Electrical shocks throughout my body.
Hello. I’m not sure if anyone knows what I am talking about but I am hoping that someone does because I am beginning to feel crazy. Every day, I have an electrical sensation feeling throughout my entire body. The only way I can describe it to people is that it feels like I am being shocked by a light switch throughout my entire body. It is very painful, however only lasts from around 5-20 minutes, 1-5 times a day. It’s starting to scare me because my doctor looked at me like I was crazy, and my nurses chuckled when they heard my symptoms. I am going to a neurologist but they cannot fit me in for another month. It’s very painful for me and it has started to come with a red, splotchy rash from my neck down to my legs. If anyone has any idea what this could be and what I can do to surprise the pain, I would really appreciate the advice. And also if anyone else deals with this please tell me because I really am starting to think I am crazy. Thank you!
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@gardeningjunkie What a powerful story! Good for you! I also figured out 20 years ago how to change my diet to reduce inflammation, and I also gave up gluten and sugar. I have a lot of other food allergies because of a leaky gut before I figured out the gluten connection. I don't think about will power anymore because feeling good is wonderful, and returning to bad choices would have too many consequences. I did also have a neck injury that 20 years later required surgery after a disc ruptured and grew bone spurs into my spinal cord. Since you have removed the prior sources of pain, it will be easier for you to monitor any changes to your spine due to aging. The discs dry out a bit, and any cracks in them can open up weakening a damaged disc. That is what happened with me, and the disc ruptured with twisting just by turning my head. The choices we make are everything, and in reducing inflammation, you have a better future. A lot of what people think of as aging is actually inflammation affecting the body. We can change a lot of that with our choices.
Good validation of how dietary changes can help some of us. I was warned at age 16 of arthritis, headaches and other issues resulting from neck injury beginning in middle age. For the last 20 years have had noticeable limited neck mobility; can't turn head further than the front of my shoulder. Yet I can compensate by turning my body. No one notices. A bit noisy , but lucky me it doesn't hurt. Your injury is more severe. At age 16 I was told that by middle age I would have arthritis and headaches as a result, but so far no headaches and the arthritis in my neck is a non issue compared to other areas of my body.
My goal now in life is to figure out how to live as pain free as possible and I have had a major turn around in the last year as a result of blogging on this site and another. Doctors only offer standard treatments which fail many of us.
You are right about helping ourselves by choosing to. You were motivated to sacrifice yummy foods and staying true to that for 20 years is inspiring. Pain is a powerful motivator in giving us the resolve to deny ourselves temporary pleasures like a bowl of ice cream. The brain washing jingle I made up and repeated over and over in the beginning so I could walk away from the candy or cookie jar was, "When will you learn, it's going to make you burn." No need to do that now as the craving is over, my brain no longer sends me signals demanding sweets.
Have you been tested for Lymes Disease? I hope you find answers
Hi my name is Gary and I go through this on a daily basis as well.. I'm not knowing what to say or what to do either because people think I'm crazy to. Couldn't believe I ran across this and someone else is actually going through the same thing. Just curious was u able to find out what it was that's causing it? KidWithShocks @braedenl2202
Hello @beats and @garywurtz990, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Have you considered tracking when these shocks happen. Perhaps make a chart for and take note of certain factors consistent, for example:
– Time of day
– Intensity of pain – use of scale of 1-5
– Activity (sport, light activity like walking, at rest, sleeping)
– Mood (happy, sad, anxious/nervous, worried/concerned, excited)
Perhaps you will see patterns emerge over time, or when you talk with a medical expert, you have something to show.
Would you add anything to this list?
Hi Gary- I’m glad I saw your response.
After spending thousands and thousands of dollars on testing for these reactions that I thought were connected to the nervous system, I found out that’s more the case. They figured out I have a rare disease, something called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. A strange activation of mast cells, which are the cells that cause allergic reactions, throughout the day. There was a mixture of pills they had me take to keep the reactions under control. Gabapentin for the nerve pain, and the anti-histamines Doxepin, Ceterizine and Famotidine. I barely have issues at all anymore after taking these. Our situations could be completely different but don’t lose hope.
@garywurtz990 Nerve compressions cause electric shocks, and also issues like spinal cord compression that a person can have without knowing it. You may want to see a neurologist who can do some detective work on the source of your symptoms. There can be other diseases too like MS causing neurological symptoms. If your electric shocks are always in the same place, it may be a particular nerve. If they are random, it can be a disease or spinal cord problem because the cord floats in fluid in the spinal canal and may randomly contact the bone around it if there is arthritis in the spine. You can scroll for earlier comments I made about my all over body electric shocks caused by a compressed spinal cord.
I have a question. My doctor diagnosed me with neuropathy and sometimes the pain is manageable, but today, it feels like a "hot" electric wire going from my low back at the beginning, and then down both legs on the outside of the leg through the knees and to the top of my feet. Not exactly like sciatica's path though. Is this the way it is for you all? It is not like an electric shock exactly, which I have had after various surgeries; it is like a a charged hot wire.
It immobilizes me for the day and then the next day it is not as crippling, more like an ache.
Mary, don't die wondering. Organize an appointment with the best Neurologist , and after extensjive tests you willwhat the problem is. . Take action today, and good luck. Today not tomorrow. You must establish the facts,and then action can be taken. I had a similar problem in my 70's, leading to a surgery on my spine. 5 days in hospital, back in the gym in 30 days, and no pain since.
I wondered about that. My doctor only sent me to a rheumatologist. I thought a a PPO plan meant you don't need a referral though. I will check with insurance and then will follow up when I can. Problem is that my husband is very sick and our kids are all over the country. I have trouble finding time to take care of myself right now.