Hello, diagnosed with rrms in 2006 & then secondary progressive earlier this year. I do well overall besides some issues with fatigue and brain fog. We’ve had a stressful few years family wise with 3 cancer diagnosis in my immediate family. The last 3 months approximately I have constant pins and needles in my right shoulder. This is the area that led to my initial diagnosis all those years ago. Because they are there daily it is exhausting and beginning to upset me. I am on a keyboard in work and that makes it worse, ironing makes it worse. Anything using my right arm really. I do get pins and needles a lot in my face, head but this is the first time it’s constant. My mri in may was stable with no progression. My question (finally) - can I deal with this myself with rest and topical pain gels? I know a gp visit will probably mean a prescription for steroids which I hate taking. Any advice is welcome.
Hi,
I get pins and needles too but mine have not been that serious. Are you sure that steroids are the only option if you go to the GP? I wonder whether some of the stuff that seems to get prescribed for nerve pain might help - amitriptyline, gabapentin… I really know nothing about it, only that I was prescribe amitriptyline for nerve pain and it really helped.
The other option presumably would be to contact your MS nurses team and see what they would suggest.
Have you tried a tens machine? It’s just an idea, but I recently tried using one for neuropathic pain in my legs and it did ease the stabbing pains with gabapentin.
I know these types of pains can get you down, but steroids is not always the answer, think of your bone health I say this because I was recently diagnosed with osteopenia. I hope this helps you.
As @Leonora suggests, in the first instance I would contact my MS Nurse