Like restless leg syndrome, but in shoulders. Now what?
April 12, 2019 5:32 PM Subscribe
Like it says in the title. The symptoms I experience mimic exactly those I have read about RLS, except this isn't in my legs.
I get achy, dull cramp plus an almost ticking sensation in my shoulders that wake me up or that starts up as I get quiet in bed and then keeps me from consistent sleep. I start to fall asleep and NOPE! Need to flex/pop shoulders NOW. And again 5 minutes later. And again maybe 2 hours after that. It can go on for quite a while.
I MUST stretch or flex them, there's no NOT doing it. Like RLS, or cracking your knuckles, but with my shoulders. Also, I've had a version of this since my teens, but it goes away for long stretches (weeks or months), and isn't ever so disruptive that I remember to mention it to my doc.
It's worse when I've been working out (think easy resistance training or machine rowing for mere minutes), but also just because. I sit at a desk all day, and my work outs are gentle, so I'm not muscle sore in "wow, I worked out hard!" way.
You are not my doctor, but maybe you get something like this. Next time I see my doc, I *will* ask. Meanwhile, is This a Thing of Which You Have Heard? If it's from general tension, would OTC magnesium (I take some, not a lot) or iron or potassium be the things people might suggest for this?
I get achy, dull cramp plus an almost ticking sensation in my shoulders that wake me up or that starts up as I get quiet in bed and then keeps me from consistent sleep. I start to fall asleep and NOPE! Need to flex/pop shoulders NOW. And again 5 minutes later. And again maybe 2 hours after that. It can go on for quite a while.
I MUST stretch or flex them, there's no NOT doing it. Like RLS, or cracking your knuckles, but with my shoulders. Also, I've had a version of this since my teens, but it goes away for long stretches (weeks or months), and isn't ever so disruptive that I remember to mention it to my doc.
It's worse when I've been working out (think easy resistance training or machine rowing for mere minutes), but also just because. I sit at a desk all day, and my work outs are gentle, so I'm not muscle sore in "wow, I worked out hard!" way.
You are not my doctor, but maybe you get something like this. Next time I see my doc, I *will* ask. Meanwhile, is This a Thing of Which You Have Heard? If it's from general tension, would OTC magnesium (I take some, not a lot) or iron or potassium be the things people might suggest for this?
Best answer: I have RLS and I get the very same achy shoulder thing in addition to the typical twitchy legs and arms and generally feeling lightly electrified. Stretches, hot showers, and avoidance of dairy/carbs/sugar after 4-5 pm seemed to lessen the shoulder effect somewhat, but eventually I had to begin prescription ropinirole.
Fwiw, my RLS is related to kidney disease, which makes everything into a bit of a funhouse mirror compared to healthy people. My magnesium is super high, but my iron saturation and ferritin are so low that we have started iron infusions. I'm hoping that helps a bit. I've read that RLS is related to dopamine stimulation and low iron/ferritin can adversely affect that. I've heard good things about upping potassium but my potassium is fine so ymmv. Does eating an orange or a banana seem to help?
posted by mochapickle at 7:40 PM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
Fwiw, my RLS is related to kidney disease, which makes everything into a bit of a funhouse mirror compared to healthy people. My magnesium is super high, but my iron saturation and ferritin are so low that we have started iron infusions. I'm hoping that helps a bit. I've read that RLS is related to dopamine stimulation and low iron/ferritin can adversely affect that. I've heard good things about upping potassium but my potassium is fine so ymmv. Does eating an orange or a banana seem to help?
posted by mochapickle at 7:40 PM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: In the literature
I'm not an MD, but seems like similar course of treatment as to what would have been applied for a similar case in legs (although the comorbidities complicated it a bit).
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:41 PM on April 12, 2019
I'm not an MD, but seems like similar course of treatment as to what would have been applied for a similar case in legs (although the comorbidities complicated it a bit).
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:41 PM on April 12, 2019
Best answer: This has been a godsend for me. It's just straight magnesium citrate, but it does the trick within 20 minutes or so and I'm out cold for a few to several hours. No drug hangover or fogginess at all. I recommend reading the reviews first, there is a slight effect on my bms if I take it daily so I try to not take it every night, but on nights when my legs are just too achey to exist it does the trick ( I have RLS in conunction with pretty bad OA in the knees).
posted by newpotato at 4:18 AM on April 13, 2019
posted by newpotato at 4:18 AM on April 13, 2019
Best answer: Nthing magnesium. It also sounds like you might have a pinched nerve in your neck? I had those same symptoms for years (it started in my teens) until I started going to a chiropractor who was able to correct it. This involved exercises, not just adjustments. Even today if I get too stressed (I hold tension in my neck and shoulders) or slack on my daily stretching it will come back until I get an adjustment or two. This happens maybe once a year tho.
I know chiro is not everyone's cup of tea but thought I'd throw that out there.
posted by ananci at 6:02 PM on April 13, 2019
I know chiro is not everyone's cup of tea but thought I'd throw that out there.
posted by ananci at 6:02 PM on April 13, 2019
Best answer: I have RLS, and my ferritin was low. Taking an iron supplement has basically completely eliminated my symptoms. I should note that another med I am taking may also be alleviating some of the symptoms. However, when the dr. checked and my ferritin was back to normal, she said I could stop taking the iron supplement. I did, and the symptoms restarted, so I started taking iron again and no more restless legs. I am not a medical doctor/I am not your doctor/this is not medical advice.
posted by freezer cake at 12:58 PM on April 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by freezer cake at 12:58 PM on April 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
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The only thing you’ve described that would be a bit odd for RLS is your symptoms getting worse after mild exercise since that’s something that many people find eases their symptoms.
posted by Secret Sparrow at 7:27 PM on April 12, 2019 [2 favorites]