I have just been for an appointment with a neurologist appointment two weeks ago about my chronic migraines and facial pain. I mentioned in passing that I was having a really bad time with shoulder pain and loss of muscle tone in my shoulder (my shoulder seems to have dropped), and tingling and numbness in my left leg and arm. I thought it was the way I was sitting in my chair at work. Anyway, the consultant did the usual neuro exam and referred me for an MRI. In letter he wrote to my GP he has written that the neuro exam was largely unremarkable, although I did have sustained clonus at the left ankle and that my reflexes were generally brisk.
Now - any searches that I have done have told me that clonus is NEVER normal. and this has got me worried. Can anyone shed light on this? Can clonus ever just be an oddity of someones normal physiology? or is it always related to interruption of upper motor neuron fibers?
Hi Newbie, MS does cause headaches but they can become far worse and constant with a complaint that mimics MS symptoms called Sticky-Blood or Hughes Syndrome; see aps-support.org.uk Good luck, most important this complaint can be controlled.
Thanks ggood. I guess I’ve had headaches for 20 years and I am not particularly worried about them, or wasn’t. It was more the question about the clonus at the left ankle and whether that is ever found in a “healthy” person? also the “brisk reflexes”… these are the thing that have me worried
The most useful piece of advice I can offer is to stop looking things up on the internet. Dr Google is a crap doctor. I don’t even think he’s a proper MD.
I’m not sure about whether a person could have Clonus without a neurological cause. Just remember, anything is possible.
Once you’ve had the MRI you’ll get more useful information from the neurologist. That’s the information you should be able to rely on.
It’s really difficult to wait, and almost impossible not to look things up!
The best places to look for symptoms of MS are this site (look at the tab About MS at the top of this page), and the MS Trust (search for a specific term or symptom and MS Trust).