I will try to explain this clearly enough.

I am having trouble with my left arm - again! This is different this time. Last year, it was a definite loss of strength issue and it was pretty constant for a couple of months. I even had a course of IVSM and it still took awhile to go away.

Fast forward to this year and it seems much worse. If I move it too much or get it in the wrong position, the whole inside part of my arm from the shoulder on down to the thumb and forefinger go numb and it feels like all the muscles completely spazz out and tighten.

When that happens, I am temporarily unable to use the arm at all. I just have to wait it out until that goes away. It takes me so long to be able to type because I have to repeat this cycle multiple times depending on how much I am trying to type.

This doesn't seem like an MS type thing because it comes and goes. So, I'm wondering if it has to do with the shoulder injury that I had a few years ago. I fell and had a partial tear in the rotator cuff. I did rehab and everything went back to normal. I haven't done anything, to my knowledge, to reinjure it, but who knows?

This has been going on for about 2 months now and it is getting to the point of bugging me enough to think about calling someone. Does anyone have any experience with a shoulder injury who can tell me if what I am experiencing is consistent with that kind of thing?

Ugh. I hate it, I had a torn rotator-cuff a few years ago too, and I know what you're talking about. My PCP gives me a script for PT again when it acts up. It's just another joy of living for me and that's how I handle it. I try to keep up the exercises regularly to prevent that tightening feeling.

I have recurring tennis elbow and shoulder tendon problems, and it can have similar symptoms. I normally go to my PT or GP (who are both very clued up on MS), to get their opinion on the next course of action.

Cherie

my clinic says

Any NEW or Worse old sx. Must last min of 24 hours in a row without stop. then you have one week to call Neuro to discuss steroids to help speed up recovery.

if the sx doesnt fit the above, call the PCP.

hope that helps. hope you feel better.

So, PT, huh? I can do that. I was secretly freaking out thinking about worse options (i.e. surgery).

I've been toying with the idea of calling the PCP for the last week or so. I just have some issues giving in to calling the doc. It is kind of a relief to know this is consistent with the shoulder injury so I know I'm calling the right dude.

Yeah, ya' stubborn cuss, get to it already!

Seriously, Holl, that's how we handle my situation, I can't say for sure about yours, but let's hope for the least of the worst!

Holly

I had the same problem a while back and it was the result of an injury while I was in high school on the gymnastics team! I dislocated my left shoulder. It got so bad that I could not reach up and behind me in the airplane to reach any of the instruments or move the trim tab settings! Now that's bad!!! Laugh all you want, but if one cannot reach the trim tab, then it makes it more difficult to fly the airplane!!!

I finally saw the ortho doc. He did an MRI and I don't remember exactly what he called it, but I he gave me a cortisone shot in the shoulder joint and, after the inital pain wore off, it was able to function just fine! I ended up having another shot about 6 months later and haven't had a problem since.

But my arm would go numb from the shoulder down exactly like you are explaining. Just like this...it was so painful...just my experience with this and long before I was dx'd with MS so I know it wasn't due to that. That's probably why you had some relief with IVSM.

Anyway, I bypassed the PCP and went straight to an ortho doc!!!

Man I can't tell you guys how thankful I am that you can identify with my pain. Not that it is good that anyone has had to deal with this, just that I am so relieved to know what to do. Now, I just have to get up the courage to call for an appt.

To start out with the first step of evaluation I would recommend talking to your PCP and have him check it out. I would even ask for a referral to and Orthopeadic specialist and, of course, see your neuro about this as it does sound centered around nerve activity.

You've gotten good advice and support on this thread so you're now obligated to let us know what happens with you.

Sounds similar to an MS symptom that I expereinced in 2002. A couple of weeks after my first exacerbation, my stroke-like incident, I had a similar experence with my left foot.

It would tighten up. I called it a cramp at the time, but it wasn't really, because it didn't hurt. I just couldn't walk or move it, or anything, until the tightness passed.

I noticed that it tended to happen when I got up from a reclining or a seated position, and that, if I stretched it slowly prior to moving into an upright position, I could avoid it.

I initially went to my PCP, who just said, "I don't know what it is. It is not another stroke. But, it sounds like something sensory is going on." I wish that I would've contacted my neuro, but, that early in my Neurological troubles, I didn't have a clue when it was appropriate to do that. After a couple of weeks, the symptom disappeared on its own.

~ Faith