Daily random shocks throughout body

Posted by kimabooker @kimabooker, Dec 29, 2016

Hoping someone can give us suggestions of things for us to test for. I posted this in the kids and teen section but I don't believe this happens to just kids.

Two of my kids, one boy age 15, one girl age 11 get random shocks in their bodies everyday. The shocks go straight through their body from front to back. It does NOT run along a nerve. There can be just one or up to about 10 in a row. It can be so painful it makes them moan out load in pain or ones they barely feel. They last for just a second or two. The shocks happen everywhere on their bodies, mostly on their chest and rarely on the head.
My oldest son has seen a Cardiologist and a Neurologist where he had tons of tests done showing absolutely nothing. He had a MRI of the Brain, EEG, MRI of the Spine and EMG on the arm and leg. All of his blood work came back normal except the TSH said slight elevation of 5.69. But he retested and it came back normal. The following are some of the tests that he did:
A & A, CBC blood count, CMP, Full Rate Count, Heavy Metal Screen, Lyme disease, Magnesium RA Factor, SED Rate, T3 total, T4 Free, T4 Total, TSH and Vitamin B12.
The only thing that I can see that these two children have in common that my other five do not have, is that they both often got motion sickness but we have pretty much stopped that with Peppermint oil. They also both get light headed and have small headaches etc. when the exert themselves in sports. (They are very competitive and always give more than 100%...saying that so you understand that they are really pushing themselves when they get light headed) If anybody knows of some things we can look into as to what this could be I would greatly appreciate it. I think the thing that seems to be different, is that the shocks again, always go from the front of their body straight out their backside.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

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Dawn, Alumni Mentor | @dawn_giacabazi | Dec 29, 2016

Hi @kimabooker. From experience it sounds like a few things but really depends on what they are doing at the time of the episodes and how often, do they notice specific triggers. Definitely need to document trends. Here are a few possibilities. You noted they both play sports. Could also be a result of injuries.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myoclonus/symptoms-causes/dxc-20166172
Might consider a second opinion at your nearest Mayo clinic facility.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/appointments
Thanks
Dawn

kimabooker | @kimabooker | Dec 29, 2016

In reply to @dawn_giacabazi "Hi @kimabooker. From experience it sounds like a few things but really depends on what they..." + (show)

Thank you. The shocks happen randomly throughout the day. We have periodically tracked when the shocks happen and there just seems to be no rhyme or reason. We have noticed that when they lay down or sit and rest that it seems the most noticible but that could be just because they are in a more relaxed state so it may seem worse.
It's definitely not from injury because they both have always had them. They thought everyone had them and it was normal. It wasn't until my son was over 10 when he said something to me and I was like what are you talking about...people don't get shocks everyday. Looking back it makes sense because I would see them jerk or get a strange look on their face and now I know it was them getting shocks even as early as 4 yrs old.

Dawn, Alumni Mentor | @dawn_giacabazi | Dec 29, 2016

In reply to @dawn_giacabazi "Hi @kimabooker. From experience it sounds like a few things but really depends on what they..." + (show)

Wow, how scary. I feel sad for them. Definitely needs special attention. Something is wrong for sure but could be injuries during birth. Keep searching It is not normal and could cause more complications as they grow.

Keeping them in my prayers
Dawn

Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Dec 30, 2016

Hi Kim,
I add my welcome to Dawn's. While we, as a patient community, can't diagnose, I'd like to tag some other members who might have some suggestions. I realize that we're grasping at straws to find a needle in a haystack, but it's worth a try.
- @magg talks about electric-like shocks related to neuropathy
- @werock writes about electrical shocks throughout the body as a result of cervical neck instability
- In this older discussion, people talk about "Electric Shock" type pain http://mayocl.in/2hzywRU

I agree with Dawn's suggestion of diligently tracking when these shocks happen. Perhaps make a chart for your children so that it's not too laborious 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?

kimabooker | @kimabooker | Dec 30, 2016

Thank you. Anything you can throw at me is very much appreciated. I am not thinking I'll get a diagnosis but hoping someone will suggest looking into something we haven't look at yet. Surely there is someone out there that will recognize this kind of shock from something they have seen or heard.
We actually have tracked the shocks, and the doctors and I really couldn't conclude much from it. One of the times we tracked them was the last two weeks of soccer and wrestling season and then no sports for two weeks. ( I made them not run but walk slowly for one week doing nothing not even chores.) There was no difference from when they were in sports, when they were not in sports and the week they did not exert ANY effort in anything. The time of day varied on all days. They don't wake up from them so they are not sure if they are getting them at night. And actually, I need to go back and look at the heart monitor results for my son because I can't recall if it said he had any while sleeping or not. As I said we did notice that they said they seemed a bit more intense when they are sitting or laying down but my thought is that it could just be because their bodies are in a relaxed state. They both say that the closer to the heart the more painful it is and the longer it is, the more painful. But normally they are very quick a more often it's 1-2 quick zaps.
I did look at that post but it didn't seem to fit. My daughter has never had one in her head and my son has only had a couple in his head a couple years ago. Mostly chest, some arms and one in the leg every once in awhile.
Again anything is appreciated. I'll gladly reasearch any and all to see if it matches their symptoms.

kimabooker | @kimabooker | Dec 30, 2016

Also for my 15 yr old the shocks have increased slightly over the years. Averaginging about 20 shocks a day. He also said that he's denying getting the shocks if it will interfere with wrestling... (ugh)
My daughter said about 5-7 a day.
Both say if they are small shocks it's more a day but if they are longer in time then it's less shocks.

Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | Dec 31, 2016

@kimabooker, I notice that 12 hours ago you mentioned "heart monitor" for the first time in this discussion. Just to make sure that we understand, was that a 24-hour or 48-hour heart monitor with electronic printouts? If so, was it repeated? Have the children had one-day or two-day blood pressure monitors? Have they been treated with any supplements advertised as "'alkalizing" treatments? Or AL-chelating treatments? Both of which might generate low-power electrical voltages that might be amplified when sensed by the nervous system.

kimabooker | @kimabooker | Dec 31, 2016

Yes, he wore a heart monitor for 5 days and it was to see if the shocks affected his heart. He wore it at home during his regular routine, luckily the shocks did not do anything to his heart. We have not repeated this or any of the above tests.
Their blood pressure has only been taken when they have dr appointments and it's always been fine. Is that what you mean or is there another type of blood pressure test that your referring too? I do not believe we have done anything concerning al-chelating. Unless one of the above tests that I stated earlier tested for it. I will look into that.

Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | Dec 31, 2016

Thanks, @kimabooker. Both the heart monitor and the blood pressure monitor I have used were attached for either 24 or 48 hours and recorded any stimuli throughout the time they were monitoring. Doctors were looking mainly for pulses affecting either my heart beat or my blood pressure. I recorded information about unusual events I detected -- when they occurred, where they impacted my body, and what they felt like -- and the doctor compared those notes with the printouts called out of the monitors when I returned them for analysis of results. The heart monitor was prescribed by a cardiologist; the blood pressure monitor by a nephrologist who was diagnosing the cause of hypertension. In this latter case, I also was examined and tested extensively by an endocrinologist whose work with hormones was important to understanding my problem (a genetic syndrome affecting my kidneys and causing high blood pressure). The heart diagnosis came later after an electrocardiogram suggested atrial fibrillation had cropped up in my heart.

None of my symptoms seemed to me to be like electric shock. Years earlier, in my physically active youth (I swam, ran, wrestled, hiked, climbed cliffs) I had something like that from tendons seizing a muscle in my arm or leg, then releasing it with a snap. These were essentially sports injuries, although I didn't seek treatment from a physician treating sporting injuries. I hope you will be able to pester doctor after doctor until you find one that comprehends what might be going on with your kids.