A Case of Flax Seed Induced Rhabdomyolysis

Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical and a biochemical syndrome that occurs due to a skeletal muscle injury. The main cause of rhabdomyolysis is a muscle crush injury, toxins, ischaemia and metabolic disorders. Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis have been reported which had been caused by drugs and after insect stings. The breakdown products of the damaged muscle cells are released into the bloodstream; some of these, such as the protein myoglobin, are harmful for the kidneys and they may lead to kidney failure. The symptoms of rhabdomyolysis depend on the severity of the condition. The milder forms of rhabdomyolysis may not cause any muscle symptoms, and the diagnosis is based on abnormal blood tests. The most reliable test in the diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis is the blood level of Creatine Kinase (CK) which is released by the damaged muscles. Here in, we report an unusual case of flax seed induced rhabdomyolysis to alert the medical community about this rare complication.