I'm just coming up to the 2 year anniversary of my dx. So far I think most of my sx have been pretty much text book... numbness, tingling, optic neuritis, fatigue, balance issues, cognitave issues, spasticity. Good times...

In the last few weeks I have notice pain in my right shoulder. It feels like it is in the joint, it is not constant or consistant in degree. It all varies. However, it is getting worse. To the point where it is effecting my sleep. There are times when I can't lift my arm, like last night. But today I can move it above my head with just a little soreness.

Here is my question. Is pain another MS symptom? I don't think I've read anything about it, but this is the first time I've experienced this apart from the pain I get from muscle spasms. I think I should also note that this is the same shoulder I get the spasms in, but like I said, it feels like the joint, not the muscle.

I'm in general good health other than the MS (and the few+ extra pounds I could stand to lose), so I seem to blame everything on MS. Could this be one more thing, or something I should maybe get checked out. Just trying to avoid going to the dr....

I am not too sure about the pain thing. I seem to experience similar things to your other sx. Sorry I can't be of any help. Just wish you some relief from the pain!

It sounds like it might be tendonitis to me, which is very treatable:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...donitis&page=2

We were recently talking about this on another forum, and below is MY response(s):

"I have had tendon problems, in my elbows and shoulders, plenty of times. Physiotheraphy and assigned exercise routines have always rectified it though.

I "feel" like I have tendonistis when I get spasticity, but it goes when the attack lets up, so it's not "real" tendonitis.

That's my experience."

When I was asked which exercises I do at home:

"Sure. Hope I can explain it so it makes sense though . . .

For my shoulder, I use elastic hosing, about 3 ft (when unstretched). It is tied to the handle of a closed door. I stand facing 90 degrees away from the door, and reach across my body to grasp the hosing. My elbow is tight in to the side of my body as I slowly swing my forearm back and forth in front of my body in a disciplined way. My hand ends up touching the inside of my body (ribs) and then swings to the far outside of my body. The hosing is stretching as I am doing this.

For my elbow, I use a 5 lb weight (I think . . . I have a dolphin statue that I've been using ). The best tool would be a bar weight though, or anything cylindar shape. I rest my arm on a comfortable & level surface, like the arm of the chair. I lift my hand so that it is pointing in the air, and my wrist bent. I grasp the weight, then slowly lower it until it is level with the front of the arm rest. I take the weight out with my other hand, lift my hand, and do the same thing again.

I do both of these exercises in reps of 10, take a rest, and do it 2 X 10 more times. I do these exercises 3 times a day.

I am normally getting ultrasound treatments every few days for the first week, and a couple of times the next. With these exercises, I usually recover within 2 - 4 weeks.

(You might want to try to look these exercises up on the internet if my instructions don't make sense. I suspect they are fairly "standard" . . . )"

And an explanation of my impression of the difference between tendonitis and MS-pain:

"I can't remember if my physiotherapist said "calcification" or "scar tissue" . . . but I left the tendonitis for too long a few times, and it was definitely much harder (and longer) to treat. Every time though, the ultrasound, his painful probing/massages within the joint, and consistent exercise routines have fixed the problem.

Leaving it has NEVER resulted in it clearing up on it's own, although my doctor has threatened cortisteriod (?) shots if I couldn't get it under control myself. Apparently this is a good option too . . . but even he recommends it as a last ditch effort.

When it is true tendonitis, for me, there will be a spot within the joint that hurts when pressed. When it's MS-related ("feels" like tendonitis), I don't have the pain in the joint, just the muscle-type pain in areas extending from the joint."

Just my experience . . .

Cherie

I've never had MS pain, but I have had the type of shoulder pain you describe. Excruciating and long lasting. I had it my senior year in college. I played field hockey and spent the entire first semester downing advil and icing. It took several months to go away. Got some cortisone shots in the capsule but they only worked temporarily and apparently aren't recommended for younger people (I found out later).

Rest, ice, and advil were what helped. I did find out that I was triggering it/making it worse?? by sleeping with my head on my arm. I think that may be how it started and then I just aggravated it constantly by continuing to sleep that way and playing sports. Probably want to see a doc and get some PT. I bet some heat and ultrasound could help from them.

Good thing is that was 15 years ago and it never came back. See a doc so you can try to nip this in the bud.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should probably go get it check by a dr. It is just so easy though to blame every little ache and pain on my MS. I think I'm truly scared of having yet another thing wrong with me. MS is enough.

I was using heat, but it only seemed to get worse. I have been taking an Aleve before bed so I could sleep, but it didn't help it last night. I may try icing it today and make an appt with the dr.

Thanks again

Dont use heat! It will make it feel worse. (dont worry, it's temporary, it's called Uhthoff's Phenomenon, which is a temporary worsening of symptoms in response to raised temperatures)

I get pain in my shoulders when I sleep at night too. I sleep on my left side, and rarely ever turn over or move once I fall asleep. (not sure why that is?)

I get a deep ache in my shoulder, I'm double jointed in both shoulders, and can pull my shoulders out of their sockets at will. I dont know if this has anything to do with the shoulder pain. A few years ago, I had such bad pain in my shoulder that I had to use a sling for a week or two because I couldnt even keep my shoulder in it's socket. I'd cry myself to sleep because it hurt so bad.

I also get a really deep ache pain in my left hip when I sleep on my side. A few months before I had any clue that I had MS, I had numbness in my right hip and thigh, so I was sleeping on my left side. The deep ache started then. At the time, it was so painful that if I tried to turn to my back, or other side, that I almost could not do it. I'd have to stuff my teddy bear into my mouth to keep from screaming as I slowly rolled onto my back.

It hasnt been that bad for a few months (thankgoodness!)

I'm starting to get a pain in my right knee when I'm sleeping (this could be from a knee injury I got when I fell down the stairs in January tho) But, I'll wake up, and the knee will be really stiff and painful, and bending it is pretty painful. It'll get better thru the day, but sometimes when I'm walking, I'll feel the kneecap feeling like it's caught onto something.

I dont think all my pains are MS related, but I'm sure one or two are not helped much by having MS and spasticity.