Hi Everyone I hope you are all as well as you can be, I have having a really strange symptom and I wonder if its the dreaded ms hug.Inside my chest feels raw, as if I have had a really bad cough and have irrated the inside of my chest, I also have to take really deep breaths as I feel as if I am not getting enough air into my lungs. I have increased my meds for nerv pain but it hasn’t made any difference. its making sleeping difficult, Has anyone else experienced this? any advice is much appreicated xx
Hi Ruby,
Yes may well be the Hug?
MS hug or girdle effect
Why does MS cause the hug or girdle effect?
This is a spasm-type symptom that is one of the more unusual effects of MS. Between each of our ribs are tiny muscles called intercostal muscles. These hold the ribs in place but provide flexibility at the same time. If these muscles go into spasm, the result can be uncomfortable or painful. This is sometimes referred to as ‘banding’.
Effects
People with this symptom of MS describe a burning or tight sensation which spreads around the rib cage, causing a crushing feeling that can range from uncomfortable to very painful. Sometimes it is accompanied by pins and needles. Most commonly felt around the ribs, occasionally the effect is experienced in the hands or feet.
Treatments
Individuals with MS who experience the hug or girdle effect do not always have the same degree of intensity of pain. For some, it is no more than an uncomfortable feeling, which passes without the need for any treatment. Others, however, need pain relief to deal with the spasm. Analgesic cream, warmth and painkillers are all used to provide relief. Your medical professional will discuss how best to manage your pain and will bear in mind any other drugs you are taking
Irrespective see your GP to get other things checked; most impo.
G
I’ve not heard of the MS hug before
hi ruby
i had a mild episode of the hug when first diagnosed.
it hurt for about 60 minutes and then went away.
however it came back a few weeks ago and this time lasted 2 weeks.
i couldnt get in touch with my ms nurse so went to my gp.
the gp had never heard of the hug so i left him with some homework!
however he rang me the next day to say that he’d referred me to the hospital to get checked out for other possibilities.
so i got my liver, kidneys and heart checked. a chest x ray too.
it felt good to be given a clean billof health.
i would describe it as feeling like your ribs are being cracked from within (dramatic eh?)
my ribs felt bruised for a week afterwards.
weird disease this!
carole x
Hi Ruby
Yes sounds like the hug.
I’ve had it continuously for a few years now.
Try and wear loose clothing. I can’t bear anything touching my skin when mine is bad.
Prob best to get checked out by a GP though just in case. I know a lot of GPs haven’t heard of the hug but mine knows all about it. Hopefully yours will too.
Take care and keep cool.
Shazzie xx
hi shazzie,i’m just wanting to know does this happen to you when you are layed on your side in bed,every time i wear tightish jumpers,i get a tight/tense feeling in the right side of my ribs,it feels like i get tenser n tenser but as soon as i take my jumper of i can feel the relief straight away,it also happens in bed when i lay on my right side,so i cant lay on my right side in bed anymore.i also find sometimes my breathing isnt right,but i’m not sure if thats just me,proberly because i’m so tense
this has been happening to me constant for a couple of year now,its hard to explain to people whats going on with me so i havent mentioned this to anyone,i have enough problem going on,i’m now dreading how i’m going to explain these feeling to my neuro when i see him for the 1st time
Hi My first main symptom was the ms hug which for me was like having someone pulling on a band around my rib age to make it as tight as possible. It varies in degrees of tightness. It is a symptom I have been left with in a milder form ever since, which comes and goes depending how much I overdo it. However I have also developed breathing difficulties, dizziness, fluttering sensations and nausea over past few weeks as well. Although my ms nurse thought originally I could be developing a reaction to my meds she has now managed to speak to my neurologist who says it sounds like a cardiology problem. I am now under going tests through cardiology which my GP refered me for but my neurologist has arranged for my appointment to be brought forward. So definitely go to see your GP. It’s important to remember that although you have ms you can still have other problems which should be checked out. After all breathing is quite important hey? : ) Mish x
Hi Mick
I had a really long chat with my Neuro in February. I told her that my hug is always there, some days it is better than other days but always there in some form. Either a tight band or pain. Like you say it is hard to breath sometimes. Mine is mostly in my right side at the lower part of my ribs. It is there whether I stood up, sat down or led down. My Neuro said that this happens a lot and is definitely the hug. She examined me and stuck little pins in where the hug is and I couldn’t feel it. I felt numb.
I am not expecting mine to improve but I hope you get some relief with yours.
Take care.
Shazzie x
thanks shazzie,what you get is exactly whats happening to me and,i havent told people this because all i mention to people is the pain i’m in,which i’m always in somekind of pain,cant walk properly my feet are so sore,in the last couple of weeks ive now developed something in my fingers and toes,sometime its painfull just to lift a cup of coffee up,migraines with vision loss or so the optition reckons,ive never had eye pain or migraine in me life,pins and needles allover my face (very painfull) and numbness down my right side.
ive finally after years of getting turned away and been fobbed off found a good doctor who seems good and knows what he’s talking about,he’s explained abit whats going on with me,hes pretty sure its ms but said just wait till my neuro appointment,thats only a couple of weeks ago now
i’m sort of in denial and would proberly argue with a neurologist it wasnt ms,even if it was confirmed,although i have all the symptoms+more
sorry to whinge on but i know this is a site we are allowed and good whinge and cry
You are not whinging. We all get how it gets you down. Whether it is MS or not you’re still suffering.
Hopefully when you see the Neuro you will be able to find out what is going on.
I found that Gabapentin helps the hug. Why not mention that to your GP/neuro. It might help you a bit til they find out what is going on.
Good luck and remember we are always here for you whenever you need to chat.
Shazzie xx
MS hug, if tha;s what i;m having, is something fairly new to me. But over last couple of days been pretty bad.
I really find a hot water bottle helps and I upped my dose of Gabapentin ( was on a low dose anyway so assume i’ll be ok to do that). it has helped.
Mine stated as an uncomfortable tight feeling a few moths ago, Assumed my bras were too tight and bought new ones, but made no difference, and now over last couple of days it has been tightness and sharp pain and ribs feel tender to touch. Sometimes both sides, sometimes one side at a time.
Another one of those weird things that just seems to happen for no reason.
Hope you fell better soon Ruby, and yes do mention it to neuro.
xxxx