Signs and symptoms
It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis because this can help you know if you or someone else needs to seek medical attention.
If you have rhabdomyolysis, you may have one or more of these symptoms:
- Muscle cramps or pain more intense than expected.
- Dark colored urine (color of tea or a cola drink).
- Weakness or tirednessinability to finish tasks or an exercise routine that you were previously able to complete (also known as exercise intolerance).
Muscle aches, dark urine, weakness, or fatigue are symptoms of rhabdomyolysis. Image by NIOSH.
When will symptoms appear?
Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis may not begin until hours or days after the initial muscle injury. For some people, symptoms may not appear until several days after the initial injury.
Seek medical attention immediately
If you ever have any of these symptoms, don’t ignore them. Seek medical treatment right away. The sooner you are diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin and the greater the chance of recovery without permanent health effects.
Rhabdomyolysis tests
Rhabdomyolysis cannot be diagnosed by symptoms alone. Other medical conditions such as dehydration and heat cramps can cause the same symptoms. The only way to be sure is to do a blood test.
Blood tests to detect rhabdomyolysis
The only accurate way to detect rhabdomyolysis is to repeatedly do blood tests that measure the muscle protein creatine kinase (CK) or creatine phosphokinase (CPK). If you suspect you might have rhabdomyolysis, ask a health care provider to check your blood CK levels.
- CK enters the bloodstream when there is damage to muscle tissue.
- When there is rhabdomyolysis, CK levels increase.
You will need to repeat blood tests to determine if your CK levels are increasing or decreasing:
- As with symptoms, increased CK levels may not be seen right away.
- Have your CK levels tested until two consecutive tests show these levels decreasing.
The only way to diagnose rhabdomyolysis is with a blood test. Photo by ©E+/Getty Images.
Urine tests are not accurate
Urine dipstick tests are not a good way to diagnose rhabdomyolysis.
- These tests indirectly measure myoglobin (a component of muscle cells).
- Myoglobin is rapidly eliminated from the body, so it may not appear in urine.
- High levels of CK in the blood may persist for days.
Get your CK levels checked
If you have any symptoms of rhabdomyolysis and your healthcare provider doesn’t check your serial CK levels, ask them!
