Disc Degenerative Disease and MS?

[aligan]

Any link between DDD and MS? Or nothing to do with each other? My daughter who is 31 just got diagnosed with "mild DDD" and she has had symptoms in her arms for the last few years (weakness, tingling, numbness).  *Some* docs at first thought MS, but we never thought so. Her MRI was just for her Neck region for her spine. Thanks!!  

[aligan]

Thanks Red! And Thanks for all that info shrinkingspace! Lots of good info to think about.  

hope you ALL feel better

[implodingspace]

just wanted to share i have DDD, herniations at C4-5, T7-8, 7-8, 8-9, L5-S1

I do not have MS but I have syringomyelia, condition of having syrinxes (CFS filled cysts) they are caused by a disruption in the flow of spinal fluid (usually from Chiari or post trauma to the spine) given how many things are out of wack i am assuming that my syrinx is not idiopathic (no known cause) but from all of the herniations.

I only am sharing this because my symptoms started with electric shock feelings down leg from hip, left rib Hug, and then fasciculations (tiny pieces of my leg muscles poped/twitched 24/7 in many places at the same time) then a month after that I have serious spasticity in my legs that was followed by atrophy/numbness.

up until the atrophy a lot of my symptoms almost all looked like MS, they checked for B12 D lyme, but the atrophy was not normal (infact the upper motor signs (spasticity) and fasciulations and atrophy i later found out are more typical with lower motor neuron began to look like ALS, the only one that has both motor neuron signs.

and then finally after months of my docs telling me ADHD was amplified through my CNS and causing the fasciculations, my central auditory processing was causing it and my favorite, a muscle got injured and spasmed, that spasm injured another muscle, and so on (GRRRRRRR)

they found a syrinx at C4 and another one from T5-T10

i wanted to share these things in case you start to notice a progression like that, with muscle loss etc. It was most frustrating that no one would take my serious complaints seriously :( but that seems to be the norm sadly

I hope your daughter feels better soon

[RedFlame]

I'm fairly certain that the two are not connected.  I have some mild DDD that is separate from my MS

Red

[aligan]

Thanks Dagun!!

[Dagun]

Hi, I have DDD in two spaces in the lumbar area. It started affecting me about 13 years ago but got very bad in last Nov. I don't think it is related in my case, but maby it is difficult to be sure. For 12 years I just learned what to do to be better and what to awoid. Last Nov I got so bad, I thought I would need surgery, but it is unbelevable that it does in most cases get a little better after 4-8 weeks (I took Neurontin to get over the worst) and then learned some exerices that helped.

At this point I would not worry to much about this, but she should go to ph.therapist to learn to ease the pain. Sorry if my English is to bad.
My best to you and your daughter,
Dagun

[aligan]

Johnniebear & Shell

Wow you guys are FAST! this community rocks!! Thanks for the responses =)

[sllowe]

Hi there,

Like Johnnie - I have herniations too. Mine are at C3 and 5 (if I'm remembering correctly) - regardless they cause me chronic pain and problems.

I went to a spine specialist to rule out the possibility they caused the lesions in my spine and he assured me they did not.

So, for what's it's worth - I was relieved to know there was no chance I was treating the wrong thing.  From all I read I knew the answer already, but just had to have that professional tell me so.

Hope your daughter fairs well w/the mild ddd. Hope she's in PT, and learns how to protect and cope w/the problems.
-Shell

[johnniebear]

Hello,

I can only tell  you about my problems,  I have Herniated disc, bulging disc at C4-C5-C6,

My fingers will tingle & go numb some times, depending on how I sleep I wake up my left arm goes  numb .

My problems have nothing to do with me MS.
I do have two lesions on the spinal cord .

I use ice and no Meds other OTC .

Take care
Johnniebear