I'm not sure what exactly to call it, but I've been having a sort of muscle spasm in my upper leg/hip for a few months now. It's not constant, but a few times a day I'll notice it. The first time it happened, I thought it was my cell phone vibrating. I usually carried it around in my pocket since I don't carry a purse. But at the time I wasn't carrying it with me. I usaully have that feeling on my left leg or the right side of my hip. It's almost like the muscle in my leg or my hip bone is vibrating steadily for a minute or two. Also, and this problem precedes that one by a few years, I've noticed that I am very sensitive to touch sometimes. Again, it's usually in my legs, but sometimes my arms and back. I can brush against something and it feels like I was punched and the muscle is being twisted. On the rare occassion that my husband is nice enough to give me a back rub {:-)} it really hurts. I tell him he's rubbing my back and shoulders too hard, but he says he's hardly doing anything. I don't have a doctor anymore, and my insurance doesn't cover much in regards to office visits anyhow, so I can't go see a doctor and get medical advice right now. I was just wondering if anyone else had ever experienced anything similar to that before, and what was causing it all. Thnks in advance for any help!
I have a friend who had something similar and after a year of tests he found out it was a response to a medication he was taking. Went off the medication and the symptoms went away.
I get these twitches all over my body all the time. They aren't really painful at all. But they move so much I can see them moving. In fact, I get them strong enough in my belly that it feels like being pregnant. I really hate that. It makes me miss having a baby inside me so much. :(
I never thought to ask a doctor. I figured it was just normal.
Suzi
I haven't gone the route of a chiropractor yet (although I've been told to...always held my breath hoping insurance would help cover that). A really good massuese or even an acupressurist could also help out. My guess is it is probably a pinched nerve of some sort. In the meantime, I would take either some Ibuprofen or Alleve and sit with a heating pad (or those beans in a bag that you heat in the microwave) on it as much as possible.
Lots of ideas went through my mind when I read your question but since I am not a doctor, and I don't want to scare you, I won't tell you what those were. I just have one suggestion. I think the chiropractor is a good idea but I know they can be pricy. If it gets to the point where you think you need to see a doctor, find a DO in your area instead of an MD. DO's are specially trained in more hands on kinds of treatments like a chiroprator but are covered under insurance like an MD. My dad has been going to a DO for years. At one point, he was told that most doctors would recommend surgery for a problem that he had but his DO did some adjustments and suggested a few exercises first and he was cured with surgery. Just a suggestion. Good luck figuring it out.
Sounds like a nerve is being irritated. (both in the low back hence the leg symptoms and the neck which gives rise to the neck/shoulder/ back tenderness).
When a nerve is aggravated (whether by injury, pressure from a disc, muscle spasm pressing on it, narrowing due to arthritis, etc.) you can get pain, strange feelings (parasthesias), spasms, "trigger points" where muscles get very tender and "knotted" up, numbness, tingling, and hypersensitivity.
One thing you might want to try is using an ice pack on the low back and area of spasm and avoiding heat on it for now (which can aggravate the nerve). Gentle stretching, low back and hip rehab exercises can be great and you can find them online. If you tolerate them ok and have no contraindications (like high BP, ulcers, GERD, etc.) you can try using an anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen or naproxen) daily for a week or so to see if it gives you relief. (This isn't to be taken as "medical advice" and if it's not improving, be sure to see a clinician.)
Good luck feeling better!
Jenn,
I have had almost your same symptoms, at times it got so bad I was doubled over in pain. I went to the dr. who didn't have a clue what was going on except that it was something with my sciatic nerve. They tried shots, all sorts of pain meds, muscle relaxers, sent me to a neurologist, did a mri, and after paying tons of money...still had no answer for me. The only one who ended up helping me was my chiropractor...and he was a life saver. He said it was muscle spasms and that my muscle was contracting around my nerve and not letting go...it took about 3 months of going to see him twice a day, three times a week. (He was so great he didn't even charge me). I still get the problem every now and then but nothing like it was.
He isn't a "normal" chiropractor...he uses the activator method. (doing a search of activator method chiropractic will give you some ideas about it) I would compare it more to acupuncture then the twisting and bending types of chiropractors. I swear sometimes the man is a "quack" but it is amazing how much he has helped me.
I know chiropractors can get to be expensive, he is $40 a visit without insurance and they take most insurances, and it can be any where from $10 to 35 with insurance. But they don't charge you if they don't have to do any adjustments to you...which is nice. I hope something i've offered can help you, I know what youre going through and can understand that at some points you just want to rip your leg off...at least I sure felt that way a lot!
Let me know if you would like to know any more.
