Did anyone else experience this?? When I was in 7th grade,I was very healthy, strong, and with no physical problems that I can remember. Then I had a diving accident that hurt my neck and spine. I would drag a turned inward right foot, had poor posture, constipation, and would stammer over words. My reflex time became very slow. My senior year, the drivers ed teacher said it was the slowest reaction time he had ever seen...and I was always uncomfortable behind the wheel. My back healed after about 20 years. I trained my foot not to drag , but my reaction time never got any better...and I would still stammer over words at times...I had to propel to raise up out of a chair...never could just stand up straight.
In 2002, my mom was dying and I started having tremor at night & terrible stiffness in my upper back & neck. That is when I started my stretching routene in the bed, which I have had to do morning & night ever since to keep myself mobile. This year, my foot drag came back when very tired and I didn't have the energy to keep it straight. Tremor started again, urinary
difficulties, etc.( I'd had a good idea that it was PD back in 2002, because it seems to run in our family, but the tremor had gone away.) Stress really has effects on our bodies.
My question is...did I have young onset PD ???Was it brought on by the diving accident & stress on my body...but my constitution was strong enough to hold back the symptoms til I got older/ chemically sensitive/ under more stress. I know for sure it is PD now, because alittle dopamine takes away all my symptoms. Anyone else have a similar experience????

I suggest that you check the thread in this forum started recently by ScottSuff, who,by the way, is also in Tennessee; Knoxville, I think.

The injury you suffered as a youngster may have damaged nerve outlets in your cervical and thoracic spine that connect directly with the basal ganglia.
In fact, there is a condition known as thoracic outlet syndrome that manifests symptoms similar to PD.

It seems that certain chiropractors specialize in treating this problem. Replies by John Neuro to SS's posting identify some possibilities.

I also remember seeing some discussions recently about a group of surgeons in Spain who apparently have successfully treated numerous patients with this type of injury.
Try googling "thoracic outlet syndrome surgery".

Robert

Wow, thanks...I will google that info.

Aunt Bean you should have a PM from me.
ScottSuff