Tetany can be the result of an electrolyte imbalance. Most often, it's a dramatically low calcium level, also known as hypocalcemia. Tetany can also be caused by magnesium deficiency or too little potassium. Having too much acid (acidosis) or too much alkali (alkalosis) in the body can also result in tetany.

What happens during tetany?

Tetany is a symptom characterized by the involuntary contraction of muscles that usually results from low calcium levels in the blood (i.e., hypocalcemia). Common symptoms of tetany include numbness around the mouth, muscle cramps, and paresthesias affecting the hands and feet.

What are features of tetany?

Tetany: A condition that is due usually to low blood calcium (hypocalcemia) and is characterized by spasms of the hands and feet, cramps, spasm of the voice box (larynx), and overactive neurological reflexes. Tetany is generally considered to result from very low calcium levels in the blood.