Often we are told, “That’s doesn’t sound like MS,” or something of the kind, by our medical professionals only to find out (oft, via the pages of this blog) that we are not alone in our experience of something not in the medical text books. It is one of the aspects of the Life with MS blog of which I am most proud! I have a real doozie to share, with a discussion of MS symptoms from the X-Files. The middle of last week, I developed a cold. You know that feeling when you wake, somewhere between the back of your nose and the top of your throat, an odd dry-ticklish irritation? That’s how it began and by the weekend, I was flat out with it. My eyes were watery, my head, chest and sinuses were thick and achy. By Saturday afternoon, I began to sneeze. This is where I’m thinking multiple sclerosis complicated things. As you may or may not remember, one of my major lesions is my cervical spine. Every time I sneezed over this weekend, I had a bout of pain I’ve not known before. The best way to describe may be to bring to mind the feeling of scalding oneself. You know how you’ll have a sensation of pain, kind of an immediate pain, and then a swell of pain comes on to follow? That duel pain response is caused by two different types of nerves sending signals to the central nervous system (CNS). This sensation was something like that in its occurrence, but not the actual feeling. It was as though I could feel every branch and finger of nerves that radiate from my spinal cord throughout my back. Tiny, white-hot tendrils spread across my skin with such intensity that I was nearly taken out of consciousness. In my mind, could almost see the nerves flare and burn yellow then red than white… It would only last 20-30 seconds, but they were a half minute or so I’d not care to relive! I know that I’m only assuming this experience to be MS related. My assumptions are, however, based on a knowledge of my body I most assuredly didn’t have before MS. I woke on Sunday feeling dozens of times better and this morning is a little better still. I have not sneezed since Saturday night, so I don’t know if that sensation is gone, but I’m certainly hoping so!!! So, how about you? Any symptoms or sensations you’ve had that you relate to your MS which could only be defined as “weird?” Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers, Trevis
