I am not real sure about the ms hug thing. But I just wanted to support you through your symptoms hope you feel better.

The Hug has been confusing for me too. I think people experience it in several different ways.. most feel a tight banding constricting sensation around their rib area and down as low as their waist. I've researched this a lot b/c I have a tight banding/tingling sensation that feels like it's in my back in my lungs(chest x ray is clear).. I only notice it after eating/drinking or if I'm up doig something- never when I'm resting.. So makes me wonder if it's the "hug" nerve related??? I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you but it certainly could be nerve related. Mention to your neuro if you continue to have problems. Are you taking any anti spasm meds?

Hello!

My hug felt like I had an ace bandage pulled really tight around my rib cage just below my boobs...I had no pain associated with it, but I was numb from that same spot to my feet. It got worse at night, and was barely noticeable in the morning. It seems as though it is different for everyone.

Hopefully this helps! I hope you feel better soon!

BIG Smiles :D

Jamie

Hi Jessica,

If you are not getting the answers you are looking for here, try going to the following search on MS hugs:

http://www.dailystrength.org/search?q=ms+hug&t=discussion&community=Multiple+Sclerosis+%28MS%29

Hi, My hugs feel about the same as most people. Does your heart flutter and then one big beat? I have this sometimes, it is called PVC, premature ventricular contractions, it is when your heart tries to add a extra beat, ive talked to a couple of doctors about this, and they say most people get this, just not everyone notices it. I hope this helps. (((hugs)))

I would see a chiropractor before you get worried that it is something really serious. My upper back got out of alignment and I got myself adjusted. To my surprise all these odd chest symptoms went away. If you think it is muscle spasms, magnesium is helpful with that. I found a supplement called Slow Mag to be good. Stopped my leg cramps at night. It has magnesium chloride in it and supposed to be very absorbing . There are other magnesiums that absorb well too. Magnesium oxide does not do much.

When I get hugs, it usually hurts when they try to pat me on the back and it hurts. I am sorry that you are hurting,

i had my first hug not too long ago. it felt like somebody was squeezing me tight enough to try to break my ribs, on my right side.
i didn't know what was going on. i had to post on here to ask about it.
my side still hurts a little and that was about 2 or 3 weeks ago.
the right side of my chest was hurting too, for a while. i thought it was pleurisy, but a few people on the pleurisy support group said it really didn't sound like pleurisy.
i don't know what you can do about an ms hug. if somebody told me, i can't remember.

Let me explain it another way, my m/s hug started years ago, and never really stopped, i feel like the boy i the plastic bubble, i have severe muscle spasms all the time, muscle relaxers don't help very much at all, i find it very hard to relax, and just an uncomfortable feeling over the upper half of my body. that never goes away.

I've had it off and on, then two nights in a row last week. Feels like a tightness - maybe like a boa constrictor - under my breasts. I woke up screaming one night it was so bad, so I took two more sleeping pills and two Tylenol 3. Figured when I slept hard enough I wouldn't feel it. And mine usually comes at night, although I've had it occasioanaly during the day. A heating pad sometimes help. I slept one night in the recliner hoping that a different position might help.
A lot of it is trial and error; see what works for you.

I'm experiencing a MS hug now; tight feeling under the breast like I'm wearing a bra that is too tight. Very uncomfortable. I actually go braless in the house because wearing one makes it feel worse. Goodluck with finding answers and hope you feel better soon.

'The hug' was one of my main symptoms for a very long time. It would be anywhere on my torso and I also suffered with spasms in my arms and legs. It seemed no muscle was exempt so obviously I was worried about my heart (being a muscle). Walking or simply using a muscle would cause pain, then I heard about magnesium after being recommended Dr Carolyn Dean's book The Magnesium Miracle

I've been taking/using it for over 3 months and what a difference. All the spasms have faded considerably and on a scale from 1 - 10 it's down from a whopping 10 to 2. No more constipation either.

I take magnesium citrate twice a day, spray magnesium oil all over torso, arms and legs and 4 times a week either have an epsom salts bath or foot soak for at least 20 mins.

The other blissful effect is that I feel calmer and my interrupted sleep is no more. I still wake perhaps once but am able to fall asleep again without having to get up or read for hours. On waking, my body would always go into spasm and I'd have to wait for it to ease before I could get out of bed but that has completely gone.

I've been on LDN for a few years and felt better in many ways but it did nothing to help the hug/spasms. I'm also very sensitive to chemicals but my body seems to be coping better with that too. All 3 of my group up kids are on it now too as apparently nearly all of us are lacking it. It's my new 'I couldn't live without it' thing.

Hi, I have had the MS hug on and off for years. It does feel like something tightly squeezing around your rib cage. From what I understand, the primary cause of this is a spasm of the intercostal muscles (muscles between the ribs). I also find that there is a sensory part of it too with increased numbness. Also for me, I feel a loss of appetite and digestive discomfort. I also experience the heart fluttering (PVCs). Although mine seems to be my heart, I did have a holter (heart) monitor on and they did not record any problems. I didn't really feel much happening during that time either though. I know there are skeletal muscle twitches going on at times too. I feel for you. I have kinda forgotton about the magnesium and epsom salt bath, so I might give those a try. I hope you find some relief too!

I saw this post and clicked on it to see who was asking about the MS Hug now and saw that it was my post from last fall! :) I still get this, by the way. Usually only lasts a day or two and then goes away for a few days.

I made my first post in months and didn't really look at the date. (:
I'm glad that you have not had much lasting trouble with it. I am having a particularly difficult time with it. It came on so strong and suddenly which is unusual, along with a bunch of other "fun" symptoms. ):