What is hypokalemic myasthenia?

When the body's blood potassium level is lower than the normal range, it is called hypokalemia. Hypokalemia can cause certain complications, the most common of which is hypokalemic myasthenia. Patients will obviously feel soreness and weakness in the muscles of their limbs. At the same time, the degree of muscle relaxation and weakness varies depending on different physical constitutions. For hypokalemic myasthenia, you should seek medical attention immediately to replenish potassium.

1. Causes of Hypokalemic Myasthenia

Caused by autoimmune disorder. This immune abnormality can be caused by many factors such as genetic defects, viral infection, drug damage, living environment, and eating habits.

Many conditions may cause worsening or recurrence of hypokalemic myasthenia, including infection (such as a cold, pneumonia, or a gum abscess), fever, high temperature, excessive exertion, and emotional stress, anxiety, and insomnia. In some female patients, symptoms of hypokalemia and myasthenia may worsen during menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth. It also includes taking some cold foods or contraindicated medicines. Therefore, patients should be aware of these adverse factors and avoid them in life.

2. Populations prone to hypokalemia myasthenia

The disease can affect men, women, young or old, but according to statistics, young women (10-40 years old) are more susceptible.

This disease is not a genetic disease and its "immune type" is not inherited. Hypokalemic myasthenia rarely affects multiple members of a family, but certain familial risk factors do exist. Hypokalemic myasthenia can occur in all races, but the manifestations of the disease can vary greatly. For example, myasthenia gravis affecting only the eye muscles (“ocular myasthenia gravis”) is common in young Chinese and Japanese patients, especially before the age of 10 years, but it is rare in Europe.

3. Diet for hypokalemia myasthenia

1. Try to eat less spicy and irritating food. For example: onions, peppers, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, mustard greens, and fennel.

2. Avoid eating fried and greasy foods. Such as fried dough sticks, cream, butter, chocolate, etc., these foods help to increase moisture and heat, which will increase the secretion of leucorrhea and are not conducive to the treatment of the disease.

3. Quit smoking, drinking, coffee and other stimulant beverages.