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George W Campbell <[log in to unmask]> wrote: <<You can learn something every day. As a piano tuner I had blamed my shoulder troubles on excessive use and old age(49-2). Three years ago, before I was diagnosed with Parkinsons, I had a shoulder flair up that lasted six weeks. There was intense pain and extreme loss of motion. Ever since, I have had to favor that shoulder or suffer the consequences. The first tremors that I could not ignore started after that episode. I have noticed that it takes much longer to recover from a hard day`s work than it use to. Sore muscles that use to recover with eight hours rest can take as much as two days now. I should be much more careful to pace myself. I havn`t learned this lesson yet. I`m fortunate to still be able to work hard, at least some.>>>>>> similar to this, I had intense pain in upper back muscles long before diagnosed with PD - the occasion was driving with air conditioner cooling too much and extra tension with the expensive car. The relief from cortizone shot to allow sleep was not complete, but the first dose of muscle relaxant felt like the world got off my back. Barb Brock [log in to unmask] wrote: <<<<<Their conclusion was dystonia and he has been placed on Sinemet, though he is not yet up to a therapeutic dose, so has not been able to see any appreciable results in the short time (now 4 days) that he has been on it (25/100 two times daily and next week 25/100 three times daily). Naturally, he's terrified that this may happen again and is not convinced that it was not vascular though he's been assured that it isn't. Would appreciate your input. You may write me at the following address: [log in to unmask] or send it via return mail to the listserv.>>>>> Apparently your husband was not taking Sinemet for PD prior to the episode of dystonia. You state that he is not yet up to a therapeutic dose. Perhaps not, but many are helped by less. What appreciable results could occur - other than "having no episode" which is implied has been the case since he started taking the levodopa? Perhaps the key word in your message is "terrified". Anxiety does often release epineprine with "fight or flight" making strength greater and if the dystonia tension lasts long enough - with muscle spasm/twisting duration causing some tearing tendons or muscle fibers with the intense pain, it is bad time. It is worse if panic attack (implied by "he is not yet convinced it was not vascular". Perhaps he did not mention any pain in the chest - but felt some and had conscious concern that stroke or heart attack was happening - AND nobody was there to help! Lying down is beneficial to my dystonia - which is mostly foot and calf. I attribute neutralizing gravity helps restore blood pressure in cranium. "Standing on head/shoulders" hand-stand, Mr. Belvedere pose, or yoga "candle" or lying on shoulders with legs up and torso held up by hands with elbows on mat and doing "bicycle pedaling" upside down help get rid of the dystonia. There is also the lack of feedback sensing too much stress/strain on muscles when I do too much or too hard of work/exercise without being as healthy/young/warmed-up as needed. The recovery period is longer with PD. best wishes to all. -- ron 1936, dz PD 1984 Ridgecrest, California Ronald F. Vetter <[log in to unmask]> http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter