By the end of the day my hand and arm are screaming at me for pain meds - I don't take them during the day because I'm working.

I assume that my numbness and pain are better in the morning because I've rested my hand and arm all night. The numbness is still there but the pain is gone (but it'll be baaaack!). I've had this numbness since October 2007 so I'm going to guess that it's permanent.

Hi iskimud,
Have you asked a doctor to look into Chiari Malformation? I have been going through numbness, weakness and dizziness for over a year now and my MRI's for MS have come back clear. I also have pain in the back of my neck/back like you. I recently discovered the diagnosis of Chiari Malformation and am asking my doctor to test me for it.
Go to ASAP . Org for information on Chiari Malformation

and my numbness is ALWAYS worse at night even if I have an easy day.

I have been dealing with the same thing. For about two years now I have been dealing with my left hand going paralyzed and my felt leg having stabbing pains or falling asleep. My feet fall asleep too. I can be walking, standing or setting and they will fall asleep. My NL has given me a nerve test and I past it. I have gone and checked my blood flow and made sure there was no clots and checked out fine. I was checked for MS. It has to be linked to the Chiari Malformation.

The MRI's were "normal." I did have a spinal tap. Total protein and albumin in the CSF are high. Also the IgG index is high. So far as I know, everything else is normal. They told me that the high IgG index and protein means some kind of auto-immune response. Or maybe just an immune response? I don't really know what this means. That my body is attacking either an invader or some part of the CNS? Could these results from the spinal tap be caused by a disc problem?

I agree with Snoopy that a MRI of your C and T spine would be in order, if you haven't had one already.

Have you had a lumbar puncture/spinal tap? It can be an unpleasant & invasive procedure, but there may be other conditions they could be testing for, like a bacterial infection or virus in your spine. If things get very difficult for you, I would consider pushing for that test as well.

MS sometimes does not reveal itself for some time, even on a MRI. In the meantime, I would strongly suggest that you keep a diary of your symptoms and timing, as this may prove invaluable in the future.

Cherie[/QUOTE]