into the exact cause of the disease. If the trigger is known, a recurrence of the disease can be better avoided. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, the attending physician may also recommend medication. Patients should take these as prescribed during the follow-up phase. Good health awareness helps to successfully combat complications and prevent relapse.
Here’s what you can do yourself
In some cases, hypocalcemia resolves on its own. However, if the calcium deficiency persists, symptoms occur that require treatment. The affected person should definitely see a doctor and have the deficiency symptoms clarified. In addition to medical treatment, some self-help measures can be taken to alleviate the symptoms. As a first measure, the diet should be changed. A diet rich in sesame seeds, Emmental cheese, almonds, kale and spinach provides the body with sufficient calcium. In addition, plenty of fluids should be drunk to stimulate the metabolism and thus promote calcium intake. This is best accompanied by a food diary, as this is the only way to identify the causes of hypocalcemia in the long term and then gradually eliminate them. In the first few days after a medical infusion, bed rest and sparing are recommended. The affected person should also refrain from sports. If the symptoms have not subsided after a few days or weeks, the doctor must be informed. A new infusion may be needed, or the hypocalcemia may be due to a serious disease that needs to be diagnosed and treated.
