What would cause a person's hands and feet to cramp up?

[Rebecca VA]

I'm writing on behalf of my 15-year-old. Over the past year she had Lyme Disease, and she had swine flu before that. She's all cured -- multiple blood tests by a Lyme-aware doc have proved that.

 

However, she continues to have issues. She used to be almost hyperactive, and now she has no energy at all. She makes excuses as to why she can't walk the dog, can't go to ballet class, and can't participate in P.E. at school. Since her blood tests and a thyroid scan are not showing anything wrong with her, we have no choice but to think she's malingering (faking it). Her latest complaint is that her hands and arms are cramping up. She has complained all year that she can't do pointe in ballet because her feet cramp up. She asked the teacher what to do, and the teacher advised her to drink more water.

 

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong? Why would someone's hands and feet just cramp up?

[Unicorn.]

It could be a lack of potassium or magnesium, or the ratio of calcium to magnesium. I would have her eat some bananas and take a vitamin supplement that contains both calcium and magnesium.

[Marylou]

She may have Raynaud's http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/raynaud/ especially if she's under a lot of stress

[KnitWit]

I would agree on the lack of magnesium, which illness, stress and trauma can deplete. I would try magnesium oil foot soaks.

 

Here's a link to a site that sells it and has good info. If you call and talk with Joan, she is extremely helpful.

 

http://www.health-and-wisdom.com/magnesium.htm

[Rebecca VA]

Wow, the suggestion about Raynaud's makes sense. She has gorgeous hands with long, long fingers, and her hands are always cold. They've never turned blue, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn they've turned white.

 

I'm going to Whole Foods in a few minutes and will pick up some calcium/magnesium/potassium for her. She is always hungry these days and is gaining too much weight. This, too, is a change -- she used to be very thin. I wonder if she has a deficiency that her body is trying to compensate for?

[J-rap]

My daughter has Raynaud's Syndrome. Her hands and her feet turn purple. Her hands are usually icy to touch, and even in just moderate spring weather, they are freezing. However, she doesn't have cramping.

 

I used to run a lot, and we always heard that if we had too many leg cramps we were probably short on potassium.