Q: I am a 45 years old man having pain in the leg muscles (thighs and calves) for he last 2 weeks. All my blood and urine tests are normal except that my serum total CPK is 381 (the reference range is 35 to 170). Please advise how can I lower it to reduce pain and heal fast and what medicines I can take?

A:Raised serum creatine kinase can occur in several conditions. CK is often raised in muscle disorders like muscle dystrophies, polymyositis, etc. However, the elevation is marked in these cases. It may also be raised in some endocrine disorders like hyperthyroidism, hypo-parathyroidism, acromegaly, etc. Some times it may also be elevated after severe episodes of exercise. Occasionally it may also be raised after consumption of alcohol and even in some viral illnesses. Therefore, it is very difficult to pin point the cause for CK elevation unless full clinical and other biochemical parameters are available. There is nothing that you can take to reduce the CK levels. I would recommend that you show an physician (not an orthopaedic surgeon) and take a second opinion.