Focal dystonia... How did it start for you?

[Five or Six]

Yes, you have to eat! Lack of practice and a lack of water will cause problems. If you are doing caffeine before a gig that doesn't help either.

 

[jdjk7]

That sounds perfectly reasonable.

The folks I know who got it were putting in 40 hours a week, or more, for years.

See, that's valuable info. I don't think I've ever been at it that hard... maybe for a couple of years during high school, back when I didn't have anything better to do, but certainly not for a sustained period.

Focal dystonia is, by definition, limited to a particular area of your body. If it were occurring in both your hands and legs it would just be dystonia, and almost certainly a sign of some more serious underlying neurological condition. Unless you have other mystery symptoms, I wouldn’t worry about it.

That was actually my point... :') I was not suggesting that my leg cramps were also a symptom of some type of dystonia, but rather that it all is probably some more mundane issue.

Yes, its not about just drinking fluids all day. That helps, but you need some food as well. I learned that they hard way. I've dehydrated to the point of almost having a stroke three times. Doc says after it happens once or twice, you are more prone that others to have it happen again. I don't if he means that in a biological way or if he was hinting that I am stupid. In fairness, it was different each time. First time was playing industrial league softball all day once in my 20's and drinking maybe a half bottle of Gatorade. Dumb. Second time was due to a wicket intestinal illness and I just couldn't eat or drink. Third time was dumb once again. Summer outdoor gig and though I knew it would be hot, I didn't think it would be that hot since it was October and I had also been taking medicine for a cold all week. That dehydrates you as well. Another dumb by me. The one thing in common with all three instances was I did not eat much if any food before it happened.

Yeah... I try to be good about my water intake, and I usually do eat, it just happened to be that day I hadn't eaten much.

It could be a magnesium deficiency. I’m being serious. My hands used to cramp up all the time. My doc it has less to do with hydration and more to do with a magnesium deficiency. Do some research on it.

You know, I mentioned the whole thing to my mother, and the first thing I heard over the phone was the rattle of her magnesium supplements. I had never thought of it before only because my existing cramp problem was not that big or frequent. Maybe there's something to that.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

See, that's valuable info. I don't think I've ever been at it that hard... maybe for a couple of years during high school, back when I didn't have anything better to do, but certainly not for a sustained period.


That was actually my point... :') I was not suggesting that my leg cramps were also a symptom of some type of dystonia, but rather that it all is probably some more mundane issue.



Yeah... I try to be good about my water intake, and I usually do eat, it just happened to be that day I hadn't eaten much.


You know, I mentioned the whole thing to my mother, and the first thing I heard over the phone was the rattle of her magnesium supplements. I had never thought of it before only because my existing cramp problem was not that big or frequent. Maybe there's something to that.

Magnesium (Mg) and Potassium are wonderful supplements. Most people are a bit low on the daily dose.

Caveat Mg can give you the runs if you overdose it. Choose a form that is kinder to your schedule, like: Bis-glycinate, L-threonate.

This article lists a few combos and their effect.

 

[mightypog]

Last night I had a 90 minute set and my feet and calves cramped through the whole thing. That was manageable by keeping moving. I'm the band front, so I had to do that anyway. Then, last song, my two picking fingers on my right hand seized. Every time I tried to use them the cramp went all the way up my wrist. I finished the tune picking with my ring finger. I've been playing 40 years. I get cramping in my feet a lot but never in my hands. Freaked me out. I haven't been eating much. I wasn't dehydrated, though. I drank a lake of Gatorade. Bumping this thread to see what I can learn.