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| Neck pain/stiffness...common with MS? |
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Question:
My neck is now stiff, extremely sore and at times I feel like my head
can't sit on my shoulders. This has been my latest attack with "New"
pains. Everyday my neck starts aching and by late afternoon it's so stiff
it's driving me nuts! Is this common with MS?
Answer:
My neck pain and pain down my arm is what took me to the neurologist.
He thought I had a pinched nerve and ordered a MRI of my crevical
spine, which showed MS placques. This pain is very difficult to deal
with because to remain standing you must hold your head up! You
never think about how much your head weighs until your neck hurts!
I bought a cervical support collar and a special neck support pillow at
a hospital supply store. Applying ice packs also helps.
I have suffered from muscle spasms since my teens(now 41).
The only thing that gets rid of them is a visit to the chiropractor. He can
get them to go away without
any drugs. I suffer from them on and off. I suspect mine are not MS related
since his treatments work
so well but who really knows. He tells me muscle spasms are caused by
inflamation of the nerve endings.
I have tried many different kinds of medications both over the counter and
by prescription with only
temporary relief.
Be careful though there are bad and good chiropractors. Look out for the
ones who try to run the bill up
with lots of x-rays or misc charges of all types. One x-ray of the neck is
normal but not even required
to treat muscle spasms. Only one x-ray at the initial visit should be required.
My MRI did show arthritis of my neck but I know I didn't have arthritis in
my teens.
I do get muscle spasms in my left leg which has without question been
affected by the MS. These though
are a bit different from how the neck acts and do not respond to the chiro
treatments.
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