I came across references to MS Hug quite recently and I have to say it piqued my interest. An interesting article on the Healthline Web Site describes it as an intercostal muscle spasm.
Now, I had not heard the expression MS Hug before and would normally have said that I don’t have such a thing. But, at risk of being accused of being hypochondriac, I do have these sensations most of the time.
It does not cause me great discomfort, so I haven’t given it too much consideration. I often find I am holding my hand against my belly, because of the tightness.
Yes, it is easy to make the symptoms fit the disease rather than restrict the disease to the symptoms. Over the years, I have experienced many different symptoms which I have attributed to multiple sclerosis.
The danger of self-diagnosis
But, as I discovered recently, taking this attitude risks missing something other than multiple sclerosis that may be causing the symptoms.
I have long had severe, sharp groin pains which I just blamed on the MS. I learned to live with it. But, I was referred to the urology clinic by my neurologist, I think just for a general check up.
The urologist diagnosed an enlarged prostate gland which apparently is quite normal in men of my age and has nothing to do with MS.
He prescribed the drug Tamsulosin which I procured from my local pharmacy. AND, within a few days my chronic pain was all but gone!
MS Hug: What is it?
As previously mentioned, MS Hug is the result of muscle spasm in the intercostal muscles. This is the muscle group that supports the rib cage and while the spasms are muscular in nature, the resulting pain in neurological. It is nerve pain which is often difficult to treat. Most over-the-counter pain remedies have little effect on nerve pain.
According to the National MS Society, the drug classes approved to treat the nerve pain of MS hug are:
- antispasticity medicines (diazepam)
- anticonvulsant medicines (gabapentin)
- antidepressant medicines (amitriptyline)
I use temazepam which is a form of diazepam. I take this to aid my sleep difficulties and it may inadvertently help with MS Hug even though this is not why i take it.
Amitriptyline is a drug I have been prescribed, not for MS Hug, but again for sleep problems. I reacted badly to it, as it exacerbated my MS Brain Fog terribly.
MS Hug: What does it feel like?
In my case, MS Hug manifests as a tightness across my belly. Others report feeling pressure around the waist, torso or neck. Some experience a band of tingling or burning, where other feel sharp, stabbing pain.
Have you experienced any of these MS Hug symptoms?
MS Hug: Possible triggers
The situations that may trigger MS Hug are the same as those which might trigger the more expected MS flare, Heat, fatigue and stress.
As my experience of MS Hug is not severe, I cannot report on factors that cause it to occur. But the reported negative effects would seem to concur with my experience of multiple sclerosis in general.
MS Trust has a view
Not wishing to report on a single view or have my opinion alone, I looked for further reference to MS Hug. I found the following article on the MS Trust Web Site where Jane offers her opinion that the MS Hug, while it sounds quite nice, is not anything to look forward to.
Jane points out that the condition often manifest as tightness across the chest and is also known as banding or girdling.
This inexplicable sensation is a kind of dysaesthesia and is classed, medically, as a kind of pain. As with most things in MS, it’s all due to nerve damage.
MS Hug Treatment
While not what I would class as a treatment in the conventional sense, relaxation or distraction techniques can provide some relief.
Consult your G.P. or other medical practitioner
While this may seem obvious advice, I think it could be very important. If you have tightness or pain across the chest this can often associated with cardiac problems and I know this can be the early signs of a heart attack.
If it is down to the nerve damage of MS then we can live with that but, if it is a cardiac problem, we may not live with that.
Over to You
Do you suffer from MS Hug? Do you experience it as a tightness of the chest or abdomen or do you have have the sharp, stabbing pains?
I would love to hear from my fellow MSers, or indeed from the fibromyalgia community. I know there are many of you out there who have an opinion. Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment here on this post.
Until next time. Be brave and keep up the fight.
