Ongoing tightness
I am 38 years old and have been experiencing tightness throughout my body in the past couple of years. It’s started in my right shoulder/trap about 2 years ago. A few months after that my other shoulder started acting up. I was shrugged it off as bad form while working out until about 11 months ago when my calves started tighten as well. It’s now to the point where I am having cramps throughout the day no matter what I do to try help the symptoms including rest, pain meds, stretching, walking, the cramps are always there. A MRI on my back was negative, all inflammation tests negative, lime negative. I have pretty much stoped all exercise involving my legs and I am back to square one with a orthopedic Dr doing daily stretching but I swear it’s making it worse. I don’t believe I have a tremor anywhere, perhaps in my left thumb from time to time but can’t say it’s persistent. My worry is the tightness throughout my shoulders and legs are a early stage of PD. Did anyone’s diagnoses start with muscles cramps and tightness specifically in the calves?
Thank you!
Hi, cdaly07 - Thanks for reaching out here. It seems like you've done a lot of work trying to get some answers for what you're experiencing. While we wait for others to chime in, I wanted to share an article about recognizing early signs & symptoms: https://parkinsonsdisease.net/diagnosis/early-symptoms-signs/. - Chris, ParkinsonsDisease.net Team
Hi
. I am sorry to hear about this. I would have thought, as you did, that maybe my exercise form needed improvement or that an MRI and other diagnostic tests would be helpful. I am sure you have good doctors and they're trying to help. You did not mention a look at peripheral vascular disease or endothelial dysfunction. I am not a medical doctor - so don't take this as a diagnosis or such. I just wonder if your docs mentioned one or both. My initial motor symptoms were rigidity, left-side bradykinesia and left hand/arm tremor. The cramping in my back was awful by the time I reached mile one when out for an exercise walk. I felt like a steel plate was in there. The medications usually help me a lot. Other factors can play a part when they are not helpful. I hope you will ask your docs more questions and keep on keeping on. You are young. Please don't give up. ~Lorraine, parkinsonsdisease.net moderator
