horrible wrist pain ms related???

[mcapehart]

I'm hoping someone can help...... A few days ago I started having a lot of stiffness in my hands. It was hard to make a fist. It felt like I was over stretching a rubber band. They felt fat but werent swollen. Then yesterday morning I woke up and my right wrist hurt so horribly bad. The pain traveled up the back of my hand up to my finger joints. I couldn't grab anything or bend my wrist forwards or backwards. It is mildly better today. Anyone ever experience anything like this before. Was the stiffness spacticity?

[Kimba22]

Hi mcapehart,

Welcome to MSWorld! Hope you'll find this an informative and supportive site and come back often. So sorry to hear about all the discomfort in your hands.

It does sound like it very well might be spasticity. Have you called your neuro? This could be signs of an exacerbation. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Tre...aging-Relapses If this is spasticity, meds like baclofen or tizanidne can help to relax those muscles and relieve the pain. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Sym...oms/Spasticity

I couldn't grab anything or bend my wrist forwards or backwards. It is mildly better today.

This statement did grab my attention, though, since I just learned (again) not everything is from MS. Somehow, I recently managed to damage the peripheral nerve in one of my arms, and lost all control of that hand and wrist. Turned out to be a condition known as radial nerve palsy, aka wrist drop. It can also be quite painful. (In my case, though, nothing was better the next day.) I was dx by my neuro after brain/ cervical spine MRI's revealed no active inflammation. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000790.htm

I really suggest you call your neuro! Please keep us updated. Hope you feel better, soon!

[mcapehart]

Thank you for the reply and info. I wish it would completely feel better but that's not the case. The first day the pain was unbearable. If I didn't have my 14 yr old son that day I would have taken a pain pill( which I do not take because I can't tolerate them). That has subsided, I just don't have full range of motion or total strength back. I can hold a glass now, but not anything heavier.

[Nicoly3467]

Hi mcapehart,

I have similar stiffness at times in my hand but especially my upper arm. When I stretch my arm up or make round circles it really hurts, also tight in the shoulder. My neurologist said this is spasticity and so tonight I started back on the baclofen for some relief hopefully; It may take a few days to kick in. Do you feel any numbness in your hand?

Hopefully, you will find something to help you soon! Nikki