FS Misdiagnosis? Extensive joint and muscle pain outside the shoulder— feet, hands, knees, back

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hello-- I am suddenly going through the worst pain and lack of ability in my life and I'm wondering if I've been misdiagnosed or if I have an additional condition simultaneous with Frozen Shoulder. I would deeply appreciate any insight. I am about to get married and then have a baby and we are very concerned about this.

The short question:

My shoulder and arm symptoms and their progression seem to track with a frozen shoulder diagnosis very closely, however I also have:

  • extreme tightness in my back all the way to my upper butt that makes it difficult to move
  • extreme tightness in the bottoms of both of my feet
  • lots of tightness in the muscles between my thumbs and forefingers on both hands
  • periodic creaky tightness in my knees
  • periodic pain in both wrists
  • periodic pain and frailty in my right ankle
  • difficulty sleeping due to pain, discomfort and lack of mobility

All these symptoms are 100% new-- I never had them before and they've come on quickly within the last couple months or so.

--

The background, with possible other causes of symptoms, for anyone inclined:

I was in peak health, regularly surfing with professional surfers less than half my age, and holding my own. I've also had an advanced yoga practice for two decades and am (or was) extremely flexible, especially in my shoulders. I eat an extremely heathy diet and my normal feeling in my body has been like that of a 22 year old in peak health.

This has changed suddenly. On a several months break from surfing, while doing absolutely no exercise that would have worsened things, I suddenly experienced a tweak in my neck while walking to the car. My neck was stiff for a few days. I have no idea if that small event was linked to what happened later, but within a few weeks I started losing range of motion in my left (non-dominant) shoulder, and concurrently experiencing lots of pain and stiffness in my back. Then I experienced tingling in my left fingers, then extreme shooting pain in my left shoulder, arm and hand.

I've been sleeping on some uncomfortable camping pads but I don't think that explains everything.

Midway in this journey i found an engorged tick on my body and ripped it out leaving its head in my body. I had a rash in a different location weeks later but it looked like poison oak (not Lyme rash with a red ring).

The pain in the shoulder was mind-melting but has abated somewhat as doctors said. Now I'm left with a painful, nearly immobile left shoulder/arm and lots of the other pains (back and joints) that I can't explain.

If you any insight I would be enormously grateful. Thank you so much.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    That sounds like a very tough time you are having. Did they look into Lymes disease?.as a lot of what you are saying symptom wise sounds like it. neck stiffness being one of the first symptoms. Did you ever get the head of the tick out?.

    not to scare you but another thing that springs to mind is MS.I have a friend with MS that had a lot of what you wrote, I think you can only get diagnosed through neurological tests and a spinal tap.

    I hope you get answers soon and can get back to a pain free life really soon.

    • Posted

      thanks a lot Piper

      i did not get the head of the tick out

  • Edited

    hi joe

    .

    knocks you doesnt it, kinda brings you down to earth with a bump.

    .

    i was a very active carpenter always running around, now i feel very mortal.

    .

    wow you are suffering all over. as piper said get checked for all the other stuff with the bite.

    .

    you can get an MRI and the ortho can see the thickness of the capsule at a give away point at the bottom, i had an MRI early this year and it still showed up with the radiographer as frozen ( past tense ).

    .

    even though its only ya shoulder it is very interconnected with just about every muscle group from your neck right down your back.

    .

    i used to and still do go to sport massage just to release all the groups of muscles at the end of each week.

    .

    you seem fit and young enough to have the stamina as you have a long path to tread

    .

    colin

    for piper

    .

    hi piper just leaving for the hospital got a 10.30 with the surgeon again. the way its fallen apart i think is the worst again as its only a 30 minuet slot to chat.

    .

    C

  • Posted

    I've been having very similar symptoms as you for about 4 months. How are you doing now?? I've had MRI's, EMG's, tons of bloodwork and everything comes back normal even though my body feels far from it!!

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