Hi all. I am 36 years old and have been diagnosed with Ms for the past 12 years. I have been in brilliant health since then. On no medication since 2011. Although a few months ago I took a very bad pain in my ribs and a terrible cough. Went to gp and was given anti inflammatory drugs for 4 weeks. Finally ended up getting better. Go thought at the time it could be linked to my Ms. However today I took this sudden sharp pain in my left side of ribs.it took my breath away and I felt as if I could not straighten myself up.After a short while the sharp pain eased off but I still have pain and tenderness in the area. could this be the Ms Hug?
Hi,
That sounds painful. I’ve had the MS hug a few times. It’s often described like a tight band around the chest. With mine it hurt breathing deeply in or out.
Check out the MS pain page
https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/signs-and-symptoms/pain
Also , put MS hug in the search box, top right.
Hope the pain goes soon. Maybe try some pain relief.
Jen
Thank you for your reply. It is very painful but doesn’t feel like a tight band and all on one side.
I get stabbing pains randomly in my ribs also, no banding but as if I’m being skewered. Absolutely hate it, and it can come at any time.
How long does your pain last? Mine started yesterday suddenly and was awake most of the night with it. Hurt to move or turn in bed. Today it is sore but not as bad thankfully. I have taken painkillers and put tiger balm on the area. However my ribs are so tender to touch.
Hi
It was suggested to me to take the anti-inflammatory painkillers for muscle spasm.
Hope it wears off soon.
Jen
Hi I just saw this. The MS but comes in different ways. I’ve had mine permanently since October 2012 when I first showed symptoms. For me it started as a tingling itch in my chest and then spread around my ribs to the spine. It is a band on my left side. It never goes away but you get used to it. It’s worse at night when it can make sleeping difficult. I use extra pillows and usually lie on it ( to crush it) and then turn over. I now take 50mg Amytriptyline at 6pm to help sleep, I used to take it later but it makes me foggy in the morning if I do. After all this time it’s very bearable. The skin is hypersensitive so can be irritated by many to things e.g. clothing. Seat belts when driving are a nightmare,as they run on you but I found on Amazon a handy thing that stops the seat belt retracting. This was a life saver as I can still drive automatic cars. Hopefully yours won’t be permanent but if it is then you need to find coping strategies. Meditation can help when meditating you can try to witness the pain rather than feel it. Good luck Adam
can you get an exemption to wearing a seat belt on medical grounds?
It depends on your GP. I asked mine and he refused. I explained that I was an advanced driver due to my background (police surveillance) and that it caused such discomfort I would regularly drive one handed with the left hand holding the seat belt off my chest, clearly unsatisfactory. However since finding the seat belt blockers I didn’t need the exemption. Now that problem is solved