this is a longshot. I wanted to see if anybody experiences these symptoms with GCA or LVV.
I have shooting pains in my torso. I can’t tell where they originate, but they shoot into my back my chest and my jaws. My gastroenterologist doesn’t believe it has anything to do with my GI tract and associating it with GCA. There is no problem with my heart, as I have been to the cardiologist had an aortic et cetera.. the pain is excruciating and I have no idea what triggers it??
I have had shooting pains all over ever since PMR started but not what I could call excruciating. Some are almost certainly nerves being irritated by tight muscles and it can happen with myofascial pain syndrome which is is not unusual to occur alongside PMR. Where do you feel yours?
How long does it last.? Just shooting for seconds? Esophageal spasms are excruciating, but are not in the torso as far as I know and last longer. BUT they do cause massive pain in the chest, mid-back, and jaw..I get them, and they are awful..although not sure I'd describe them as shooting. I also get some like PRO mentioned, but like she said, they aren't not excruciating..
ok now that does go with my experience with the esophageal spasms...the good news is they are not dangerous, but by god is it painful. From all my research, most people go to the ER thinking heart attack the first time they have one. I almost did.
The only thing I have found to help me is to take sips of cold water every few seconds..works 90% of the time on me. Might have to do this for a while. I have to repeat it though sometimes an hour later if it comes back. There are drugs physicians can prescribe to take when one starts..my doc acted like they were no big deal. The other good news is they can go away for months, then come back.
I found some info blaming it on the prednisone, and I did not have them until I had been on high doses for 5 months. Then again, others get it without being on Pred..
yes I noticed that sometimes if I’d take a couple of big gulps of cold milk, it goes away so I’m assuming theosophical spasms… other times it doesn’t work so great, stretching out helps too.
Yes, sometimes it doesn't work very well. I am in a cycle of them right now. Oddly, stretching in bed seems to bring one on for me.
Well, sounds like that is what it is to me. Mine are less in severity now, over a year after my first one. I couldn't believe something could be that painful, yet when it was over- I felt fine, like it never happened. Very weird condition
How cold?
Just cold from the tap, is what I do..but I take a sip like every 5 seconds..usually I can almost immediately feel the spasm calm down. Once in a while though it doesn't work.
the cold water doesn’t work for me because the water bubbles back up but something thicker like milk works? 🤷♀️
I really don't know, but it might..the thicker liquid might help. When I do this (just last night), I can almost feel the water weight hitting it and the pain lessens, but it can go on for a while. I end up drinking so much liquid I end up in the bathroom pretty quickly..while till doing the sips. Lately my spasms have all been in the early morning while lying in bed still.
Mine are Triggered when I sit hunched over, like I drove to Virginia and the pain was excruciating going and coming.
My first one there was no trigger..but then the next month it was if I reached for something, that would trigger it. Last Thanksgiving had one of my worst ones (like thought I might pass out) on the drive home (3 hours) and we had to pull over while I tried the water thing...didn't work well and it lasted for hours. Yet an hour after getting home they were gone and I spoke on the phone and laughing with my friend like it never happened.
Yet no one has a diagnosis for what is causing the spasms.
I plan on trialing Omeprazle which I have avoided taking up to now after many years - for up to a month only, to see if it helps stop these annoying, uncomfortable and at times painful rolling spasms.
From what I recall reading during my research (lots of it), the medical establishment doesn't know exactly why they occur..just that that aren't dangerous. My own GP was really uninterested, since they aren't dangerous. There are a few drugs they can give us...nitroglycerine under the tongue at the start of one is one I will ask for if my get like they were last summer.
it's worth a shot, mine were/are extremely painful..but less than a year ago. Read my post below. From what I have found as I researched..they really don't know why they happen ..they list hot or cold food, but everyone I've spoken with online who gets them, says they cannot find any pattern or rhyme or reason. If you find anything that works, please let us know!
Also, my doc diagnosed it because it shot through to my back..almost like someone impaled me..that part has gone away and it's more just in my chest now when it happens, thank goodness
I had what I now know was oesophageal spasms. I got them about every 6 weeks for a few years, and felt it in my heart, upper back and, weirdly, my teeth! I mentioned it to both my Rheumy and my GP and neither were at all interested.
I have now been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia and put on esomeprazole and have not had another spasm since.
Negative 
Lupus and GCA/TA? 
Reducing Pred and sharp stabbing pains.
New member from New Zealand 
