Can herniated discs mimic MS?
A herniated disc occurs when a disc located between two spinal bones (called vertebrae) is pushed out, irritating nearby nerves. This irritation of nearby nerves can lead to numbness or weakness in the area of the body that correlates with the affected nerves. These symptoms can mimic those of MS.
Can MS cause disc problems?
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune, inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Commonly, MS patients present with accompanying degenerative vertebral disc diseases.
How common are spinal cord lesions in MS?
Spinal cord lesions are common in MS. They’re found in about 80 percent of people newly diagnosed with MS. Sometimes the number of spinal lesions identified from an MRI can provide the doctor with an idea of the severity of the MS and the likelihood of a more serious episode of demyelination occurring in the future.
Can you have MS lesions on your spine but not your brain?
If a patient does have lesions in the spinal cord, he/she may be said to have Spinal MS. A smaller number of MS patients, approximately 20 percent, may have only spinal lesions and not brain lesions. I am an example of one of those 20 percent of MS patients who only have spinal lesions.
What do lesions on the spine feel like?
Among the possible symptoms of a spinal cord lesion are: Pain. Numbness. Tingling, prickly, or burning sensation.
Can pinched nerve cause MS symptoms?
It is also common for people and doctors to misattribute the initial symptoms of MS to something more benign, such as a pinched nerve or muscle strain. Sometimes a person may have the symptoms of MS for many years before he or she seeks medical attention and receives a correct diagnosis.
What do MS legs feel like?
The weakness can make your legs feel heavy, as if they are being weighed down by something. They may also ache and hurt. Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs. This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting.
Does your spine hurt with MS?
Neck and back pain: Some people with MS can experience neck and back pain. This may be due to immobility, or to the same type of wear and tear that many people without MS experience. This type of pain is often an aching, stiff sensation that can be moderately severe.