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Throat Tingling, Tense Muscles, Tension Headache, Tingling Shoulder, Joint Cracking. Do I Have Anxiety Disorder?

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Posted on Wed, 10 Apr 2013
Question: I am wondering if I have anxiety disorder. I get tingling in my throat, my muscles are very tense almost feels like a pain/inflammation feeling. The thing with my symptoms is they bounce periodically, first I may have a tension headache, then it will be back/neck shoulder tingling that radiates down to my arms. It is weird, I get joint cracking and am constantly thinking about my symptoms to the point where I am getting very frustrated. When I go on a XXXXXXX vacation I can feel good, I dont think of the symptoms then they will jump back and magnify. My panic attack are not like typical ones, they are interalized, I can breath normally but sit in this pit of saddness where I just think think think about my symptoms.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (4 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I would be glad if you can answer few of my questions:
1) How long has it been so?
2) Have you ever been investigated for the same?
3) Any use of alcohol or smoking? if yes, how frequently?
Such information will be helpful in serving you better.
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Srikanth Reddy (10 hours later)
It all first started with tingling or chaffing feeling in my left side back, like underneath my arm. Then it seemed to move its way to my stomach. I started over emphasizing and obsessively thinking about my stomach. Which lead to doing a Barum swallow and a scope. Results came back negative, during this whole process I would have the muscle stiffness up my spine and a hardness of my throat. This is because I thought it was acid reflex coming up. The tingling has probably came in during the last month, my stomach issues are fine now, the pain in the side of my back is fine. Now it is extreme sensitivity, where i the slightest feeling of putting a shirt on sends, electric signals that seem to be popping along my back. In addition my joints are constantly cracking. As of last night the back of my head seems to be the most sensitive, to the point where I feel the tingling/warm sensation migrate to the frontal part of my head and seems to be relieved temporarly if i stretch my scalp or move the head off from the back of the pillow.

2) I am heading to my doctor today to ask for an MRI of the whole body to get some better results. In addition i'm still waiting for my appointment with a psychiatrist and going to ask for an appointment with a neurologist.

3) No use of alcohol or smoking what so ever, i have in the last 2 months smoked weed twice only.

Thanks alot, if there are any other tests you suggest I should ask my MD today please let me know.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (3 hours later)
Hello,
Thanks for your detailed responses.
From the description that you have given, your all symptoms taken all together doesn't fit into any kind of medical illness. Such symptoms can be explained by the presence of depression. As you have stated that both of your parents had depression, there is a high possibility that you might as well be having some sort of depression.

You can get an whole spine MRI,but then it may show some routine degenerative changes. If anything significant turns up, you should get treated for the same, but then it is very unlikely.

I think you will be benefit more with your psychiatry consultation. Although I understand that you are on cipralex, but then there are more better options available. Along with drugs, your psychiatrist may also offer you some talk therapy which will help you a lot. Meanwhile try some relaxing exercises and yoga to help with your symptoms.

Hope I am able to solve your concerns.
If you have any further concerns, I will be more than happy to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.

Kind regards,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Srikanth Reddy (16 minutes later)
Yes, I know I was against the medication but I seem like I am in this spiral of symptoms that are constantly changing from one moment to the next. I just obsessively think about things before I even do them and pysch myself up. I find it difficult to be at home and at work and find my best days are when I am out with people. The problem with speaking with someone is that in Ontario/Canada where I live it can take up to months to finally see someone. This in turn just adds to the illness where I find myself constantly focusing on my symptoms.

Just curious though, is headache tension, joint cracking and almost like muscle spasms /inflammation and tingling common with anxiety/depression? With other patients you have dealt with ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (1 hour later)
Hello,
Thanks for asking a clarification.
Yes, these symptoms are very commonly seen in anxiety and depression. It is some times called somatization disorder which is a part of the same rubric. I am an adult psychiatrists and deal will all kinds of depression, anxiety, psychosis, mood disorders, substance disorder and organic disorders. I frequently attend to depressive patients who present with such symptoms. Amitryptylin in low doses are very effective in such cases along with Jacobsons progressive muscle relaxation. I am sure your psychiatrist will help you with both of them.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy

Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Srikanth Reddy

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2770 Questions

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Throat Tingling, Tense Muscles, Tension Headache, Tingling Shoulder, Joint Cracking. Do I Have Anxiety Disorder?

Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I would be glad if you can answer few of my questions:
1) How long has it been so?
2) Have you ever been investigated for the same?
3) Any use of alcohol or smoking? if yes, how frequently?
Such information will be helpful in serving you better.
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.