MS Hug

Brain and nerves
1

Hi there

Does anyone have these symptoms - contant feeling of your chest being squeezed, pain in ribs.  My GP ruled out other possibilties so I'm wondering if this could be MS related.  The pain is so bad I can't sleep.  If anyone gets these feelings please let me know.  I feel like I'm going out of my mind.

Thanks

Debbie

2

Hi Debbie, I have pains in my legs,arms,eyes and back. Seems I can while in my sleep get some rest sleeping in a fetal position. But when I wake I am so stiff and numb that it's hard to walk. I hear that you can have MS in your spine and not your brain but have white spots on your brain. So I think I should go ahead and unfortunately have a neck n spine MRI done. Just maybe you need to have that looked into as well....

3

Hi Debbie, that sounds very like MS hug. I sympathise, it can be really painful. If it is MS hug, it's caused by the intercostal muscles going into spasm. These are the tiny muscles in between neighbouring ribs. I've been somewhat plagued by this symptom. I find that the worst of it impacts my sleep. Once in spasm, while I'm asleep, the moment I move, it hurts like hell and wakes me. What I've found alleviates the worst of it, is a combination of taking baclofen (muscle relaxant), immediately before going to bed and and doing a set of GENTLE stretches, which I developed, slowly, over time. The stretches are done, just before taking my baclofen. When necessary, I'll take more baclofen, as necessary, before going back to bed, sometimes doing a further set of stretches, too. It did take me several months to get into a routine that worked for me, but it really was worthwhile doing it. If you decide to try this, I stress, again, BE GENTLE when developing a stretching routine, overdo it and it'll have the exact opposite to the desired effect. I hope you find something that works for you soon.

4

Thanks Loretta.  I have an appt with the MS doc in May.  I will definitely ask about those MRIs!

5

Thanks Wendy.  I'll try both.  Thanks

6

I do get the MS hug. Sometimes it's an annoying ache. Sometimes it gradually gets worse to send me to the couch and only rest. Worst of all, at times it literally feels like I'm having a heart attack. To the point that just when I'm pondering if I should call an ambulance it starts to get relieved. However, the feeling of being beat upas happy lingers.

I have been woken up by it. Which is really exhausting.

The best relief I found is ice. Not heat, ice. My girlfriend ordered me the "cooling vest" which is the best thing that has happened. It immediately brings my body temp down and relieves me, but rest is still of the utmost importance.

The crazy thing about it is it can feel several different ways. But I now attribute any pain in my back or ribs " the hug".

Hope this helps.

Anne

7

I'm the other way at, if I treated mine with cold, it would make it far worse. Heat pads/a hot water bottle eases it, somewhat. But then it can make me overheat, it's a balancing act, really. Cold weather makes my walking far worse too.

8

Oh boy.  Heat or cold?  I'll have to see what works for me.  Hopefully heat as I'm always cold normallly.

9

Annie how often do you experience the MS hug?   With me it is 24/7.

10

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here, when I have the dreaded hug, it's pretty much constant, too (like, right now, for instance). It seems to start being a problem as soon as it gets to aurumn/fall and keeps plaguing me till well into spring. Just delightful, really.

11

Try heat/warmth and stretching first, maybe?!

12

Like most symptoms with me, they come and go inconsistently. I can have it for a week or an hour. Everything is random. However I do have specific triggers, like weather change. Heat and humidity are intolerable.

We all need to find what works for us individually. Finding relief for me, at times, is like trying to nail jello to a tree.

Some people say putting pressure ( like a wrap) helps .

I started going to Yoga. The first time felt great. The second time overworked me so much it took me 4 days to recover. That was new for me. I'm a pusher. I try not to lay down for this disease, so that was a huge disappointment and surprise..

13

It's frustrating, when you find that this, god awful, condition requires a great, big dollop of pragmatism... Just to cope. I feel your pain, both literally, and figuratively. X