Tuesday, June 15, 2010

MS Is A Pain In The Neck

I find myself wondering what new weird symptom can pop up with my wife's MS. We have been dealing with this crazy disease for years, and have seen a lot of different symptoms that may be associated with her MS, but there always seems to be some new symptom lurking around the corner. My wife has had the issues with the electrical shock shooting down her spine as I know many MS'ers have, but she has had a new problem lately. About a week ago she started having issues with the right side of her neck. Her gland was really swollen and her neck really hurt from the pressure the swollen gland caused. When she would turn her head many times she would feel a pinching in her neck and would have to try and keep her neck still.

Along with this problem has come another strange issue. Her whole right side has felt funny since the gland issue has started, and her right shoulder has had soreness and pain. Her right side feeling funny is nothing new, but the shoulder pain is a new issue that we don't remember happening before. Sometimes the pain shoots from her shoulder blade and sometimes the pain shoots from her collarbone. When it happens, she has to stop because it really takes her breath away and she has to really concentrate to begin to feel better. She has been having cramps in her shoulder blades forever, but the shooting pain and the collarbone are new. Not sure what all is causing this, but I know the massage therapist commented on how wrecked her shoulder area is and how hard it is to get her body to loosen up.

I wish that was everything that was going on, but she has had another past villain show up. Under her arm she has an area that is extremely sensitive, and reminds her of shingles. She has had shingles multiple times before and many times it is in the armpit area. This is extremely uncomfortable for her, and it seems to come and go. So, she is having the cramps and pains in her shoulder and collarbone, and then she can't move her arm much because of the sensitivity issue. What a life it has been lately. She is doing much better the last few days, and I think we are past the main issues this time around. We are about to go on a 4 week trip to areas of the US setting up displays, so maybe we can find some time to just relax and rest. I know it would do both of us a lot of good.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always wondered if it was just me that had the shooting pain in the collar bone/shoulder area. I've had it for years and it seems to crop up seemingly from nowhere. I didn't even know that it was MS related since I've had this since long before I was diagnosed. I hope she is able to find relief! I know just what she's feeling.

Anonymous said...

I've only been diagnosed since June 2011 but feel very lucky to have minor symptoms compared to others. My main concerns are regular optic neuritis and the same pain your wife has along the collar bone/neck. Luckily for me Gaapentin blocks the pain and copaxone injections seem to have my ms under control as I've not had an episode of optic neuritis or stiff leg muscles since I started on it.
I do hope your wife is keeping well and I'm going to introduce my fiance to your blog as he worries about me all the time and it would be good for him to read about a man in a similar situation as he is.

amazur13 said...

I feel like this blog is meant for me right now- it almost seems as if my wonderful husband is writing it sometimes! I find that when I'm laying here searching symptoms, this blog seems to come up just when I need it and I'll have to spend more time going through it.
I'm currently waiting... By that I mean seriously doing nothing but waiting to see what is wrong with me! I have spent years going to doctors, in and out of the hospital with nothing to show for it. As of the last 2 weeks I am in so much pain and am so exhausted, I am on short term disability and barely have the energy to get out of bed. I have an appointment with an MS specialist next Friday- finally, I've been waiting 2 1/2 months to get in! I don't know what I'll do if this doctor doesn't find anything because I really can't live like this- especially without a diagnosis and no direction on how to improve! My symptoms are extreme fatigue, severe head pain, leg numbness/ pain to the point some days I can't walk, speckles/ stars / blobs in my vision, urinary incontinence, trouble swallowing- food just gets stuck in my throat, tingling in my hands, electrical shock feeling from my neck down my body, memory/ concentration issues (which might just be that it's hard to concentrate on anything when I hurt this bad!), nausea, and now recently- this swollen painful glands in the back of my neck...
There's probably more symptoms I haven't listed. I'm not usually like this- I'm a active person who likes to have fun and I've always enjoyed life! It's gotten to the point I couldn't even get myself to work- heck I don't have the energy to do anything and sleeping is even hard (I'm typing this at 3am!).
Well, hopefully I'll have some answers soon, but to be honest, I'm so scared they won't be able to tell me anything yet again!
Thank you so much for your blog- it has helped me so much!

sharon said...

I am a Ms sufferer I've being up all night had no sleep because of this electric shock. i have serious neck pain now every time i turn my neck i can hear something rubbing (sounds like old iron). I know this may sound funny but there is also a feeling that something is pulling my tonge