Tell me about the neck test. How significant is it?

[mary_kay]

I have read several posts that mention a pain or tingling reaction down the body when the head is dropped down or forward.  Is this an important test for MS?  If the lesions are in the brain and not on the spinal cord, does it still occur?  I do not notice anything happening when I do that, and I'm not sure if that means anything significant.
Thanks everyone,
Mary Kay

[essdipity]

Yes, this is a common symptom of MS. However, please don't worry if you don't have it!  Thanks heavens, no one has EVERY symptom.  That would be agonizing. Furthermore, if anyone went to a doctor and complained of every symptom, the diagnosis would almost certainly be a mental or emotional disorder.  It's of course possible to have several serious things going on simultaneously, unfortunately. But not everything.

So please rest assured.

ess

[sllowe]

Hi MK,

I cannot speak to how important it is, but will give you my experience with it.  I would get a buzzing in my tailbone area (directly in the middle of my keister). Yea, splain that one to the Doc - I was fearful and embarrassed to do so to say the least.  But I did.

He said it was L'Hermittes Sign (hope I spelled that right).  I said what is it? He repeated.  At the time, I did not have MRIs of my spine.  From all that I had going on, the doctor speculated that I had a lesion in my c-spine area.  I got the MRIs and he was right.  It was my largest one.    

Then the sensation changed since then from buzzing down there to getting numbness in my arm and legs when I put my neck down.

It has improved lately (knock on wood).  From what I understand, and from what members here have said, the feelings vary greatly from person to person.

I think he said it's from the inflammation around the lesion that causes this L'Hermittes sign.

Very glad to hear that you are not getting this.....

ttys,
SL