Confused about MS, please help

03-17-2013, 01:58 PM

Hello, my name is Jan and I am happy to have found this board. I was hoping that you could offer some insight this situation that has plaqued me for 7 years with no diagnosis. I am now 44, at the age of 34 I decided to play softball. I played the position of pitcher for 3 summers before developing a tight spot in my left left (I landed on this leg when pitching the ball). I have been in and out of therapy, accupuncture, massage, strengthening always made it tighten up worse, massage seems to relieve it but the tender knot has always been there. I finally went to a Neurologist a month or so ago and he wanted MRI of my head, which at the time I cannot afford to do.

The only symptom I have ever had it a tight Iliotibial Band and trigger point in the side of my leg and some of the muscles. He gave me a shot of Botox and the trigger Point was gone, then 5 days later a new one popped up. There is spacity in the outside thigh muscle and occasionally in the hamstring. So I have had this tight muscle/IT Band for 7 years now and it has certainly put a damper on my life. Is it possible that I have MS and this is just the only symptom?? The Chiropractor says it's just a tight IT Band, the Neurologist is calling my condition Dystonia, can anyone offer any insight as to whether this might be MS? I worried about it but have no dizziness, eye issues, stumbling, numbness, tingling, and it's just this left leg. Thank you all so much for any help. Jan

03-17-2013, 02:25 PM

Welcome Jan,

Dystonia is where your muscles contract involuntarily — causing uncontrollable repetitive or twisting movements of the affected body part. Dystonia can be generalized (all over) or segmented (two or more adjacent areas of your body are affected). Medicine can be used for some and in others surgery is used to alleviate the problem by disabling a nerve or region of the brain causing the problem.

Dystonia would be separate from MS.

03-17-2013, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSJayhawk

Welcome Jan,

Dystonia is where your muscles contract involuntarily — causing uncontrollable repetitive or twisting movements of the affected body part. Dystonia can be generalized (all over) or segmented (two or more adjacent areas of your body are affected). Medicine can be used for some and in others surgery is used to alleviate the problem by disabling a nerve or region of the brain causing the problem.

Dystonia would be separate from MS.

Thank you for responding, I was under the impression that dystonia was a general term, maybe he was using it to describe the muscle tension, but possibly caused my MS. I guess I just worry that this might be MS, because the tension with no diagnosis. Do you think that after 7 years, I would have had SOME other symptom, if it were MS?

03-17-2013, 07:02 PM

Hi Jan. Im not sure how much you know about MS, but its not a muscle disease and what you are describing, isnt a symptom of MS....rest assured if you had MS by now, some of the more common symptoms would have reared their head....and you probably wouldnt be playing softball on a regular basis!

Im sorry to say that it does sound like Dystonia, and thats something that youll have to continue to work on with the therapist and your doctor...but happy to tell you, I think MS is the furthest possbility that you need to be concerned with...
Feel better.
Nikki

03-17-2013, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanntony

Thank you for responding, I was under the impression that dystonia was a general term, maybe he was using it to describe the muscle tension, but possibly caused my MS. I guess I just worry that this might be MS, because the tension with no diagnosis. Do you think that after 7 years, I would have had SOME other symptom, if it were MS?

There are those who have generalized dystonia which can indeed be disabling. After 7 years, you most likely would have had other symptoms. The repeated symptom would show that dystonia is what you are experiencing. MS, while it is not a muscle disease, it can cause muscle problems, but those problems are due to the frayed wiring of an MSer's CNS.

I would look at physical therapy and if there are any other therapies which you could get which would result in your being able to enjoy softball or other activities. Since yours appears to be segmented rather than generalized, I think (my non-medical opinion) that you are in a good position to deal with this problem. IF your dystonia is related to a specific nerve, a neurosurgeon would be in the best position to help you.

03-19-2013, 01:18 PM

The only way my neurologist was able to confirm my multiple scelerosis was with a spinal tap. However, your symptoms do not relate to my knowlege of MS. Good Luck!

Confused about MS, please help

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