Aa
Muscle spasms in neck?
Can MS cause muscle spasms in your neck? I started PT and didn't have bad spasms UNTIL I went there. Now I have them daily. Any suggestions??
Like you, I have mild degenerative disc disease in my neck. I've had neck problems for some years now. However, the weird cramp I've been getting to the right of my adam's apple is new, and different from the usual problems.
My theory is that MS spasms can be set off by stressors, like acid reflux, or exercise, or a pre-existing condition like a bad neck. Of course, it's only a theory.
My theory is that MS spasms can be set off by stressors, like acid reflux, or exercise, or a pre-existing condition like a bad neck. Of course, it's only a theory.
The Stem is where they put the tiny electrical shocks to your muscles through electrodes they stick to different muscles. It was like tiny shocks which I understood was supposed to fatigue and make your muscles relax. But, it only made mine worse. They also did ultrasound heat and massage, along with some stretching exercises. Oh well. Thanks for your quick replies and help! I appreciate it...the answers are there somewhere, maybe I'll get to the bottom of all of this soon! I'm so frustrated that I thought maybe it was my spine causing all of this, but things are getting worse not better. I'm having dizzy spells constantly now. It's just put my life on hold right now and it's frustrating.
Thanks for sharing and caring enough to write back!!
Shelley
Thanks for sharing and caring enough to write back!!
Shelley
What is the STEM treatment? Perhaps that aggravated your neck.
My c-spine MRI read similar to yours. I also had some straightening, but also had a small spur and some DDD, which I was told was normal with my age.
When I went through PT for my dizziness, the therapist (not my current one ~ I've had 3 altogether) put me on some sort of "traction machine" for my neck. It's where it rhythmically would "stretch" your neck. She told me that it should feel really good, but I thought it was like being tortured.
It was not "painful", but very uncomfortable and did nothing to help with my neck. She only tried that once on me. I didn't have spasms after it, but was sore.
Is that the "STEM" treatment you're referring to?
The therapist for my back put me on one for the lumbar spine and that was fine. It was the neck one that didn't work for me.
My current therapist (TMJ and neck) just does massage of my neck, jaw muscles, and forehead, temple, etc. I've not been put on any machine. What she's doing now is working well for me.
I don't know... I just somehow think that something your therapist did further aggravated your neck. But, it could be an "MS" thing. Obviously, I'm not a doc, but maybe you should discuss it further with your neuro and see what he thinks about your treatment during PT and if it could cause the spasms.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Take care, Pat :)
My c-spine MRI read similar to yours. I also had some straightening, but also had a small spur and some DDD, which I was told was normal with my age.
When I went through PT for my dizziness, the therapist (not my current one ~ I've had 3 altogether) put me on some sort of "traction machine" for my neck. It's where it rhythmically would "stretch" your neck. She told me that it should feel really good, but I thought it was like being tortured.
It was not "painful", but very uncomfortable and did nothing to help with my neck. She only tried that once on me. I didn't have spasms after it, but was sore.
Is that the "STEM" treatment you're referring to?
The therapist for my back put me on one for the lumbar spine and that was fine. It was the neck one that didn't work for me.
My current therapist (TMJ and neck) just does massage of my neck, jaw muscles, and forehead, temple, etc. I've not been put on any machine. What she's doing now is working well for me.
I don't know... I just somehow think that something your therapist did further aggravated your neck. But, it could be an "MS" thing. Obviously, I'm not a doc, but maybe you should discuss it further with your neuro and see what he thinks about your treatment during PT and if it could cause the spasms.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Take care, Pat :)
Yes, I do have some disc issues but only with my thoracic and lumbar and even there is mild bulging of disc and some degenerative disc disease. As for my cervical spine, all it said was there was some straightening of the cervical spine due to possible muscle sprain. So, no bad disc in my neck. Just tight spastic muscles. So, that's why I was concerned. And the PT, especially after the STEM treatment, I would have terrible spasms after and continue to have them now. This is a very new symptom. Any suggestions?
I believe that muscle spasms can be an MS symptom, but you neck issues may or may not be related.
If I remember correctly, you do have considerable disc issues in your neck. Is that right?
If so, I would suggest look at getting those issues fixed properly first, then see what's still left. Perhaps the PT treatment your doc ordered isn't the right thing to help your issues or it may be that your therapist is doing something to aggravate your neck further.
I felt some relief after my first session of my PT. I was never in a position where my pain was worse. I would have little things show up, but they were taken care of at my next appt.
I am currently receiving PT for my neck as well. She started with TMJ, then moved more to my neck as it is very "tight" as well. I have never had muscle spasms after treatment.
I'm sorry you are experiencing those spasms. Get to your doc and see what he/she has to recommend next.
Take care, Pat :)
If I remember correctly, you do have considerable disc issues in your neck. Is that right?
If so, I would suggest look at getting those issues fixed properly first, then see what's still left. Perhaps the PT treatment your doc ordered isn't the right thing to help your issues or it may be that your therapist is doing something to aggravate your neck further.
I felt some relief after my first session of my PT. I was never in a position where my pain was worse. I would have little things show up, but they were taken care of at my next appt.
I am currently receiving PT for my neck as well. She started with TMJ, then moved more to my neck as it is very "tight" as well. I have never had muscle spasms after treatment.
I'm sorry you are experiencing those spasms. Get to your doc and see what he/she has to recommend next.
Take care, Pat :)
I am not dx with MS, but for now my dx is ADEM which is very similar to MS except for it is only one attack, but still can do some of the same damage. I had very severe neck stiffness/pain about three months after the attack I had in 2006. It has slowly improved but for about a year I had it whenever I turned my head or moved my neck in anyway!
One of the MRI's of the brain I had included the brainstem to see if anything could be seen to explain this. It only showed some arthritic/degenerative stuff there according to my neuro. I am planning to ask for a scan of my cervical spine and probally my entire spine when I go back to see him this month. Quix had said in another post that the brainstem is better viewed with a Cervical spine scan.
Like I said above the neck stiffness started about three months after onset, lasted for about three months, and has slowly disappeared scince then. Now two years later I only get small twinges there that last only a few min. But during the time that it was there, it was very painful!
So, to try to answer your question about it happening in MS, I am no expert and only have personal experience, but I would say yes it can. If it can happen in ADEM which involves the same type of myelin damage as MS then I imagine it can happen in MS!
Hope this helps!
~Santana~
One of the MRI's of the brain I had included the brainstem to see if anything could be seen to explain this. It only showed some arthritic/degenerative stuff there according to my neuro. I am planning to ask for a scan of my cervical spine and probally my entire spine when I go back to see him this month. Quix had said in another post that the brainstem is better viewed with a Cervical spine scan.
Like I said above the neck stiffness started about three months after onset, lasted for about three months, and has slowly disappeared scince then. Now two years later I only get small twinges there that last only a few min. But during the time that it was there, it was very painful!
So, to try to answer your question about it happening in MS, I am no expert and only have personal experience, but I would say yes it can. If it can happen in ADEM which involves the same type of myelin damage as MS then I imagine it can happen in MS!
Hope this helps!
~Santana~
Thanks Pat. Do you know if having neck spasms is part of MS?? I'm just so tired of not getting any answers and continuing to have new symptoms. My brother recommened seeing a physchiatriist, that maybe it's STRESS related after all since they're not finding anything 'concrete'.
Ack... I'm sorry the PT didn't work out for you, but like Quix said, you are supposed to feel BETTER and not worse.
Sorry you are having the bad spasms. I hope you can get in to see your neuro soon!
Take care, Pat :)
Sorry you are having the bad spasms. I hope you can get in to see your neuro soon!
Take care, Pat :)
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community
Top Neurology Answerers
Australia
ON
Queensland, Australia
Queen Creek, AZ
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
