Hello,

Does anyone else with autoimmune inflammatory issues have problems with muscle pulls that seem to be caused when parts of the spine (neck, scapula, lower back, glutes) become aggravated? I get muscle pulls in my neck, scapula and lower back, glutes WAY too often. I experience one of these types of pulls that can set off a chain reaction where the other parts that I mentioned above get involved. Like they pull on each other.
I will have to wear lidocaine patches round the clock for several days to a week to get the nerves to settle down before I get some relief.
I was on Enbrel, then Humira for a number of years that prevented most of these pulls from occurring, but over the last 4 years they happened much more often each year until I discontinued the Humira in 2012. I am assuming that is when the neuropathy began to takeover and the Humira was not suppressing it as well.
Please let me know if you have an autoimmune inflammatory issue and neuropathy and if the doctors or yourself have made any correlation between the two and what you take for it.
I have ben tested for RA, came back negative, told by my RA doc that I do not have psoriatic arthritis.

hi, my neuropathy was digagnosed about 1 year ago. A little time, a few months, before that I was diagnosed with autoimmune leukocytoclastic vasculitis. I have been treated for this autoimmune condition with Plaquinil at first, then Methatrexate. I have had some treatment with Prednisone for periods of times for flare ups.
The small fiber neuropathy started to get much worse 1 year ago and I have been treated for those symptoms with Lyrica and Amitripthyline.
My rheumathologist have been testing me for all different autoimmune diseases in addition to the small vessel vasculitis. All of them have come out negative.
But I have started to have more joint pain now , with some swelling etc. I had some Ex rays done.
My rheumatologist said she thinks perhaps I have rheumatoid arthritis. I know the RH factor blood test and ESR was negative.
My rheumatologist said that perhaps I got the neuropathy, and more of the arthritis are showing up now. I have migratory joint pain in wrists, fingers, shoulder knees and feet/ankles.

The neuropathy is a burning pain all over. Some times when the neuropathy flares up, I have PARESTHESIA IN ARMS WITH PIN AND NEEDLES, and the musles feels like MUSLE SPASM. aT THEESE TIMES, i ALSO FEEL AS IF THERE IS PULLING IN MY MUSLES FROM MY NECK AND ALL DOWN ALONG THE SCAPULA. I DEFIND THESE SYMPTOMS AS MUSLE SPASM, and I think it is due to the neuropathy.
So I was thinking, you asked if any one else had theese symptoms. Yes, I do have inflamatory issues, and neuropathy
The pulling and spasm often requires massage for relief.

Hey Synnove,

Thanks for responding! Im sorry you are experiencing these issues.
The muscle spasm that you speak of with your neck and scapula sounds alot like my issue. Almost feels like a "tug of war" going on between my neck and scapula. Did the methotrexate or plaquinil or prednisone help with the muscle spasms or inflammation that was noticeable to you? Which one helped the most?

Thanks,
N1

Hi N1
What is your underlying disease that is causing the cramping and pulling of muscles?
You mentioned joint pains too. A lot of autoimmune diseases causes jointpains.

The Plaquinil did not help much. ( the plaquinil takes months to take effect. I was on it for 6 months when we switched to Methatrexate. I think the Methatrexate has been helping some. During flare ups, the Prednisone helped me.
But the Lyrica helpes as a pain reliever only, and makes the burning pain less.
I will be seeing a new neurologist en 2 weeks, that a lical support group recomended. I think he will be a little more aggresive as far as the neuropathy symptoms goes. This doctor is a NEUROMUSCULAR SPECIALIST, so I am thinking this make sense as far as the cramping of muscles.
I hope you get answers to your symptoms soon

Hey Synnove,

My DX is Autoimmune small fiber neuropathy with autonomic symptoms.
Mostly my muscle pulls are in the neck and lower back. When one heals up and stops being an issue, the other seems to get aggravated.
I do have a little joint issues, probably from working out 23 years.
I try to keep stretched out, but it is a fine line to how much stretching I can tolerate before something pulls.
Massage helps, but only after things have calmed down for the neck. Lower Back massage helps. Cant really afford a massage every week, although I'm sure it would help.

N1

Have you had your HLA-B27 tested? That genetic marker is positive in a lot of people with seronegative spondyloarthropathies (my brain hurts from spelling that) and can help diagnose either Ankylosing Spondlytitis, Psoriatic Arthritis or Undifferentiated Spondylitis. They are a collection of autoimmune arthritis-es that have symptoms that flare in the spine.

I have Psoriatic Arthritis that is symmetrical (both sides, small joints in the fingers and toes, wrists and ankles) AS WELL AS in my spine. Specifically my neck will 'pop' and all of a sudden I can't move it for several days and take high doses of muscle relaxers to calm it down. The inflammation between the spine joints (gah - what are they called?) shows up on films and accounts for that symptom according to my rheumatologist.

I had read somewhere in my search for why I would have neuropathy with Psoriatic Arthritis (so far I've got nothing) I did come across something that said there was a strong association between Ankylosing Spondylitis and Neuropathy - but I can't recall where I saw that. Don't trust me - google search it and see what you can come up with.

Also - even though you don't have psoriasis now, it doesn't mean you don't have Psoriatic Arthritis. Sometimes the arthritis shows up first. Clues to it being PsA would be inflammation in the joints closer to the fingertips rather than the knuckles which is more common in RA.