Tremors and Muscle Spasms

April 10, 2006

Hi everyone………Here is an

explanation of two things we have talked about here lately. I hope this helps you

to understand these two symptoms. I know it helps me to read about the symptoms

I deal with. I’ll send the other one about fatigue over in a separate

note.

Smiles, Jackie

[oregon]

Many

people with MS experience some form of tremor, or uncontrollable shaking, which

can occur in various parts of the body.

There

are several types of tremor, including:

Postural

tremors. A person who has a postural

tremor will shake while sitting or standing, but not while lying down.

Intention

tremor. Means there is no shaking when

a person is at rest. The tremor develops as the person attempts to reach

or grasp something or move a hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the

most common and generally the most disabling form of tremor that occurs in

people with MS.

Nystagmus.

A tremor that produces jumpy eye movements.

Multiple

Sclerosis:

Controlling Muscle Spasms

Many

people with MS experience spasticity, or muscle stiffness and spasms. It

usually affects the muscles of the legs and arms, and may interfere with the

ability to move those muscles freely.

Spasticity

can occur either as a sustained stiffness caused by increased muscle tone or as

spasms that come and go, especially at night. It can feel like a muscle

tightening or it can cause severe pain. Spasticity can also produce feelings of

pain or tightness in and around joints and can cause low back pain. The intensity

may vary depending on your position, posture, and state of relaxation.

What Causes Spasticity?

Spasticity

is the result of an imbalance in the electrical signals coming from the brain

and spinal cord, often caused by damage to these areas from by MS. This

imbalance causes hyperactive muscle stretch reflexes, which result in

involuntary contractions of the muscle, and increased muscle tension.

What Triggers Spasticity?

Spasticity

may be aggravated by extremes of temperature, humidity, or infections. It can

even be triggered by tight clothing

April 10, 2006

Thank you Jackie. It's always good to read about it. Which of these things do you experience? I have the Intentional Tremor. Yesterday I would reach for something and my hand tremored slightly but enough to make it more difficult to do what I was trying to do (can't remember now.... lol) I also have an 'at rest' tremor that's more like a "quivering" in my body. I was thinking last week that maybe I was taking too much B Vitamins. (I know that too much of the B Vitamins can actually cause nerve problems). So I stopped taking the B Complex (I was taking two a day thinking I needed the B 12 for my fatigue). The tremors went away! I thought "AH HA it WAS the B Vitamins!" Then yesterday it all came back. Oh well.... not the B Vitamins but is the MS instead. My legs are hurting worse again so I upped the Baclofen like the doc said I could. Then I couldn't stand easily (as we MSers need some spasticity to help us stand). So I had to take less Baclofen and then my legs hurt more. Isn't there a vitamin or supplement that will take all of this away?????? love you Sharon Jackie Hanan wrote: Hi everyone………Here is an explanation of two things we have talked about here lately. I hope this helps you to understand these two symptoms. I know it helps me to read about the symptoms I deal with. I’ll send the other one about fatigue over in a separate note. Smiles, Jackie [oregon] Many people with MS experience some form of tremor, or uncontrollable shaking, which can occur in various parts of the body. There are several types of tremor, including: Postural tremors. A person who has a postural tremor will shake while sitting or standing, but not while lying down. Intention tremor. Means there is no shaking when a person is at rest. The tremor develops as the person attempts to reach or grasp something or move a hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the most common and generally the most disabling form of tremor that occurs in people with MS. Nystagmus. A tremor that produces jumpy eye movements. Multiple Sclerosis:Controlling Muscle Spasms Many people with MS experience spasticity, or muscle stiffness and spasms. It usually affects the muscles of the legs and arms, and may interfere with the ability to move those muscles freely. Spasticity can occur either as a sustained stiffness caused by increased muscle tone or as spasms that come and go, especially at night. It can feel like a muscle tightening or it can cause severe pain. Spasticity can also produce feelings of pain or tightness in and around joints and can cause low back pain. The intensity may vary depending on your position, posture, and state of relaxation. What Causes Spasticity? Spasticity is the result of an imbalance in the electrical signals coming from the brain and spinal cord, often caused by damage to these areas from by MS. This imbalance causes hyperactive muscle stretch reflexes, which result

in involuntary contractions of the muscle, and increased muscle tension. What Triggers Spasticity? Spasticity may be aggravated by extremes of temperature, humidity, or infections. It can even be triggered by tight clothing

Sharon (MSersLife creator/owner)

“One minute it's a giant cabbage and the next, ka-boom! You've got cole slaw all over you." V.R. , Palmer, Alaska, where Cabbages grow huge

Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

April 10, 2006

You

are very welcomed! J I don’t get the tremors anymore, but in the

earlier days I had a vibrating that seemed to come on nightly when I would go

to bed. I didn’t know what to call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was

making stuff up. Now that I know the definition for tremors I am sure that is

what it was. I don’t know if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once

I started on my CPAP [breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking

lack of oxygen thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really

am not sure. Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t

know it, does strange things to you.

I’m

glad the descriptions were helpful to you. J

I

had a bad week with my legs too. They seem to have calmed down some now, and I didn’t

take any relaxants which I should have but I hesitate to take too many

different meds at the same time. So if I wanted to breathe all week I took

allergy meds instead of the relaxants. I thought the two together would put me

in a coma, ;-) so I opted for the symptoms that were the worse. I did up my

pain meds, and that helped some. Steve rubbed pain relief stuff on them, and

that helped. My right ankle [the foot with the drop] was swollen all the way

down into the foot this time. So he had to massage it upwards, and that was

very painful. That has calmed some now too. I think my foot was bad because

when I have a bout of spastic activity in that leg/foot it will cause me to

over stretch all the muscles, and I think I might have pulled the ligaments too

hard. I have to concentrate really hard to not allow my body to stretch too

far, but sometimes there’s no control of that. Then I get the pulled

muscles and added pain.

Anybody

else have this happen to them too?

Hugs

and love, Jackie

From: MSersLife [mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Sharon Marsden

Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 5:05 AM

To: MSersLife

Subject: Re: Tremors

and Muscle Spasms

Thank you Jackie. It's always good to read about

it. Which of these things do you experience? I have the

Intentional Tremor. Yesterday I would reach for something and my hand

tremored slightly but enough to make it more difficult to do what I was trying

to do (can't remember now.... lol) I also have an 'at rest' tremor that's

more like a " quivering " in my body. I was thinking last week

that maybe I was taking too much B Vitamins. (I know that too much of the

B Vitamins can actually cause nerve problems). So I stopped taking the B

Complex (I was taking two a day thinking I needed the B 12 for my

fatigue). The tremors went away! I thought " AH HA it WAS the B

Vitamins! " Then yesterday it all came back. Oh well.... not

the B Vitamins but is the MS instead.

My legs are hurting

worse again so I upped the Baclofen like the doc said I could. Then I

couldn't stand easily (as we MSers need some spasticity to help us

stand). So I had to take less Baclofen and then my legs hurt more.

Isn't there a

vitamin or supplement that will take all of this away??????

love you

Sharon

Jackie Hanan

wrote:

Hi

everyone………Here is an explanation of two things we have

talked about here lately. I hope this helps you to understand these two

symptoms. I know it helps me to read about the symptoms I deal with. I’ll

send the other one about fatigue over in a separate note.

Smiles, Jackie [oregon]

Many people with MS

experience some form of tremor, or uncontrollable shaking, which can occur in

various parts of the body.

There are several types

of tremor, including:

Postural

tremors. A person who has a postural

tremor will shake while sitting or standing, but not while lying down.

Intention

tremor. Means there is no shaking when

a person is at rest. The tremor develops as the person attempts to reach

or grasp something or move a hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the

most common and generally the most disabling form of tremor that occurs in

people with MS.

Nystagmus.

A tremor that produces jumpy eye movements.

Multiple

Sclerosis:

Controlling Muscle Spasms

Many people with MS

experience spasticity, or muscle stiffness and spasms. It usually affects the

muscles of the legs and arms, and may interfere with the ability to move those

muscles freely.

Spasticity can occur

either as a sustained stiffness caused by increased muscle tone or as spasms

that come and go, especially at night. It can feel like a muscle tightening or

it can cause severe pain. Spasticity can also produce feelings of pain or

tightness in and around joints and can cause low back pain. The intensity may

vary depending on your position, posture, and state of relaxation.

What

Causes Spasticity?

Spasticity is the result

of an imbalance in the electrical signals coming from the brain and spinal

cord, often caused by damage to these areas from by MS. This imbalance causes

hyperactive muscle stretch reflexes, which result in involuntary contractions

of the muscle, and increased muscle tension.

What

Triggers Spasticity?

Spasticity may be

aggravated by extremes of temperature, humidity, or infections. It can even be

triggered by tight clothing

Sharon (MSersLife creator/owner)

“One

minute it's a giant cabbage and the next, ka-boom! You've got cole slaw all

over you. " V.R. , Palmer, Alaska, where Cabbages grow huge

Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone

Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

April 10, 2006

I get something really weird that so far has baffled all the Dr's I've approached about it. I shiver at night. Not every night. And not when I am cold, although the shiver is the same as when I Am cold. But I'll wake up just shivering away, Rob says I look like I was thrown nekkid into a snowbank. Funny thing, even though I'm Not cold when it happens, tossing on an extra blanket or comforter helps me go back to sleep

..Anyone else have this? And if so, did your Dr's come up with anything? One said it might be thyroid, so we tested for that and came up negative...my thyroid is fine. So what can it be? Anyone?

Peace and Blessings

~*~ Akiba ~*~

Pragmatic Visionary

http://yodamamma.blogspot.com/

-- RE: Tremors and Muscle Spasms

You are very welcomed! J I don’t get the tremors anymore, but in the earlier days I had a vibrating that seemed to come on nightly when I would go to bed. I didn’t know what to call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was making stuff up. Now that I know the definition for tremors I am sure that is what it was. I don’t know if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once I started on my CPAP [breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking lack of oxygen thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really am not sure. Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t know it, does strange things to you.

April 10, 2006

Akiba,

That's interesting. I have a new sx too. I get the sensation of chills running down my right leg. It can be any time of day and is not related to anything like cold or emotion. And it's usually just the right leg. VERY strange. Have you mentioned the shivering to your Dr. ? Hugs, Trista

RE: Tremors and Muscle Spasms

You are very welcomed! J I don’t get the tremors anymore, but in the earlier days I had a vibrating that seemed to come on nightly when I would go to bed. I didn’t know what to call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was making stuff up. Now that I know the definition for tremors I am sure that is what it was. I don’t know if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once I started on my CPAP [breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking lack of oxygen thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really am not sure. Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t know it, does strange things to you.

April 10, 2006

I have. They are stumped. Clueless, as usual

Peace and Blessings

~*~ Akiba ~*~

Pragmatic Visionary

http://yodamamma.blogspot.com/

-- Re: Tremors and Muscle Spasms

Akiba,

That's interesting. I have a new sx too. I get the sensation of chills running down my right leg. It can be any time of day and is not related to anything like cold or emotion. And it's usually just the right leg. VERY strange. Have you mentioned the shivering to your Dr. ? Hugs, Trista

RE: Tremors and Muscle Spasms

You are very welcomed! J I don’t get the tremors anymore, but in the earlier days I had a vibrating that seemed to come on nightly when I would go to bed. I didn’t know what to call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was making stuff up. Now that I know the definition for tremors I am sure that is what it was. I don’t know if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once I started on my CPAP [breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking lack of oxygen thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really am not sure. Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t know it, does strange things to you.

April 10, 2006

Hi

Trista and Akiba,…..That’s so weird you should mention this because

just this morning I too was having “chills” running up and down the

side of my head. I get this, and it running up and down my legs too from time

to time. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, and I am just assuming it is a

neurological thing that is screwing with our senses. I never equated it to

tremors, but maybe it is a type of tremor? I know my temp

gage is off, and I’ve heard that this is common in autoimmune illnesses. I

get chilled inside, but the outside feels normal. So I am assuming its another

temp disregulation thing. I do have hypothyroidism, but I take meds for it. The

other thing might be good old hormones!! ;-)

Jackie

From: MSersLife

[mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Trista

Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 12:49 PM

To: MSersLife

Subject: Re: Tremors

and Muscle Spasms

Akiba,

That's interesting. I have a

new sx too. I get the sensation of chills running down my right

leg. It can be any time of day and is not related to anything like cold or

emotion. And it's usually just the right leg. VERY strange. Have

you mentioned the shivering to your Dr. ? Hugs, Trista

-----

Original Message -----

From: Akiba

To: MSersLife

Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 9:13 AM

Subject: RE: Tremors and Muscle

Spasms

I

get something really weird that so far has baffled all the Dr's I've

approached about it. I shiver at night. Not every night. And not when I am

cold, although the shiver is the same as when I Am cold. But I'll wake up

just shivering away, Rob says I look like I was thrown nekkid into a

snowbank. Funny thing, even though I'm Not cold when it happens, tossing on

an extra blanket or comforter helps me go back to sleep

..Anyone

else have this? And if so, did your Dr's come up with anything? One said it

might be thyroid, so we tested for that and came up negative...my thyroid is

fine. So what can it be? Anyone?

Peace and Blessings

~*~ Akiba ~*~

Pragmatic Visionary

http://yodamamma.blogspot.com/

-- RE: Tremors and Muscle

Spasms

You are very welcomed! J I don’t

get the tremors anymore, but in the earlier days I had a vibrating that

seemed to come on nightly when I would go to bed. I didn’t know what to

call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was making stuff up. Now that I know

the definition for tremors I am sure that is what it was. I don’t know

if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once I started on my CPAP

[breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking lack of oxygen

thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really am not sure.

Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t know it,

does strange things to you.

April 10, 2006

Jackie,

So, I'm not the only one then. I used to get those chill feelings on my head back in high school. I still do occasionally. It's interesting you say that you are "cold on the inside", when the outside is normal. I am the opposite. My temp can be normal, but I feel like I have a fever inside my head. Sounds weird. sigh.... I am "borderline" hypothyroidism, whatever the heck that's supposed to mean. Trista

RE: Tremors and Muscle Spasms

You are very welcomed! J I don’t get the tremors anymore, but in the earlier days I had a vibrating that seemed to come on nightly when I would go to bed. I didn’t know what to call it, and my Dr. seemed to think I was making stuff up. Now that I know the definition for tremors I am sure that is what it was. I don’t know if this is just a co-incidence or not, but once I started on my CPAP [breathing machine] the vibrating stopped. I am thinking lack of oxygen thru-out the day/night might have caused the vibrating. I really am not sure. Sleep Apnea which I probably had back then too, but didn’t know it, does strange things to you.

April 10, 2006

Oh,….

I get it the other way too. In fact so much so I am always taking my temp, and

it registers normal. I can even feel like I am burning up, and when I feel my

cheeks they are hot. I’ve even taken my blood pressure during that time,

and it isn’t high. Like I said there’s no rhyme or reason to all of

this except the temp regulator system in the brain must be affected by

autoimmune diseases. My hubby Steve has the same thing happening with him, and

he has Lupus!

Smiles,

Jackie J

From: MSersLife

[mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Trista

Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 3:16 PM

To: MSersLife

Subject: Re: Tremors

and Muscle Spasms

Jackie,

So, I'm not the only one then. I

used to get those chill feelings on my head back in high school. I still

do occasionally. It's interesting you say that you are " cold on the

inside " , when the outside is normal. I am the opposite. My

temp can be normal, but I feel like I have a fever inside my head. Sounds

weird. sigh.... I am " borderline " hypothyroidism,

whatever the heck that's supposed to mean. Trista

RE: Tremors and Muscle