Is this the "hug"?

Question

Does it feel like all the muscles attached to your ribs on one side have contracted?  Almost like a cramp but not really?  More - what's the word? - diffuse, maybe, than a cramp?  Spread out over more than one muscle?  Is that a hug?  Does my explanation even make sense?

If that's a hug, I don't like it.  Jes' sayin'.....

supermum_ms · Accepted Answer

I'm not exactly sure of your description though i think i sort of know what you mean. The hug gets described in a lot of different ways, banding or contraction of muscles around your trunk is the key ingredient of the hug. It doesn't have to be a complete 360, partial left or right, front or back and even part to full sections.

The first time i experienced the hug, i hadn't a clue what was happening or why. All i did was walk to the kitchen to put the kettle on and bang hello. I thought i might be having a strange kind of heart attack, the left side of my rib cage (front to back) was squeezing for 1-2 minutes then releasing long enough for me to get a breath then it started all over again, crickey it hurt!

I was lucky enough to have my mobile close enough to reach, called my mum and scared the life out of her, i couldn't stop the scream from coming out. It was incredible how tight this thing was squeezing, you could literally see the left side of my rib cage contract. Trip to the hospital, test and xrays didn't pick up any bad news, they couldn't explain why my intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs) were spasming, only that they were lol.

That was back in 08 and its happened too many times since, but never as bad as that first time. Sheeesh giving birth naturally was less painfull and that was 2 hours compaired to 3 days of hug, i'd do a natural birth anyday instead of the hug. Sometimes the intercostal spasm will be just the one muscle, lol once it spasmed so hard DH jumped when it thumped against his hand. Other times its all of them on the left side, when they've been spasming for days I end up cracking when ever i flex my ribcage, that hurts too.

I dont really know if what you experienced is the hug or not, the only thing I know for sure is that the Hug more often than not HURTS!

Cheers...........JJ

hamheff · Answer

So I have not been diagnosed with MS but almost everything else has been ruled out. I am on a waiting list to see a neurologist and have decided to do my own research. As it turns out, I have more MS symptoms than I thought. Most recently, I've noticed my speech and memory have been a little messed up but I'm wondering about MS hugs? I get pains in my rib cage that the doctors cannot explain. They always say everything is fine but when it happens, it almost feels like something is under my rib cage, pressing on my ribs and it does sometimes radiate around to my back..... Does anyone out there know if this sounds like an MS hug?
Thank you so much for you advice and help

OldFatChick · Answer

OMG! I have been dealing with this for a couple of years. It is like a muscle spasm, but worse! I had one at an urgent care clinic while being treated for something else. The dr was alarmed, lol.

Sidesteps · Answer

Several here have said that it sounds like I have spinal symptoms - I'm thinking I need to see about getting a thoracic MRI. I'm tripple insured until August so there will be no excuses. lol  These doctor's need to get on with this testing!

cheesymum · Answer

Interesting!  I get weird feelings right around that area, too.  Have for years but I just write them off to my weird GI tract....

Sidesteps · Answer

BTW: This post made me realize that another sensation I had during this time was the strange pain or full feeling I had under my rib cage might have been tied to my waist. 

I had a really strange feeling that my upper stomach was "full" like my spleen was super-sized and it was transferring pain to my left shoulder.  The problem? I don't have a spleen. It was all sensory. I also did get stabbing pains in my abdomen and chest at the same time. It seemed like a cramp. I think that describes this better. A cramp. It was painful under my left side but I also felt it in my right waist line.

cheesymum · Answer

Thanks, everyone!  I'm not sure what it was but it wasn't fun for sure.  Whatever giant had his mitt around my left rib cage last night can just keep his hands to himself from now on!  HMPH!

rlsFMS · Answer

Interesting. Although I've had many issues, pain in my rib cage is where all of this started for me. Exactly what you're saying. Sometimes it would just be on the left and sometimes would band around my torso. Then other times it would just be on the right. 

Now, this pain comes and goes for me. But, what I consider the "hug", or at least thought it was before reading these posts, is where my entire body feels like - - - can't find the words.

Feels like - it's going numb?

rls

Sidesteps · Answer

I think I had the hug... while I was at my worst, I spent several weeks grabbing my right side because it seemed tight, like it was contracting. Mine did not hurt. It was uncomfortable though. It felt like my right side had been working out and the skin/muscles in my waist line were tight (but I hadn't been.) It was an odd sensation. I didn't realize that it could have been the hug until I joined here. I had another bout when I had a mild relapse a few weeks ago. It is now gone so I'm pretty sure that is what it is.