Muscle stiffness/tension

[Libra]

Always had muscular tension with anxiety and it can take a while to ease off even after the anxiety is reduced...Some months ago, after a prolonged period of stress it started up again shortly after a bout of dizziness so I knew I was in for another episode of it.
What Im getting though now and then is muscle stiffness,some tingling in my left leg ( which I was told is sciatica )..but at same time im getting shoulder stiffness in left side.(The 2 always go together) ?? Why would this happen ? anyone had this before ?

[diddler]

Hi I kind of get stuff like this. Apparently your neck can actually cause stuff in your shoulder and legs which is crazy because you wouldn't think it. My shoulder sometimes has a horrible feeling in it like a nerve being twanged

[MyNameIsTerry]

With it being all left side, could it be posture? Poor posture is one of the big causes for sciatica.

Have a look at the thread I posted on the Top Tips board recently for muscular tension as it is has a link to an online book full of trigger point therapy exercises for the whole body by muscle group/area.

Link to thread here:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=169782

[Libra]

Diddler...about 15 years ago I was sat rubbing back of a my very tense neck and suddenly I felt a strong twang, as you describe, and I sat there in shock lol. Thought what have I done ?? any idea what causes this sensation.

Terry..thankyou , I will take a look at that info.

[diddler]

Its a nerve, I'm not sure if its cervical, do you get headaches too? Ha the twang is like oops what have I done. It was that bad I couldn't move so I went to chiropractors and you have to sign now saying that cervical adjustment increases risk of stroke, I actually ran out of there. I think repetitive motion can make it worse like in my job constantly having to use my shoulders so obviously thats tension, so if your stressed it could cause it because its tension again. I also get a tender hip. But anything to do with neck and spine can cause dizzy spells and shoulder and leg sensations, its all connected. I've heard as well that you can get a constant itch on your back near your spine because of your neck, just one spot will itch .I wouldn't worry honestly it just sounds like muscles and nerve endings and stuff

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've had that twang in my back before and other locations. You wonder if you have snapped something but you haven't, it would take a lot of force to do that.

I think it can also be a nerve getting trapped and untrapped. I've had several occasions of this with my ribs where I have felt something get caught, probably one of the tiny muscles there. You suddenly feel like you can't breath fully on that side and sometimes it can take hours to twang back out again.

[Davit]

What about scoliosis? Mine has progressed to where it is quite noticeable.

[Libra]

Davit.. that was ruled out with me some time ago.. I saw a chiro couple years ago who told me my spine was very slightly out by a 1mm or so and that it may cause problems in later life.
Diddler and Terry.. thanks... I don't as a rule get headaches, though pressure when my sinus feel congested. I swear theres a connection somewhere with sinus and shoulder tension as they always go together with me.... also, it seems I get this weird feeling sometimes below my left shoulder blade and mid back which feels like when your foots gone to sleep and then starts coming awake again ?? don't know how to describe it ..

[MyNameIsTerry]

That sounds like it could be a muscle cramping. There are loads of tiny muscles in the core, not just the ones we think of and these are constantly a feature in muscular tension as we tend to tense against our diaphragm a lot.

Your lungs expand at the back as well so when you get issues like that, it can make you feel like you are struggling to take a deep breath.

Have a look in the link I added because thats all about "referred pain" so the area where the pain originates may not be where the problem is, just like in the classic case with sciatica. The book in there explains this along with symptoms and show the point to massage to relieve it.

I don't like adding links like that on the HA board because of the tendency for people to read through for other things buts its all muscular stuff from what I recall. Just take what you need and don't let HA try to find other issues.

[Libra]

Thank you Terry. Ive read through the link you gave me and its very informative..What I am trying so hard to do is not let this episode send me into a spiral. I know only too well with HA that its so easy to notice every sensation and link it when ordinarily it would be of no concern. Ive been through this before so I should know better..
I had a good day yesterday. I tried some of the exercises and felt brighter in mood until 10pm !! I just rubbed my right eye and felt whoozy, swimmy and then I think that triggered the HA.. Where did that come from ??I couldn't settle for ages and was just waiting for the sensations to recur .Typical of HA.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Mood certainly can be a trigger, I know this has been the case for me many times with my GAD. If you can keep yourself positive, you may stave off a possible spiral.

I'm glad that something helped. Its pretty simple once you understand the technique and you don't need much more than a tennis ball, a wall or your own hands to do most of it.