This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I'm so frustrated with it and I don't know what to do. It cracks all the time. Is it from muscle weakness and if I do strengthening exercises will it stop?
Thx

Hi Di
I don't have the neck cracking but my back pops everytime I bend from side to side. It will be interesting what responses you get. I will have to keep an eye on this one. My only suggestion is maybe a Chiropractor and a Massage Therapist. Sorry i'm no help. later arti

Di,
Mine cracks. Also feels stiff sometimes. A friend of mine noticed last year that I turned my upper body to look to the right. I hadn't paid attention to it before, but she was correct. It is a bit better now. I've been unsure if this is MS related or other. I'll also be interested to hear the replies.
Terry

hey there, on my mri my neck is "pretty ratty" and i hear all kinds of gritty noise when i move my head around. if i rotate my head in circles it sounds just like record player static.

my mri report only mentions the spinal cord itself really, and some bulging discs in the lower neck vertebrae. but i imagine there could be the beginnings of some osteoarthritis in there.

your cracking sounds more annoying than mine.. is it painful too? i don't know if worse cracking is a totally different thing, or just a bit further progressed than what's going on in my neck.

cheer knows stuff about necks - i believe she had a full on herniated disc at one time.

info - general, exercise

http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthritislearnthebasics/g/crepitus.htm
http://www.spine-health.com/Conditions/Arthritis/Osteoarthritis-Treatment/Osteoarthritis-Exercise.html
http://www.rochesterchiropractic.com/forms/Exercises%20and%20Stretches%20for%20a%20Healthier%20Neck.pdf (isometric neck strengthening, some stretching ideas)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAZ8Q2jbdHw (this one is for "fighters" do we count? ..think i'll give this one a miss myself hehehe!)

general health and nutrition stuff

Hey Di-
Sorry about the neck annoyances...no fun! The cracking and creaking is caused from the wearing down on the pads between the discs (kinda like when the brakes go on your car)

I don't have MS, but my husband does. Of course, he doesn't listen to me regarding his neck issues I got over some pretty serious disc disease with exercise and supplements.

Most MSers have cervical spine issues, whether or not they have lesions on the spine. My hubby has a lesion at C2, and wearing in the disc padding at C5.
Do you have a cervical spine lesion?

I really recommend yoga...getting into certain positions like "downward facing dog" will stretch your spine and neck, and help alleviate some of the constriction. Maybe find a local class, easy or beginners' level. That's how I started at the age of forty!
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/491

Most of us jam our necks when we talk on the phone or work on the computer, and the discs start to "grind" together. (Like Jimmylegs lovely static description) Plus stress and dealing with MS can start to wear on your neck.

Supplements like MSM, glucosamine and omega 3 oils will help replenish the padding that grows in between the discs, and exercise will create space in between the discs, so the padding can fill in and stop the cracking.

If you haven't had an xray or MRI of your cervical spine, you might want to ask for one, just to make sure everthing's OK.

Welcome to the baords, and I hope you find some relief!

best,
the aging cheerleader

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Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

Hi everyone,

This is somewhat weird for me because I have never posted anything on any message board. I am somewhat new to all of this but not to the symptoms. I was diagnosed about 20 months ago and have been somewhat in denial since. I told the Dr. that I didn't have MS and that he needed to test for the pinched nerve I told him I had. Long story short, I have MS and I have been trying to deal with it. I have my good days, bad days, and in between days as I'm sure we all do. I begin noticing the neck sounds and feeling a few months back (probably over a year ago). The sound is like a grinding sound and so is the feeling. I didn't know if this was normal or what. My lesions are on my cervical spine, I forget which regions. I have the Lerhimitte's Sign that comes with MS as well. I guess I just need to talk because I never thought I would ever sit down and actually join a community. I don't know why. Every once in a while when I begin to worry I will go online to find out information that may help me get through. This time I decided to stop and try to be honest. I have not been very honest with others or myself since being diagnosed. Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed, scared, mad, irritated, and lucky. I don't know if everyone feels this at different times or what. At one point my feelings were so much that I told the Dr. that I believe I am going crazy. They told me that I was not and told me that what I was feeling came with the MS territory. Anyway, I don't mean to bother any of you I just need someone to talk to and someone to help me get through a lot of this newness of MS. I appreciate your ears and/or eyes very much. Have a great day.

Dear Cutie...
congratulations on taking a huge step towards facing your diagnosis- by posting on the site. You will find out you are not alone, and folks here are glad to answer any questions. We're also here if you need to rant. You've gone thru a big change in your life, and I'm sure there will be days you feel "crazy." I hope you have some friends or family to lean on. It's OK to ask them for help.

As for your neck, maybe a good chiropracter or some gentle yoga could help out. Sometimes a nice, gentle massage can help, too. Try to be conscious how you hold your head during the day...don't cram the phone under your chin, on hunch up your shoulders.

Keep posting, and maybe introduce yourself on the introductions thread. We all understand.

all the best,
AC

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Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

I have a slipped disc in my neck and LeHermitte's and lesions in the same area. The doctor's couldn't tell me if the LeHermitte's was from the disc or the lesions. They said it could be from either but not to allow my young kids to hang onto my neck since it might make the disc act up. I guess there are just not many direct answers when you have ms.

Marcia

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Marcia

Is L'Hermitte's from lesions in the neck? I've experienced this twice (second visit from this symptom didn't last too long). Or can the lesions causing L'Hermitte's appear elsewhere?

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Dx RRMS March 5, 2008.

i believe lhermitte's sign is an indicator of a cervical lesion, it's a symptom resulting from moving the neck in such a way that the damage is felt, not necessarily in the neck but in odd random parts of the body.

from wiki

My wife has frequent gentle massages and only once felt the L'Hermitte's, although she has many spinal cord lessions so it should help her!

I don't have MS, but I have a long history with my bone docs. My Ortho has been my "primary care" doctor for years. I attribute my neck and back pain to stress and tension. flare-ups come during times of great stress. I roll my neck constantly. Stretching helps somewhat, and I likely need to do more. My neck cracks daily. I've had a double laminectomy/distectomy which has helped the back. I don't think this symptom is MS related. Ken

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My Starting Point
Understanding MS 101: Doctor Talk and People Talk<br /><br />

IMHO, my lhermitte's/neck lesion was from b12 deficiency (and i have some disc bulging, not quite herniated yet).

i think everyone with lhermitte's would do really well to take a strong b-complex and 1000mcg b12 for a month, to see if it clears up or improves any. especially since b12 def is the major differential dx for MS.

i think the definition of b12 deficiency needs some work if they're going to use your level as a clincher for whether or not you need big ticket pharma.

one of these days i should really post my before/after cervical mris!

Nothing wrong with taking b12 daily imo. I still take it daily, even if I know I am not deficient in it. 1000mcg with folic acid Methyl b12 sublingual. First thing in the morning. Helps with energy I find.

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Dx RRMS March 5, 2008.

I am trying to figure out how this works. since I met MS , I have oatmeal for brains. I have the neck noise when I move my neck in any direction. I wonder how other people can afford a docter. I was on a state insurrence untill I was ok'd for social sec., then the state insurence was shut off because I get SS. I am a 57 year old man who has been on his own all my life, untill a year and half ago, I started seeing double, and have pain attacks that put me on the floor. and I just can't think stright. I went to a hospital and after spinal taps and mri's, was told that I have MS. I had no insurence so I just tryed to roll on with life. And when the pain got to bad I would go to a hospital for strong drugs. On one of my visits to hospital, was told that my neck needed to be fixed, so they fixed it, at least that's what they said. The vision came back, but I still have tingles, pain, and just can't think stright. And the noise my neck makes would drive any one nuts. I take morphine and oxy's and felxril, just to get through the day, every day! The last doc I saw before the insurrence ended said he wanted to see me in year, a year, what am I supposed to do in the mean time?? I am very depressec, but a person doesn't make it to 57 by being weak. I read about other people doing this and doing that, but how do they pay for all this stuff? If it weren't for a couple of wolf's I'd be on the streets, I live'd next door to a couple that have wolf's and needed some one to take care of them while they were at work. So the wolf's knew me and liked me, other then these kind hearted people I have not gotten any help. It's so hard to deal with life with mush for brains. Time for my morphine.[/i]