I have had the hug on the left side of my rib cage for almost six years. You could draw a line down the center of my stomach around to my spine. And that is where I have the hug. It is right below my bra line. My neiro calls it a girding effect instead of hug.

It feels like my ribs and back are being squeezed or crushed depending on the day. That is also the area where I first experienced numbness -- my left side of my body. Most of the time it tolerable. I would estimate the pain in the 3 to 4 range. But for the last two days it has been horrible. I have tried taking advil and rubbing a pain relieving gel on it that has menthol it it. The gel helps for a few minutes. I have tried epsom lotion in the past, but it has never helped. Muscle relaxants do not have any effect. The only thing that relieves the pain a bit is lying on my left side with my ribs against the mattreess. You would think that would make it hurt more. But I do not want to spend all of my time in bed I had a bit is a crying episode a few minutes ago. I have not cried in months because of pain. But I have discovered that crying just makes the pain worse.