MS Hug or something else?

[cjtmn]

Hi friends - I've been MIA for awhile. Just wondering who has experienced the so-called MS Hug? I all of a sudden have this intense tightening in my middle spine that is wrapping around my abdomen. It is lower than what I expected from "the hug". More like just above my natural waist. It is really uncomfortable. Like a charlie horse that just attacked me around the middle and is making me really dizzy.

Thoughts? Maybe just a back spasm of some sort? I'm going to take some Ibuprofen and cross my fingers. I'm sitting at work right now with my door closed because I'm feeling like I could get ill from this. If it is indeed the hug, why on earth did anyone name it that???

Thanks, friends..
Cheryl

[HVAC]

It just has to do with which nerves are involved where the spasm occurs. I had diaphragm spasms, It was like having the wind knocked out of me but it was in contractions like labor. I would sweat profusely. I could not get enough air to talk. I had to lay on the floor totally spill with my hands over my head. I learned that from a physician who treats runners. It also hurt. I pulled the connective tissue off my ribs the first time I have ever had.That took weeks to heal. It lasted two hours. It did not happen again for six weeks. They after awhile it was every two weeks. Finally it was every two days or less. I had to take heavy doses of adivan quick dissolving until I was a sleep.
    Finally I got on a good regiment for Zanaflex. No more spasms. I found that certain medications made them worse.
All of us are different. Our damage is in different places. Effecting different nerves. We have the same disease and similarities but we are unique.

Alex

[cjtmn]

Thanks for sharing, Alex. That sounds horrendous!! :(

[aspen2]

In limbo I had some difficulty with something that felt like that, although was around my ribs.  Of course, it wasn't ms hug since I didn't have ms ... but I digress.

Eleven months later there were no spinal lesions on 1.5T mri, so I have no idea.  Whatever it was, I haven't had it since.. it is scary, and I ended up at the ER with it twice in 2013 because of my family heart health history.

Hope it goes away and stays away :).

[cjtmn]

Ugh!! It went quickly, but is now returning under my right ribs. I'm NOT digging this....

[cjtmn]

Thanks, Corrie. Thankfully it came & went rather quickly. I've just never experienced anything like that before. Scared the daylights out of me, honestly!!

Has yours returned? I hope this isn't the start of a regular occurrence.... :/

[TLC1104]

Hi,
I experienced the ms hug too, soon after everything started for me late last year. Oh boy, it scared me too, as I didn't know what it was happening to me. Thankfully I haven't had it since, had a few of  the same centre chest pressures, and I do think its starting again, but that goes slowly.
I do hope it settles for you.
Take care. T

[Corriel]

Hi there! It's crazy that you posted this because I had an issue over the weekend where all of the sudden I felt this intense pressure in the middle of my chest and between my shoulder blades and I was wondering if it was the Hug too. It was either that or a heart attack and since it went away after an hour or so I knew it wasn't a heart attack. :)

Yours sounds like the hug to me for sure but unfortunately I am not positive and I don't know how the dizziness fits into it. My understanding is that it is usually muscles around the ribs that are spasming so your location sounds accurate.

Agreed that "hug" is a nasty way to describe it.. I don't get the dizziness though and wouldn't think that was hug related so I hope someone can shed some light for you.

If it continues much longer though you may want to pop in to see someone just to be sure nothing more serious is going on.

C.