MS hug

[zeldazonk]

Hi All,

I'm new so please bare with me.
I'm wondering if the classic MS hug could be symptomatic of something other than MS?
I've experienced this symptom among others but my MRI came up all clear.

Thanks for your time, ZeldaZonk

[jensequitur]

I have to take a spinal muscle relaxer, called Baclofen, to stop the spasms.  I take 60 mg a day.  It usually keeps things to a dull murmur - every once in a while I have to take a Flexaril as well.

[zeldazonk]

Thanks for your replies. Is it best to write a separate reply to each member?
I'll just write one to all...

The symptom was an intense, tightening band of 'numb tingling' just above my navel.
I really had to concentrate on relaxing coz it felt like it would stop my breathing. It started out mild and became stronger in subsequent flare ups.

I'm not sure what strength the MRI was. I'll try to find out. I didn't know there were different strengths.

Yes one MRI on my spine and brain.

[jujuminx]

"My" MRI is what you said. So, that's one MRI?  What part of the body was it of?

Julie

[jensequitur]

If you're talking about the banding pain around the chest, it indicates that there's damage in the spine at the level of the pain.  It's almost always MS, because that disease causes spots of damage, but I think you could also have these symptoms with a bulging disc or spinal stenosis.

The question would be if the MRI showed anything at all in your spine at the level of where you're experiencing pain.  If there's nothing on the MRI, and all your bony structures look good, then I would question the results of the MRI.

What strength was the MRI?  My neuro scheduled me for a .7T MRI, which was useless - it didn't see anything wrong with my spine.  I talked him into scheduling me for a 3T, which showed several lesions.

[HVAC]

Please describe what you experience in more detail so we can understand.

Alex