You could go to webmd.com online and do a search on the terms you need to know about. They may have an explanation in lay terms about that. ( I personally know nothing about that. Sorry!) DenF

Thanks DenF I have read all the stuff on line but was looking for a hands on experience to see if this muscle pain and tightness I am experiencing that has been diagnosed as three different things now is maybe just the muscle rigidity that is associated with Parkinson's.
The neurologist is still sitting on the fence about saying yes it is Parkinsons. Saw him today and I'm feeling horrible. He started saying he would try me on a PD medicine but then said we would wait another month. Now I have to go see a neurosurgeon about my thoracic outlet issues and the numbness in my left arm. I just looked him up and he is in network so thats good.
I'll keep plugging along

Yes your stiff thigh is PD

I can't empathize with you more! Before I was diagnosed with PD I had chronic muscle tightness and pain in my right shoulder blade neck and side. I went to several physical therapists, had multiple MRIs and a myraid of other things to try and figure it out. It was not until I scheduled an appointment myself with a Neurologist that it was diagnosed as PD. It took 10 years to figure this out! Once we found the right meds (Azilect is fantastic) the issue is gone.

p.s. - I was prescribed the muscle relaxers too... just makes you tired. PD meds are the key.

Boop59, PD is so hard to diagnose so I'm glad your neurologist is being cautious. He/She should have a handbook on PD that is a guide for patients and their families that is really helpful in your own mind anyway in determing what symptoms you are experincing. I haven't read anything, however, that says your numbness in your arm is assocaited with PD, so I suggest you see your general practicioner and get that checked out real soon, as that could be heart related.

Wishing you the best.

Thanks so much for all the replies. It helps me so much to know that I'm not alone in this journey even though none of us is going through exactly the same experience.
you are all great and I hope we all make a difference in each other's lives the way you have in mine

Hi, boop59: I finally am able to write you! 30 years ago, at age 30,i had same muscle stiffness in the thighs of both legs which would wake me up. It turned out to be a type of sciatica (for lack of a more accurate diagnosis). I'v been good ever since having treated with a chiropractor. I believe it would behoove anyone suffering from PD to utilize chiropractors as backup treatment. If your physical therapist balks at this, remind her that chiropractors won a huge anti-dafamation lawsuit against the AMA, they do have their place in the field of neurological treatments and would she deny you acupuncture, too? I also treated with a spiritual massage which held me for a good long time. You can usually find people who are trained in spritual massage therapy by looking for churches which have the word "spiritual" in their title name. One more thing, if your PT pulls out the argument against chiro's that they "do more harm than good"...well, ask anyone who believes it was a medical doctor who killed their parent or spouse, etc. Professionals no matter what their practice in life make mistakes, or miss the mark, for all the same reasons we mere lay people do, just because we're all human after all. Yes, i am highly encouraging you to seek out chiropractor treatment. I really hope this provides you with some good insight. vty, suelouise

Rigidity for me since being diagnosed in 2001 with PD means a stiffness in my joints and a lack of range of motion. With PD, our muscles never get a chance to relax. I don't know if that is the reason for the rigidity or not. I find the rigidity is most intense throughout the night. After laying in one position, when I go to turn over, it is almost impossible. It is like I am wearing armor and cannot bend or move. That, in turn, wakes me up several times throughout the night and leaves me feeling like I did not sleep. PD is a vicious cycle of symptoms that keeps on compounding. In order to combat this, I do a cardio workout two days a week and weightlifting workout two days a week. Exercise helps me both physically and mentally. TeeCee