shoulder/arm problem

[Krissykk]

So i woke up tthis morning with the worst neck/shoulder stiffness.It's hard for me to walk, and impossible for me to get comfortable I'm inclined to think i just slept on it wrong except it may have been coming on when i went to sleep last night, my neck felt a little strange but i thought i had a headache coming on and went to bed.

But, its been all day and doesnt seem to get any better. Also my most recent symptoms include a twitchy thing in my right bicep and a stabby pain in my right forearm with those muscles feeling tight. now those places in my arm feel extra strange, like asleep.(pins and needles).

My neurologist appt is next wednesday and i'm just not sure whether i should mention it and also i'm worried that he will blow off my other right side symptoms if this problem is just from sleeping funny. (maybe I'm just paranoid?)
Also I'm wondering if anybody has any ideas about finding a comfortable way to sit. Or how to get up from laying without so much pain i almost pass out.

[Queen Lavee]

WOW

Last Monday at about 9:45am I noticed my right bicep felt like I had large flu shot. I went to lunch mentioned it to my friends who insisted I call me Neuro. The PA returned my call and as usual with her it's not my MS...

After lunch I took some Advil. By 3pm it was worse could barley use my arm. Went to see my GP because I could barely get dressed on Tuesday.

Muscle relaxers and prednisone burst worked like magic. I wish I didn't take the muscle relaxers because it made me sleep and foggy for the rest of the week.

Prednisone burst: 60mg 3 days 30mg 3 days and 20mg 3 days.

This whole episode was just out of the blue. I had not strained or stressed my arm.

Good luck, my GP has been great and much more helpful than my Neuro. My GP was reluctant to treat my issues (I am 7mos diagnosed) until my Nero made it clear that she couldn't do anything to hurt me just because I had MS.

[Kimba22]

Krissykk,

I'm sorry you are in pain. I think you should mention it to your neurologist. It may be spasticity (explained here http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym...oms/Spasticity), and would be good for your neuro to put in your chart, even if you are feeling better by Wednesday. I feel for you, as one of my first symptoms was neck pain, long before I was diagnosed.

What helped make it somewhat more tolerable for me was moist heat (although it wasn't easy when I was alone to keep resetting the towel with very warm water ... good thing for me heat didn't make it worse, which can happen with MS), a deep massage (by my husband, although very short-lived relief. I tried to use one of those hand held electric massagers, but seemed contorting my body to use it just. made it worse), and a NSAID. I would also use a special neck pillow I found in the automotive section of a local store (that resembled the letter "C") and even wore a soft neck brace.

I finally found relief from this symptom once I started taking one of the muscle relaxants used in MS (baclofen). I began taking it for spasticity in my legs, not my neck pain. My diagnosing neurologist was great, although she made no connection to spasticity and my neck pain. I don't think they see this that often with MS.

I hope it goes away, soon!

Queen Lavee,

The first thing I thought of was spasticity when I read your post, since what you described is something that has become quite familiar to me. Glad to hear your GP helped you.

And mine also happens out of the blue (just like the neck pain did), but has become part of my new normal lately. Since it's not due to active activity, steroids won't help mine.

I think I'd be looking for a new neuro.

[Krissykk]

better, ad totally NOT better

Thank you for your replies Today my neck muscles are fine and I've decided that it was a how i slept problem.
my right upper back and shoulder are still killing me and my arm feels weird (and i think my right hip/groin too). and my neck's range of motion is compromised by the shoulder pain. And i think all of that isn't from sleeping funny at all, its something new.
So what i'm wondering is can missing a nap and walking around all morning two days in a row, set off a new series of symptoms? or can walking somehow hurt your shoulder? or maybe my new right arm stuff(a couple of weeks old) came with a weakness that i didn't notice and i inadvertantly pulled my back getting my two year old out of the car...

I guess all the speculation is just silly, but i feel lke if i knew why then i would have a handle on what to do about it.