Good morning everyone. Newbie posting for 1st time so apologies if this has been discussed to death. Diagnosed with MS in 2015. Currently battling with pain. Read up on MS Hugs, but am curious - does anyone get them in other parts of the body? I regularly get them on the right side of my neck like a vice grip, and the pain shoots across my collarbone into my upper limb. If lucky I get the tingling sensation in my fingers too. Does this happen to anyone else or is this not an MS Hug?
Hi cvt001uk,
Sorry you’re in the club none of us chooses. I’m 64, diagnosed PPMS in 2022. I don’t know if your experience is the MS Hug or not, but yes I’ve experienced MS Hugs across my chest.
It started as tightness in the middle of my chest spreading outwards, but soon turned to a feeling of someone actually standing on my breastbone. I was sweating, in a lot of pain and struggling to breathe, I subsequently spoke with my MS Nurse and she sent me for an ECG. My MS Nurse said the symptoms are very similar to a heart attack and we needed to rule that out to be confident it was the MS Hug. I was petrified it was a heart attack at the time), but the ECG was clear thankfully.
I’ve experienced the hug (who decided hug was an appropriate name!), a few times now and although I know what is happening and that it will pass it’s really frightening.
I wish you well going forward and pleased you feel able to reach out. Take care xx
Hello @cvt001uk
I usually feel the MS hug around my torso, feels like wearing a really tight girdle.
The grip round the back of neck sounds like Lhermitte’s Sign, to me it feels almost like electric shock; hope it gets better soon.
Best,
JP
My ‘hugs’ tend to be round my abdomen or chest - a compressing squeeze. Have you contacted your MS Nurse about these shooting pains on one side? Probably worth exploring it all with your MS Nurse and perhaps also your GP