Tendonitis in multiple locations & low magnesium?
 

I've had tendonitis repeatedly in multiple locations, left elbow, right elbow, right foot and now I think I have it in my right wrist. I've done the usual anti-inflamitories & PT. I'm always getting the same story "over use & age". When I first got it I believed it but now there has to be a better answer. I read somewhere there might be a link to tendonitis and low magnesium levels - has anyone else hear that? I just don't buy the "over use & age" excuse - there has to be another answer. Thanks

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

I wouldn't be surprised as magnesium is a very crucial mineral and often low in Americans.

But...if you have used Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox in the past, any of these could be a factor too.
This family of drugs is called fluoroquinolones, and they cause some disruption in tendon biology which is not understood well, and may even cause tendons to rupture long after the drug is stopped.

Tendons also have silica in them. Diets low in whole foods lack silica. Whole grains, bananas, green beans are examples of foods that provide this mineral.

There is an autoimmune disease that attacks tendons, and I think there is a blood test for that.

I've been on the occasional drug for sinus infections, poison ivy etc plus OTC anti inflammitories when my tendonitis has flared up but nothing else. When the tendonitis in my foot was stubborn and took forever to go away the DR did do blood work looking for Lupus which came back negative. I've been taking magnesium/zinc supplements for a couple weeks now to see if there is any improvement. I have a DR appt this week for my hand so I can have x-rays just to rule out a break of any kind. I'm able to move my fingers but it causes pain to flex hand up/down so I don't have the full range of motion. I've been wearing a brace on my wrist just to keep it from flexing back too far. After chasing tendonitis from elbow to elbow, foot and back again I just think there must be something more than just "old age & over use" - LOL, I'm not that old! Oh well, thanks for your reply. I'll post the DR diagnosis and post how the magnesium works for me.

If you took those antibiotics I mentioned, you will need far more than magnesium for your tendons.

You will need to know NOT to overdo or put a big load on anything or it might rupture. We've had 2 posters here on NT already who blew out their bicep tendon, after using these antibiotics.

Usually it was the Achilles tendon or knee tendons, in the studies, but at NT these two ruptured the bicep.

This is my post on them:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post661103-2.html
Pay attention to the links to Dr. Jay Cohen on this post.

Here is a link for connective tissue disorders:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connective_tissue_disease

And some people have a genetic error that leads to overly mobile tendons which then get stretched and strained leading to pain...it is called
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
and also Marfan's syndrome with is a little different.

All of the connective tissue potentials require medical support.

i have eds and i had a mg deficiency and my tendons hurt like HELL, you could ask for RBC magnesium test to be sure..its more accurate

this is the dx for eds

http://www.hypermobility.org/beighton.php