Hi, I’ve read about the “hug” but can you tell me if you can get it just on one side and how does long it generally last for? I’ve had this tight feeling around my right hand side ribs, sore when breathing, but left side is unaffected. I also find that most of my numbness, tingling, happens on my right side too. I’m waiting for my first neuro app, GP says MS is a possibility, but she did think it strange that my numbness, tingling comes and goes throughout the day, she thinks it should stay for days at a time. Same with my dizziness. It does tend to get worse late afternoon / evening when I’m tired. Any thoughts / comments greatly appreciated. 
Hiya! I dont claim to be an expert, having been diagnosed myself only 2 weeks ago so I am afraid I am not familiar of the ‘hug’…BUT my current episode was just what you describe. Complete pins and needles down my entire right side and an unbearably painful band of pain from just at the top of my ribs from chest to back…to the point that when I had my ‘tests’ at the Dr’s he couldnt even put a stethascope (sorry can’t spell that!) on it without me jumping back and crying in pain. I am 2 weeks on now and pins and needles have just gone and band of pain gone too. Still not perfect as in now and again it hurts a little to breathe, but if its a comfort that has all gone now. Good ole roids! xx
Hiya - I did reply to this, but I’m not very technical and there is a delay when you reply so I am not sure if I ‘replied’ or done it as a ‘new post’ so please double check my new post if it doesn’t come to you as a reply to this as you might find it helpful :-)…apologies x
Hya…
Yes you can get hug on one side. The time it lasts for really varies. Sometimes I will get it for just a few minutes… other times it has lasted a few hours or even around 24 hours or a bit longer, and I have heard of people having it for much longer.
All MS symptoms can come and go throughout the day and they do tend to be worse when tired, stressed or hot. However none of this means that I’m saying you have MS. There are loads of neurological and other conditions that have similar symptoms, so for now, wait and see what the neuro says and the outcome of tests.
Here is a ‘copy and paste’ list of tips that might help with the hug… hope it does help and you get some answers from neuro soon.
Pat x
It’s a spasm of the small muscles between the ribs. Here are some tips that might help:
· It can go all around your rib area, or only in part of rib area… up high on ribs or low down on ribs… or it can be only on one side of ribs
· Sometimes the affected area will be extremely itchy
· Much worse in heat
· Much worse when fatigued or stressed
· Don’t wear a bra (it irritates the muscles)
· Don’t wear tight clothing… the looser the better
· Avoid large meals… little and often is better
· Lie down in/on bed if you can… and lying completely flat often helps
· Take 2 Paracetamol… if you are not on other pain med’s… or try one Paracetamol & one Ibuprofin (no more than 3 times a day)
· Try controlling your breathing… deep in through the nose and slowly blow out of mouth… and try and relax whole body while doing it
· Stay as cool as you can but don’t have cold shower… luke warm is better
· Rest, rest, rest and then get some more rest (if at all possible)
· Gently rub the affected area. It might feel like it’s bruised… don’t worry, that’s normal
· Recently I’ve discovered that if I eat something small, eg bowl of cereal, it seems to relieve the hug for a while. Not sure why but it’s worth a try.
I have read that some people find relief by actually putting something tight around the affected area. So it might be worth a try… binding something around the ribs (a scarf maybe) & see if it gives relief.
Pat x
Not wanting to contradict Pat, but do experiment to find out what works best for you.
Assuming the thing I get IS the “hug”, and not something else, I find lying completely flat is the absolute worst. In fact, it’s almost invariably in that position that it starts.
I find sitting on the edge of the bed for a while, leaning forwards, sometimes helps. As does being up and about!
I have sometimes wondered if the thing I get is indigestion, and that’s why it’s worse lying down. However, I don’t think so, as it doesn’t respond at all to antacids. It does respond to a couple of painkillers, however.
It’s also been rarer since I’ve been on Baclofen, which is a muscle-relaxant - which points to it probably being the “hug”, which is spasm of the tiny muscles (intercostal muscles) between the ribs.
Although it’s counter-intuitive, I can see why tight binding might help. The brain accepts the sensation more, if you can give it a reason WHY it’s feeling constricted. It then processes the sensation as normal and appropriate, instead of unexplained.
Tina
x
Hi Tina & H64em
I’ve just posted on the hug as had another flare up. What Tina describes is somewhat similar to me at present. (This is the third proper time having the hug - though I think I’ve had shorter episodes before).
My worst three have lasted anywhere from a week to three weeks at which point I took diazepam which reduced my symptoms by 70% (So like Tina I think I can safely say it probably was the hug).
My symptoms have always been round the L and can be just around the bra area though at present they started round my abdomen like a band and have spread up on the left like a corset feeling. The spasm itself I feel has eased but I have also had bad neuropathic burning pain at present where the hug is. I almost screamed when my boyfriend touched me and when he dropped cold cream on my back it was so painful!
I have also this time had gastro issues with it (I’ve had gastro bowel issues in a previous episode but never with the hug). So I feel constantly full and can’t eat much, nauseas at times, loose stools, I almost questioned whether it was heart burn but pains just on L and like Tina I’ve taken antacids when I thought I had acid previously to find nothing helped (this coming from someone who had acid refolux in her teens for two years and new exactly what to do and what her triggers were so could control acid issues with diet). I wonder whether having a spasm affects the vagus nerve and therefore leads to gastroparesis - but I’m no expert…
I’ve found for me a microwave hot waterbottle (so warm enough but not boiling) pressed against my back where the spasm is turns the burnin squeezing sensation into something more bareable. Like Tina I can’t lie down, be on my side and actually bending forward is terrible but I think that’s partly as my spasm is around the front too and may also be as Tina says due to or gastro issues ? My ownly relief is the warm bottle as I mentioned or moving and standing. I try to stretch if feasible but at times it’s so painful it’s just not possible. Loose clothing and lighter meals is also a useful tip as I know if I wear a belt or eat lots it’s much worse. I eat little and often.
If it lasts and is painful you can go to your GP who maybe able to prescribe diazepam or something similar to help. i never found painkillers to help me at all but I think thats partly because as well as the tight muscle I get neuropathic pain whcih isn’t really treated with normal painkillers.
Enough waffling from me. I hope you manage to get some relief. I can be a really debilitating symptom. Not fun when you jump or scream everytime your partner touches you 
Reemz
X
quote=Anitra]
Not wanting to contradict Pat, but do experiment to find out what works best for you.
Assuming the thing I get IS the “hug”, and not something else, I find lying completely flat is the absolute worst. In fact, it’s almost invariably in that position that it starts.
I find sitting on the edge of the bed for a while, leaning forwards, sometimes helps. As does being up and about!
I have sometimes wondered if the thing I get is indigestion, and that’s why it’s worse lying down. However, I don’t think so, as it doesn’t respond at all to antacids. It does respond to a couple of painkillers, however.
It’s also been rarer since I’ve been on Baclofen, which is a muscle-relaxant - which points to it probably being the “hug”, which is spasm of the tiny muscles (intercostal muscles) between the ribs.
Although it’s counter-intuitive, I can see why tight binding might help. The brain accepts the sensation more, if you can give it a reason WHY it’s feeling constricted. It then processes the sensation as normal and appropriate, instead of unexplained.
Tina
x
[/quote]
Thank you all for your comments. Fortunately it only lasted a few hours and it was more painful when laying down. I have suffered with severe reflux in the past and though the pain was similar I knew it wasn’t the same, the fact that it wasn’t all the way round and high up made me think something else was causing it. I guess it’s another thing to write down and mention when I do get my neuro app. Thank you again. H
Glad your hug has eased. When I had it, it lasted 5 months in total, I would have several episodes every day when I experienced a real tigh t squeezing and it was only the right side of my torso. I also had an awful itchy feeling which scratching would not relieve, it was as if the itch was deep inside me. I experienced real shooting pain like jabs in that area, couldn’t wear a bra which was not very flattering as I’m not exactly small in that dept. !! Like Tina, when I was in bed, the pain would take your breath away, it was easier if I wasn’t lying down. Gabapentin was the only drug which relieved my hug. Think I was taking 2100mg daily.
Hi Fudgey x
Gabapentin sorted my hug out very quickly! I’ve been on them a while now and unfortunately I think I may be getting tolerant to them as my hug is niggling again xx Why did you stop taking them? xjenxx
Hi, I stopped taking gabapentin when the hug more or less stopped. I don’t like to keep taking meds if I don’t have to. It has left some damage to the area as I am still slightly aware of an underlying tightness in the right abdomen area but it’s a hundred times better than it was when it was crippling me !!! I’ve still got gabapebtin to hand if it starts up again.
I’m wondering if this is what I experienced a few weeks ago. I was getting myself and my daughter up in the morning, ready for the school run. The pain came on quite suddenly and I didn’t think I’d twisted or pulled a muscle as I wasn’t doing anything unusual or strenuous but suddenly I found it hard to draw in a full breath. I actually thought I might faint but breathed into my abdomen and made it to school and back (walking). Funnily enough, the following day(I think…or shortly after) I was at an event wearing a corset as part of my costume and that actually helped to relieve the pain as well as the anxiety of irritating the muscles. It eventually faded. I’ve also felt what might have been a ‘hug’ lower down, under the ribcage, when I was having some issues with my bowel movements. I just keep putting ticks next to so many different symptoms…and worried about not being taken seriously.
I have the same problem very tight and uncomfortable, i have tried everything with no success. Any help out there thanks