diaphragm spasms

[EmilieF]

I'm looking for help/info on a diaphragm spasm--one that starts at my back at the ribs and quickly progresses to a completely spastic diaphragm; it cuts off my breathing, is very painful, and needless to say, scares me (not to mention my husband) out of my wits.  A blue face is just not my color.  Has anyone heard of anything like this?  Being tired and cold will definitely set it off.

[KLKP1]

I have the same disorder you are describing. It started when I was a teen and they diagnosed it then as Spastic Colities.  For me, stress seems to bring it on and it seems to be more a spasm of my diaphragm than my colon.  I feel like I have a big rope tied around my middle just below where the bottom of my bra would run.  The tightness starts in my back area under my ribs and then when it gets really bad the pain travels around front, it becomes hard to breath with a lot of pain in my chest.  Makes me think I am having a heart attack.  Then the more frightened I get from pain, the worse it gets.  When my husband was living, he would just talk to me real calmly and then hold me. As I centered on his voice it would start to release.  Now I lay down and try to focus on calming thoughts.  I have had heart tests done and I don't have heart disease. But I also don't think it is my colon in spasim either. Seems more like my diaphragm but I am not finding much info on the web with similar syptomology. Your quest and discription, however, parallel my experience a lot though.

[wifey223]

How are your bowl movements? If you suffer from iregular bowel movements, you would be surprised how much that can effect the rest of your body. Also check into ulcers. Depending on location in the body, thay can mimic many other problems.
Good Luck

[gkisa11]

my husband had  a knee replacment . had a spinal  and after that started getting diaphragm spams, he is on baclofen. seens to help . but every once in the day he gets then back. wonder if spinal cause this. he never have this befor

[koldune]

Hi, I have diaphramatic spasms.  They feel like a tight ring about my chest about the level of my bra band.  As a result I have restrictive lung disease which now has affected my heart.  So, I have heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.  There is no cure for mine.  I take neurontin for them, which helps the most.  I also take baclofen, but it does nothing for them.  It helps with other spasms.  I have a spinal cord injury.

[EmilieF]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I am not aware that I have a hiatal hernia; however, I have noticed reflux for some time--maybe that's what it is.  My doctor had no idea of what could be causing the spasms; I will certainly mention it to my chiropractor!

[SassyLassie]

Do you have a hiatal hernia?  I have read that some folks that do have one have the same symptoms that you have mentioned.Yes, it is very painful, and some even say it is like a heart attack. Have you seen a doctor regarding this?

I would like to suggest a visit to the chiropractor too. You see, I have one of these, and he adjusts my back in that area and also pulls down on the hernia itself, afterwards, I feel so much better. Also, if possible, maybe a nice, therapeutic massage might help to relax those areas before a spasm starts up again.