back pain and ms

[4cordelia]

Hello
I'm new to the forum. I've been reading the many posts and appreciate so much the support and wealth of info you give. Thanks!

I fit in the category of "clinically defined MS without confirmed MRI dx." per my neuro. (one lesion cervical spine)

I'm not one to complain, so most of the time I ignore the symptoms or just make do. In January though, the spinal pain was the pits. Went to see an on-call dr. in January as my reg dr was on vacation. On-call dr told me it was just thoracic neuritis and sent me for an MRI of the brain. No exam, just off to pay the $1700.00 out of pocket. ($5,000 deductible.) Of course, the brain MRI came back normal. She brushed me off when I asked her about MRI of the spine since that's where my swelling and pain was (right wear the bra line is). Tightness around chest made it difficult to breath or lie down. Increase baclofen to 3x day and bonded with the heating pad until March. Pain and swelling went away.
Just this week the symptoms seem to be sneaking back up but not full blown.
Has anyone else experienced the back pain? Swelling or tenderness in the vertebrae? Banding? What to do for it?
Thanks so much. Sorry it's such a long post.
Cordelia

[ActiveMSers]

With MS, banding around the chest is pretty typical (I have it). I also started with a clean brain MRI, but a couple of lesions on the spine. Back pain or sensitivity around the vertebrae? Didn't happen to me, and I don't know if that is MS related or not.

[KristaH]

Like Dave said the "MS hug" (tightness around the chest) is common. I have back pain, not so much swelling but my erector spinae (muscles along the spine) seize up and it feels like my spine is being ripped out. It looks like I have two spines sticking out on either side of my actual spine, kinda gross. A good massage fixes it until the next episode. I used to think, before my dx, that it was just stress but now I know its part of my MS.
I didn't have lesions on my first or second MRI, they didn't do a spine scan though.