Pain between posterior ribs/thoracic spine
 

I get this pain right at my thoracic spine that goes right across where my bra is and in between the ribs on either side,but more on the right. Sometimes I only feel it right on my spine. I can even feel an indent on the right side between two of my lower ribs. I did have an MRI of my spine the end of November and I do have a lesion or two in my thoracic spine. My neuro said that spinal lesions do not cause pain right at the spot that they are located. My MRI also showed some degenerative changes in my cervical and thoracic spine.

My neuro told me the pain I have was caused from the degerative changes and to take NSAID's for 10 days as a trial to see if that helped , to do yoga and to apply heat to the area. None of this has helped much. Do any of you have a similar problem, pain in this area? What do you do that helps? The past few days the pain seems to be worse again. It's PMS time,so perhaps that's the cause of the flare up of this pain. I just don't know. I'm tired of it though! Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences/thoughts.

You might want to read the following thread:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ight=exercises

I believe MS can cause back pain, because I have had it come on like an attack, and just as suddenly leave like one. Naproxen can take the edge off, but I haven't found any pain killers that help for neurological pain.

(I wouldn't try those exercises when you are in a lot of pain . . . but they are easy and help build up stomach muscles to hold the back, when you are up for them.)

Cherie

Thanks Cherie. I'm reading it now. I didn't really believe my neuro when he said that about no pain on the spine from spinal lesions, but then I thought,"He should know" lol Turns out though that, we, the patients usually know best.

I get this too, only I don't feel too much pain around the spine, just around the rib cage. Basically, it is the MS hug and during a flare it can be so intense and can immobilze you for a bit.

I do have an odd sensation there all the time. It's hard to describe. Sometimes wearing a bra will set it off (I have several bras each for different times. LOL).

I do take Neurontin daily for some of the nerve pain as I have severed nerves in that area (or maybe just dead nerves from the lesion). So I have areas on my rib cage that I have no feeling at all. (Found that out while at PT and they used a TENS unit there).

This is what I do for the pain when it gets bad. I use the TENS unit (if I can tolerate it), then put a warm pack on the area for 10 minutes, then have someone GENTLY massage my back (if someone is around to do this), after that I put ice packs on it for 10 minutes. The ice feels great.

If anything, using just the ice helps me so much with nerve pain. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to sleep with an ice pack on my back or in the rib cage area.

I also take Epsom salt baths which really help a lot.

LOL on the dr's response. I had a MS specialist tell me when I was 1st diagnosed that MS is not painful.:eek:

Let us know how you are doing.:hug::hug:

YES YES YESSSS!!! I have had this for years..
Its worse at night..when I am tired..or stressed.

Since they do not think I have MS..its not the hug I guess. Intercostal area of ribs gets inflammed..causing spasms. Sometimes the spasms are so bad they take my breath away. Whatever it is..its terrible.

I use 3 ibruprofin..and 1 tab 300mg of Neurontin(gabapentin) when its bad..but what also helps ME..is Methocarbamol 750mg is a muscle relaxer that does not make you drowsy. That combo helps when its really really bad..for me.

Let me know how you are doing ok? I do not have lesions on the spine..but I too can put my finger on the area exactly on the spine where the pain originates.

Go figure

Warmly Jan

I'm on Neurontin, but a low dose 300mg three times a day. I sometimes take it 4 x /day in times like these. I take 800mg of Ibuprofen too at times when the pain has flared up. Neither seem to help a whole lot. Oh and I take a small dose of Baclofen too.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I tried the ice this afternoon and it has helped some. I really appreciate all of you! :hug::hug:
Anyone else with anything similar feel free to add!

I have the MS HUG, Girdling, banding, whatever they want to call it. It hurts like all get out.:( When in a relapse it intensifies the pain. Neurontin used to help at 3600 mg a day but it stopped working after 6 years or so.

I think we build up a tolerance against some MS medications. Then the doctor can always prescribe something else. :rolleyes:

It is worse when I lay down. It is right around the bra area. Even my blanket hurts to touch it. I, too, can pinpoint exactly where the origin is located on my spine, by touch.

I use the microwave heat pack to take the edge off of it. Sometimes I feel my ribs are going to crack from the tight feeling, or is it a feeling?.. or a real spasm that is really happening?:confused: Hmm
Lady

:)

I'm sorry to hear you deal with the pain too,Lady. :hug: Sometimes mine feels better when I lay down,sometimes not. Right now and for the past several days, my ribs feel like they are being pushed forward.
These different MS symptoms can be very stubborn,can't they? I'm really stubborn myself. Good thing I guess.
I'm thinking of sending my neuro the link to this thread since he told me we can't feel where the spinal lesions are lol

Sounds familiar...
 

Thank you for posting!
I've been suffering from the same thoracic and rib pain for a couple of years now. It's getting worse fast. Most of my pain is coming from T6-7 (one of my many thoracic disc herniation's). I also have some ongoing pain from past fusions, but the T-spine is causing more referred pain. It's to the point now, that gravity alone is a major culprit, and is too much for my spine to handle. Several times a day (on the days I'm not in bed all day), I have to lay flat on my back for an hour or so each time. (I also go through a lot of ice packs.) While this helps, it by no means stops the pain. I find that I'm in this position more and more often, and for longer periods of time. (I don't get much done this way, unless you consider reading productive.)
My surgeon has told me there's no surgery to fix this (unlike my lumbar and c-spine, which has been fused at several levels already).
I currently take hydrocodone 10/325 (up to 8 in 24 hrs, but this makes me nauseous. 6 is about all I can handle). I also take Gabapentin 300mg once a day (I've broken down and taken 2, due to pain, and found that worked better, so I'll be discussing a dosage increase w/ the Dr. soon).
I've been told this is degenerative, and will only get worse. I thought the surgeon was only referring to the pain, but now, I'm not so sure...
I've been in pain so long, I don't know any other way of being. I was first injured on the job in 2005, and have been going downhill ever since (although I did continue to work full time until my thoracic injury 2 1/2 yrs ago). My spine continues to deteriorate faster than I anticipated, and that in itself is scary. I'm 50 now, and the battle to keep my head above water is exhausting.
I do need better pain management if I'm going to be anything other than a ball of pain. I've resisted stronger meds for a couple of reasons; I no longer drive due to increased pain from being in the driver's seat, and getting to the Dr. means my husband has to miss work, time, and pay in order to get me there (stronger meds require monthly visits w/pm, my current meds come with refills). And last but not least, I've experienced first hand being on some of the strongest pain meds available for an extended length of time (1 1/2 yrs), and I've suffered the effects of withdrawal when I wasn't weaned off the meds after surgery. (Although this was a few years ago, I'm still to this day petrified of repeating anything close to what I went through). But the day in day out of constant pain is taking it's toll on me and my body.
T5-10 are all herniated (multi-level spondylosis) and may be just as problematic in the future, but for now, the main level of concern is T6-7. I have no idea of what will most likely happen as this continues to deteriorate, and I need to be as informed as possible (ignorance, I've found, is not always bliss, and left me very ill-prepared in the past).
Anything anyone can share with me, about their own journey, what worked, what didn't, what other areas of the body have been affected etc. will be truly welcomed.

My neuro said sometimes its not spasms, its nerve pain. He put me on topamax. Im up to 200mg a day now. I still take my baclofen, tizanadine and clonazapan too, but take my 200mg of topamax at night. it helps a bit. It only hits occassionly now. It was hitting nightly before.

Sheesh, doctors these days! If the lesions don't cause pain, right where you are having pain, where would the pain be? It's an illness of the central nervous system, does your neuro mean to say that the lesions there, can't cause the nerves that spread from it to be in pain? :eek:

Anyways, I really hope the pain subsides for you! Are the NSAID's working yet? I pulled a muscle, a couple weeks ago, used some alleve and the pharmacist told me, I could use Tylenol, which really helped me out. Pharmacists are good an understanding drug interactions and warned me not to take any ibuprofins with the naproxen.

((and the only time I recall rib pain, was when I was pregnant with my oldest, kept his little foot on my ribs for several weeks...I truly feel your pain!! :hug:))

That isnt' what my Neuro said yesterday
 

I have occasional (every 4-6 weeks it comes) that feels like someone is stabbing me in my spine at bottom of my shoulder blades. He gave me a specific name for this nerve pain (can't remember it). He pulled up my spine MRI and said yep..the lesion is there where you are describing the pain. He prescribed something called Tegeron. I forgot to get it filled yesterday, but sent my husband to get it because it started about 2 hrs ago. He says it will help but not eliminate it and it will start to work around 30 min after taking. I will let you know if it helps. NoteK I told my family doctor 4 months ago she gave me 550 MG of Naproxen Sodium and it doesn't help.

When I get this pain I use deep breathing and what is known as "the body scan" relaxation technique. I start with my head and work down, and I hold hard on the out-breath for a few seconds. Often when I inhale again after holding out I feel a pop in the spine which I believe is the tension slowing letting my spine relax again. It's like blowing out birthday candles, keep blowing until you can't any longer and then hold. While doing this I focus on that area and imagine the fibers letting go of one another and stretching out. then I do some gentle stretches.

Here is an archived NeuroTalk discussion about this very issue: link

lost
 

hi can any one relate to my issue i have over the the last year , been having a number of crippling spasms in my spine and right lower rib cage i have had quartazone injections to a couple of discs that were out of place but i have had no luck i had read through and a lot of people with ms seem to have vary simular symtoms. this had been 1st tied into a lower back problem i had at work but now the insurance company is pulling out of my claim and im left with no answers and maybe soon out of my job.

my spasms can be triggerd by twisting laying flat or sitting for long periods, heavy breathing or even things like sexual activities and using the toilet, they can last from 10 seconds to 15min and they realy are super painfull . does any one else have anything like this and can anyone help me get ab answer

regaurds liam

So many doctors still believe that pain is not a notable symptom for MS. If the function of nerves is damaged and faulty transmissions being sent, you'd think nociception would be included in that, no?

I have neuromyelitis optica and pain has been a major feature in my journey - spasms in the muscles along the entire length of my spine and horrible shooting pains in both shoulders and arms (thanks, C5/6 lesions!). I have been prescribed a combination of Lyrica, Valium and Endep for this, it doesn't stop it completely but it definitely helps quite a lot. In fact I'm having a bad attack of all the pains right now because I missed my weekend doses. OTC paracetemol/ibuprofen + codeine helps with breakthrough pain (not sure what the availability of codeine products is like in your country).