Rep. Paul Gosar addresses health problems: 'I'm as healthy as a horse'

• U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., has masked spasms in his left hand for months by tucking his hands in his pockets and clasping them behind his back
• Political insiders who have caught glimpses have wondered if the three-term congressman is suffering from a serious neurological condition
• But Gosar says the hand spasms are a result of compressed vertebrae in his spine and that he is fit enough to serve in Congress and run for re-election

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., has for months tried to mask spasms in his left hand by tucking his hands in his pockets, under tables or clutching them behind his back, fueling speculation he was fighting a health issue that could force his retirement.

The three-term congressman in an exclusive interview with The Arizona Republic vowed the condition won’t keep him from serving or running for re-election in 2016.

Gosar, 56, said arthritis and two compressed vertebrae in his neck and lower back have caused nerve issues in his hand. The condition will require back surgery, which he hasn’t scheduled. In addition, he is dealing with complications from a hip replacement last summer.

“I’m as healthy as a horse,” he told The Republic earlier this month. “Not gonna get rid of me that easily.”

A dentist for more than 25 years, Gosar said the spinal compression arose from hunching over for long periods as he treated patients. Genetics and a history of rugby playing, which contributed to his need for a hip replacement, have exacerbated his condition, he said.

Gosar has tried to hide the spasms when he appears in public. He declined since March to discuss his health with The Arizona Republic until a reporter witnessed his hand movements at a Phoenix event this month.

At a ceremony for 70 new U.S. citizens, Gosar waited on stage to shake their hands. During the pause between congratulations, his left hand spasmed, his thumb drawing toward his fingers and releasing, like an imitation of a quacking duck. At times, he clamped his right hand around the left to control the motion.

Later, while talking to a reporter, he put his hands in his pockets and behind his back.

In June, Gosar held his hands behind his back for most of a 12-minute television segment with 3TV. For a moment, he brought them up to the table to gesture, and his left hand began to seize. He quickly hid his hands again.

Marcus Dell’Artino, a GOP political consultant, recalls seeing the movement as he waited in the studio to appear on the show. He and a colleague wondered what was wrong.

“It was hard not to notice his hand was shaking during that interview and after,” Dell’Artino said. “It was a shake that continued, so you knew there was something that had occurred, but we had no idea what.”

In March, other political insiders noticed Gosar placing his hands under a table during a meeting at the Arizona Legislature. The shaking also drew some attention on Capitol Hill.

Dell’Artino applauded the congressman’s disclosure of the condition.

“He’s doing himself a favor by telling everybody what’s actually going on so that compassionate people and voters will understand,” Dell’Artino said. “It’s not an immediately life-threatening disease but rather something he can manage.”

It’s unclear how the condition will affect Gosar’s political future.

If the health issues are seen as a weakness, he could face a primary race in 2016. There has been talk of potential challengers and financial support from outside groups, but no action yet. His seat is so safely Republican that it is highly prized.

Dell’Artino expects Gosar won’t stay off the job long once he has surgery.

“Knowing Paul, he’s going to want to get out there. The danger for him is to pressure himself” to return to work before he is fully recovered, Dell’Artino said.

When Gosar had hip surgery last August, aides worried he wouldn’t take enough time off. He delayed the procedure longer than he should have, they said.

While Congress is not in session, Gosar is often on the road attending small-town events in the enormous 4th Congressional District that stretches from Lake Havasu to Yuma in western Arizona. While Congress is in session, his weekly schedule requires long days of travel between his residences in Prescott and Flagstaff, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Washington.

Spinal experts agreed that people whose professions require bending over can be prone to spinal arthritis and compressed discs. Those conditions can cause pain, tingling, weakness and loss of fine-motor control in the limbs. One expert said spasms are fairly common, though another said they are more rare.

The physicians spoke in general terms since they have not examined or treated Gosar. The congressman no longer practices dentistry though he maintains an Arizona dentistry license.

“Surgeons and probably dentists who spend long hours hunched over patients can certainly be more prone to getting arthritis in the cervical spine,” said Dr. Brent Goodman, a consultant in neurology at Mayo Clinic. “That can manifest in any number of ways. It’s not uncommon for people to have neck pain, and sometimes the pain can radiate into the arm. Sometimes people can experience numbness, tingling or even weakness.”

The condition can also cause spasms, said Dr. Laura Snyder, a spinal surgeon at Phoenix-based Barrow Neurological Institute, the world’s largest neurological-disease treatment and research institution.

She warned that the average person may confuse the involuntary contraction and relaxation associated with compressed vertebrae with hand tremors that accompany other neurological diseases.

“Parkinson’s disease and ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) have been very well publicized recently, so people are used to seeing similar things and thinking it’s that,” Snyder said.

The physicians said treatments can include physical therapy and stretching, medication and surgery. Recovery from surgery can take a few days to several weeks, they said. Pain medication can range from Tylenol to muscle relaxants to narcotic painkillers such as OxyContin.

When The Republic spoke with Gosar, his speech seemed slower than in the past.

When asked if constituents should worry about his ability to represent them, Gosar rejected the idea. “Oh, I’m way sharp,” he said, noting the slew of legislation he passed last session.