Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 7/29/2007

Question
Dear Sir,

My wife age 25 has given birth to baby one month before.Now from 5 to 6 days she is getting leg aches which is beyond her tollerable limit, we have consulted with our local MD but he says that this is due to lack of calcium in her body and had adviced her to take calcium peels. But their is not any effect of the same, and now she has to take pain killer to avoid pain.

Sir please advice how could we get rid of this problem.

Sandeep patil

Answer
Dear Sandeep,

If your wife's symptoms consist of aching, spasming, or cramping sensations in the legs (especially in the calf muscles--- called the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) then the pain may be primarily of a muscular origin. If the symptoms are due to mechanical causes, then manual therapy such as soft-tissue chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, physical therapy, or acupuncture may be helpful.

Is your wife's pain located in the same region of the legs on each side symmetrically?

In some people, a calcium/magnesium imbalance or deficiency can cause these symptoms, and symptoms may be relieved by taking supplements (the chelated form of calcium citrate, malate, or hydroxyappatite are the most absorbable supplemental forms), and need to be taken with chelated magnesium for maximum absorption. Chelated minerals are coated with a protein that makes them more absorbable.

Additionally, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and kale are some of the best natural sources of absorbable calcium, but it may be difficult to obtain all of your calcium needs from vegetable sources alone; therefore, a combination of natural food sources and absorbable supplements may be best.

Some researchers feel that milk and dairy products are not the best sources of natural calcium, because they contain proteins that might contribute to more calcium loss than one takes in through these sources. Another alternative might be to purchase a brand of orange juice that is fortified with calcium.

However, if your wife's symptoms involve sharp, shooting pains in the legs, or if there is weakness present in the legs or feet, then this raises the concern about the possibility of a disc herniation in the lower lumbar spine creating spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) or a condition called intermittent claudication, in which narrowing of the arteries in the leg creates pain that worsens during walking or exercise, and tends to improve with rest. Claudication is more common in smokers, overweight people, people who have diabetes, and people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Certain medications (especially statins for high cholesterol) can also cause leg pains or cramping.

Thyroid disorders can also cause leg pain.

While pain killers may be of short-term help in more serious cases of pain, they don't fix the cause of the problem. If your wife's symptoms do not improve with conservative measures such as manual therapy or dietary changes, then she should have a complete blood chemistry panel and blood cell count to rule out an underlying metabolic disorder such as diabetes or thyroid disease. She may also need to see a neurologist or a vascular specialist to rule out other more serious medical concerns.

I hope that this answer has been of some help to you.