Hi all,
im still new to all this and I was wondering about pain and MS. I have widespread pain in shoulders, neck, upper back etc, and a weird niggly ache in my mid back just on the left hand side. This is all the time, and I’ve had it for a few years on and off.
I was just wondering if these sort of pains are commonly cause by MS and what sort of chronic pain other MSers get?
thank you in advance
Sarah x
Hi Sarah, I have only just read your post & by coincidence I too have the type of pain you are describing. I was diagnosed with Pleurisy last week, after they had ruled out a heart attack, although they have told me I have an enlarged heart, due to my RA. Like you, I have had this pain on & off for quite a while, but it became severe a couple of weeks ago, hence suspected heart attack. Today, although I have been on steroids & antibiotics the pain is virtually the same & I can’t take any ibuprofen based meds due to a perforated ulcer years ago. They now think, as well as the previous mentioned ailments, I have something called Costochondritis or Tietze’s Syndrome. It is inflammation of the tissue & muscle from the sternum, ribs, through the back, neck & down the arm, predominantly down the left side & caused through infection or trauma (mine probably from coughing) it takes months to clear & if it’s Tietze’s I will be on steroids & antibiotics for a while (my Ginfest is not looking good anytime soon!!!) I suggest that you go to the Drs, tell them your symptoms. They will order blood tests (mines been done today). I have real empathy with you, it bloody hurts, a lot!!! I have been told it could take a long time to go, possibly many months, so don’t expect miracles if you do have it. Go to Drs, put your mind at rest, & no I don’t think it’s a particular MS pain, but I may be wrong, at least I know I’m not about to die, be in pain, but not dead!! Get it sorted, let me know & I will update you on mine next week Tracey x
My pain is nerve pain common in MS. Nerve pain some descriptions form other people and i would say i had them all.
My legs now and fizzing, tingling, burning, virbrating, spasms, cramp, mostly in my legs all the time 247.
I get low back pain and spasms in my back i use a heating pad for that all day. I have had the MS hug which squeezes me around my left breast and makes me feel really uncomfortable.
I dont have joint pain or neck pain, or shoulder pain not really. I ache in my shoulder but that is down to using my stick I think.
What type of MS have you got? Are you on any drugs to help?
some people with MS have other auto immune diseases, and the symptoms constantly overlap which is really difficult for some to know what pain comes from where.
xx If you have a lot of pain do talk to your GP and get some help. x
Hi Sarah
Unfortunately pain is a major symptom of MS and it affects all of us differently. For me my main pain is in my lower back, which radiates down through my hips and down to my lower legs. However, I’ve got spinal arthritis too so I never know what is causing the symptoms. I’ve also had awful pain in my neck and shoulders, which since the MRI I’ve been led to believe is the arthritis. However, my MS nurse and Neurologist both believe the majority of the pain is down to the MS, it’s very hard to tell. Have you had an MRI recently?
Lou xx
Hi all, I’m so sorry! We’ve been away on a much needed break so I haven’t seen this until now, thank you all for your replies. I too have spinal arthritis (in my lower back and pelvis, caused by degenerative disc disease) but this pain in my shoulder blade is very different, I do get the odd couple of days every now and then when it’s barely noticeable-I love these days! Lol! But mostly it’s awful, a really deep constant ache, when I press in the area the pain increases hugely, but it’s kind of a weirdly nice pain (like a deep tissue massage) so I started thinking maybe it’s a trigger point thing? But I know so little about that. My last MRI was March this year I think, I can’t remember exactly. It showed no improvement but also no worsening of disease. I’m on copaxone daily injections, which for now are going ok, I switched to manually injecting and I found I had far far fewer side effects. I was diagnosed with RRMS just this year, so I’m still very new to all this, my symptoms only started last year in June (although, looking back, I’ve had mild symptoms for years, but far too mild for them to be a worry)
It’s a bugger isn’t it. Which ailment causes what, they all seem to throw up different things, which then mingle together, is it MS? is it RA? who knows!!! My pain is, well still a pain!!! Just finished 1 lot of antibiotics & steroids & will be starting some more tomorrow as it’s come back Tietze syndrome, I’m following docs recommendations, not even looking at Dr Google, I don’t want to know!