numbness on my right side! Is it the pain in my back or my MS?

[kylebolch]

I have had MS for 7 years and besides the initial barrage of symptoms it has been smooth sailing ever since.  I am a competitive Judo player and have always been bothered by a painful point on my upper back(T6 I think).  The painful point in my back has gotten worse lately and it hurts when I take a real deep breath.  For the past six days I have been numb and painfully sensitive to cold objects on exactly my ride side only. My foot, chest, back, arm, and hand feel this way.  The only part that is excluded from this feeling is my face.  It is fine. Four days ago I saw a chiropractor and got aligned and the shock treatment thing, but there isn't much change.  My right side feels cold and sensitive to cold.  I have stopped doing Judo for a while so that I can narrow this down.  I'm not sure if it's the MS poking it's nasty sneaky head, or too much Judo abuse on my spine, or something else like carpal tunnel?  I know you can't tell me for sure, but can somebody throw me a bone?  

[ErinZoe23]

hey i have had 2 relapses in 6 months and both  with entire numbness of the right side  even my face  im still in relapse but almost at 100 percent again all is left is my feet calve and hand to go un numb  its going on 4 weeks now   so  my opinion is just give it time def sounds like ms  

[Patricia5819]

I have been diagnosis with MS since 2006. I started with severe headaches. Later fatigue and just could not keep up my pace after 4pm in the afternoon. But after being diagnosised and on Copaxone, I have been having less exacerbations. Nevertheless, just about a month now I have a new symptom. I am numb and have pain to cold and or heat on my left side and numbness without the sensation of cold or heat on the right side. I was given a trial dose of steroids and it seem to have gone away, yet lately withing the last two days it is back and building up again. I no longer can feel the difference between cold or hot on the right side. So this is MS? Numbness from neck, arm, side, leg, and right foot.

[schmed66]

I have this **** since '92 doing fairly well, skied last year, but last 2 weeks have been HELL.  Left side of back and chest NUMB and PAINFUL (started as an itch), Lhermitte's sign is agonizing, I take 5 norco (narcotic) a day for my lower back.  I think 4 hrs of chopping wood in 90 degrees brought this on.  I have a dr visit tomorrow, wanting Solumedrol. I hope the Copaxone has not stopped being effective.

[Lulu54]

Just wondering - you say you know you have new lesions - how without an MRI? I'm new to all this and trying to ask as much as I can....are you just going on instinct?

Be well,
Laura

[AmishErin]

My first MS exacerbation brought with it pain when I touched cold either with my feet or hands.  My numbness was in both sides but I had a  lesion afecting my left side which caused me to have foot drop on the left and be much weaker on that side as well.  

I took predinosone and solu mederol.  I later had a porta cath surgically implanted in my arm for solu mederal as I recieved them for what I consider long term.  11 months straight was the longest period of time that I was on this steroid.  Probably 2 years altogether...  There are side effects and benefits that I am sure every person has to weigh out with thier doctor, family and decide for themselves.  

There are alot of people on this forum who take these drugs.  They could probably tell you better than I what they are like as it has been years since I have taken either form.  You can google either steroid to learn a few of them...

I know that I am showing signs of new MS lesions but since I am on a DMD and don't want to pay for another MRI I haven't called my doctor.  

When I went numb from the waist down I thought it was a pinched nerve too....  the chiropractor didn't help though.

Steroids helped more than the chioropractor did....  

I wouldn't wish MS on my ex husband

[kavita_07]

Hi Aviles!

I know this is over a year later, but how much did  the Solumedrol steriods help??

I'm also a MS patient and have experiencing these same symptoms of numbness along the right side of my neck, ear, cheek and arm.

Could you or anybody else please let me know if it helped?
I was recommended to take steroids last year for my symptoms, but I was scared of the fact that it's steroids...

I'd really appreciate it if smeone would answer, thank you.!!

[aviles]

I am new to this site and new to MS, but I wanted to respond to your post because it sounds very much like the symptoms that I experience during an MS exacerbation.  It's difficult to explain to someone how you can have numbness and pain in the same area, but that is what happens to me also.  The skin feels sensitive, as if I recently burned it on the stove or got a sunburn.  My pain usually goes away within 2 days to 2 weeks.  

I have a new neurologist who is suggesting a course of Solumedrol steriods starting tomorrow.  From what he says, this a fairly benign way to treat the symtpoms and there is some evidence that it repairs the damage that is being done to the blood-brain barrier.  Very few side effects, etc.  So, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor.  My pain was minimal, but the real reason for the treatment is to prevent more damage and keep yourself active and healthy.  Sounds like you have been doing a great job of that so far!

-Amanda