Muscle pain, spasms, lightheaded, unable to concentrate, etc.

Hi, @aayre, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sounds like you are facing a number of symptoms at once, like muscle pain, itching, spasms, lightheadedness, herniated disc and narrowing of the spinal canal, difficulty concentrating and more. With the variety of symptoms you mentioned, I'd like to invite a few members who may have some thoughts either on the distinct symptoms and conditions, or on the whole.

Please meet @johnbishop @lioness @gailb @airsleeper @kdo0827. I am hoping they may have some input for you on what may be going on.

@aayre - If I understand correctly, you are trying to figure out some direction for what diagnosis might encompass all these symptoms you are mentioning, and then seek appropriate care?

Hi. I had a TBI and continue to adapt. First thought is medications, nutrition after child birth/lifestyle, concussion(s) they can be cumulative! My brain miswired and locked into fight/flight response which is a constant stress on the physique and matches several of your symptoms. Some of my meds are blood thinners to increase flow to my brain to 'flush' it with oxygen and keep the fatigue at bay. God Bless

Hi @aayre, I would like to welcome you to Connect along with @lisalucier. I know it must be hard trying to handle so many health problems and be a mother of a 2 year old at the same time. I'm hoping someone will be able to relate to your symptoms and offer some suggestions. I’m not sure if it is an option for you but if it is, the Mayo Clinic is very good at diagnosing health issues that are difficult to diagnose. If you would like to seek help from Mayo Clinic, you can contact one of their appointment offices. The contact information for Minnesota, Arizona and Florida can be found here:

Mayo Clinic Contact Information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/appointments

I did find some information that may be helpful on Hoffman's sign. What does a positive or negative Hoffman sign mean?
-- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322106.php

John

@aayre Hello and welcome. I can comment on some of the symptoms you are describing as I had them too and they were related to spinal cervical stenosis for me. I had an injury at C5 C6 with a disc osteophyte complex pressing into my spinal cord. For awhile, symptoms came and went and changed places where it hurt in my body and caused muscle spasms. At that time, there still was fluid space around my spinal cord, but in time, the bone spurs closed in until there was no space. Then when I bent my neck, I could send an electric bolt shock down my body. Spinal cord compression in the neck can cause pain anywhere in your body which is called funicular or referred pain. I had pain everywhere in my body in my legs and feet too and plantar fascitis. My first symptom was pain like a dog biting my ankle and I could turn that on or off by turning my head. There is no test for this and it confuses a lot of surgeons. For me that was 5 surgeons who would not help me until I came to Mayo. I had spine surgery 2 years ago and it fixed all those symptoms I had. What also happens is that muscle spasms can move the curve (usually straightening it) in your neck and it can put pressure on the area of stenosis effectively making the spinal canal smaller and causing things to get worse. I was working with a physical therapist who would realign my neck vertebrae and make it better until spasms moved my neck again. You can also have stenosis at the nerve roots which cause very specific symptoms where those nerves go in the body. You may have a congenital small canal space since you are so young and have this. I had a whiplash injury and the disc collapsed 20 years later. That causes inflammation, and then bone spurs grow trying to stabilize things. It took me 3 years from the time of my first symptoms until I found a surgeon at Mayo who knew about this and helped me. If you are considering coming to Mayo in Rochester, I could give you a recommendation to see him and his information. You can request that he review your spine imaging and there is no charge for that until you become a patient and have an appointment for and evaluation. You can also see him in the Just Want to Talk Group under the Art for Healing discussion (first page of oldest posts). It's a good story if you're interested.

Here is a case study http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3111492/reload=0

@aayre Hi this is Lioness you have so many symptoms that I think you need to see your Dr.he could be the one to send you to the right specialists With back problems a Orthopedic or Neurosurgeon ,for lightheadedness a Ear ,nose throat Dr so its hard to figure out what it might be I suggest you go to your Dr.and tell him of your symptoms..Once you know what it is there are alot of items you can use at home.Let us know This is a great group her you can find things that help others for different problems.Good luck