I too suffer from something similar when I've been asleep. I awake and my arms are very stiff and i can't move them from the pain. After I awake I slowly exercise and stretch them and it goes away. I never had this before MS, so I just chalked it up as another weird thing compliments of the MS!

It may be what is called a "dorsal" lesion. Dorsal, like a fin, meaning on the backside of the spine itself. It could be pressure on the spine lesion itself, as you said you sleep on your back. Could be the vertebrae are pressing against it. Have you been told you have a spinal lesion on your c7-8? Seems like because it's just the arms it might be the case. Exact same thing happened to me during an attack, that's how my doctor broke it down to me. Mine was just the ring and pinky fingers tho, a very tiny lesion...If you were "cut off" from the neck, I would think it should cause problems elsewhere too....Dunno, I'm not a doctor, I just play one on DS. :^) Good luck!

Ps- Maybe try sleeping on your side? If it stops it, I might just get my 1 out of 100 answers right..lol...Seriously tho, exact same thing in my own case, I really try not to comment on stuff I don't know about...

This happens to me a lot, sometimes arms, hands & legs are all like that. It is mainly if I am on my back so must be something about body being stretched out fully I thought.
As you said I just do gradual movement of parts of body (like they do with yoga & similar) where I move foot then leg etc.

I have noticed it isnt happening as much or as bad/severe since I have been taking magnesium capsules. I went on them for cramps etc but didnt think of it helping this. It has taken probably 1-2 months to really see benefit but it is the only thing I have added & the paralysis when I wake up has certainly decreased & spasms are less too.

Hope you find a way to ease it too.

That's an interesting concept "figureitout." I think your doctor is truly on to something. I will see if I can remember to ask my Neuro. about that & see what he says on my next appt. comming up soon. YAY!

Take care,
Stay sane!

Wow! I just "binged" this info. & I use to get this loads growing up.

I get more pain/numbness when I wake now a days. I use to think I was getting severe night terrors & somehow I couldn't wake from the nightmare for awhile. I won't freak anyone out by describing the dreams, cause I can get descriptive trying to explain things at times. Hehe!

Wow! We learn something new each day, huh? Never knew what this was called!

Man! There is so much symptom wise from years ago that now with the MS & MS Epilepsy, I'm like, yeah, that really makes sense, you know?

Take care,
Stay sane!

i have sleep paraylisis pretty bad. i don't know what its caused by yet. i just wanted to let you know your not alone. It just started for me about a year ago and keeps getting worse

Hey "Figureitout", I kinda disproved your doctor about sleeping on your back, cause when I slept on my side my hip started hurting when I woke up in the morning.

I'm kidding about disproving your doc cause I still think he or she is smart about the back & pressing on the spinal lesions, but yes, my hip hurt when I laid on my side, what about that?

Kinda throws the whole concept for a loop. Hehe!

Take care,
Stay sane!

I have been having this for 4 years...& am not sure it's just the FIBRO! Haven't been Dx with MS (not enough plaques on brain MRI/not in the right places?)...but sure seem to have all the symptoms! I will wake up during the night/morning with limbs/body parts/one whole side/, etc...completely numb...then the feeling will start to come back slowly, after getting up & hobbling around for some time...but not like when a leg/arm goes to sleep...it's more like a "tingling/tickling" sensation!

A couple of times, when it's been in my legs, I've noticed that when I put pressure on the leg that's numb...as the feeling is starting to return...I'll experience a "shooting, electrical shock" zapping up my leg. CRAZY!! This same sensation has happened in my arms before too! It's not at all comparable to the "pins-&-needles of limbs that all asleep!"

None of my Dr.'s have ever been able to explain it to me. Now at least, I know it has a name! LOL! Thanks for sharing! {{hugs}
~tj

The fact that you notice popping and cracking could also point to arthritic C-Spine disease. The dorsal nerve roots come out of the spinal cord and pass between the vertebra. Our disc tend to lose sponginess as we get older too. Bone spurs can form putting pressure on nerves. Sometimes you can get a general idea if it is more degenerative in cause from a dermatome. This chart can help. http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapter_Fig_folders/Ch06_Path_Folder/4Radiculopathy.html Trouble is, our bodies are all a bit different with overlapping areas of innervation. They don't know how to obey charts.

Sleeping with your arm over your head, with or without a pillow that doesn't maintain the normal lordotic curve of your C-spine could cause it too. Most places have those scooped out kind of pillows that sometimes helps maintain the normal spine curve.