L'hermittes Sign

[vwick77]

Happy Sunday friends!!

This is for anyone that experiences this sign and if my sensations sound at all familiar or relate to anyone.

Another addition to add to my talk with the MS Specialist

This Morning had to be the most painful episode down my spine.  I have also had a very bad relapse with the TN this past week.  All these symptoms seem to happen in clusters

When bending the neck even slightly down in the morning I am experiencing very "sharp", "shooting" pains going from the neck straight down the spine, usually to about half way but think it would go even further elsewhere but I can't take the pain to allow that to happen.  Very uncomfortable to say the least.  This can happen throughout any particular day but really seems at a peak in the morning.  I also get often very bad crampy tight feelings in the back of my neck.

Any relation out their with others who may experience L'hermittes Sign?

Thanks for any feedback in advance!

My best to all u !
Valarie

[vwick77]

Hello mino803

I am in the process of DX of Multiple Sclerosis.

I have been having a hard time with Bilateral Trigeminal Neuralgia, Memory issues and off balance.  Many more symptoms to add to this!

I am not currently taking any medications.  I am waiting on insurance for a MRI my MS Specialist ordered and also a EMG.  No change in meds.  Just started Gabapentin.  Working great since starting!!!

Valarie

[vwick77]

Much appreciation with these responses!!!  Has helped me understand it a bit more and of course how different everyone is with these symptoms!

Valarie

[mino803]

Hello !
As a Pre-Med student i am interested in your symptoms. I am very sorry to hear about your relapse. I dont have MS but I am interested in this field. Are you taking Corticosteroids, Avonac or any other medication.

Hope you get well. I heard(in my classes) that MS be worsend by a change of medication? Did you change meds

[Nancy T]

Valarie, sorry you are having such a painful and difficult symptom.

doublevision, thank you so much for posting that link; very, very interesting reading. So much familiar-sounding stuff.... like you, my Lhermitte's is not painful and occurs most reliably after brisk walking (at least that was true when I could still walk briskly in years past... I can no longer walk more than a block or two).

I am one of those (as mentioned in the article) who has Lhermitte's on and off, for 13 years now and with varying sensations (electric buzzing or "pulling" are most frequent) but NOT down my spine, only in certain spots in my lower body or occasionally my hands. Always when bending neck or rarely when looking down and sideways.

Currently it is the "pulling" and it is across both sides of my rear. Usually it is somewhere in just one leg or one side of my rear.

I never got a diagnosis for my symptoms. No one has been able to explain the Lhermitte's to this day (not that I tell doctors about such symptoms anymore, I'm sick of getting the shrugged shoulders, the abnormal but nondiagnostic MRIs, and the unsuccessful spinal taps). The Lhermitte's started less than a year after all my other weird symptoms and the neuro who I told it to said "that's MS," which shocked me, but he never diagnosed me.

Valarie, I hope this painful thing will go away for you soon. Good luck!

[dogmum]

I had this in 2011, but not as bad as you describe, just a curious shock that continued down my leg.  I hope you feel better soon.  

[doublevision1]

You might find this paper to be helpful: "Reappraisal of Lhermitte's Sign in Multiple Sclerosis."

http://msj.sagepub.com/content/11/4/398.full.pdf

Scroll to the end of the paper for a proposed working definition of this symptom.  

[doublevision1]

Lhermitte's was my first symptom nearly seven years ago.  My GP at the time immediately figured I had MS, based solely on my description of this odd sensation.  Turns out he was right.  Smart guy.  I continue to get it off and on, most pronounced during and immediately after moderate to brisk walking.  It is not painful or at all uncomfortable.  It's like a low electrical current/buzzing down my spine to both feet.  Occasionally it will cause a buzzing sensation higher up on my legs in quad area.  It is triggered by forward neck flexion, even slight movement will cause it.  It isn't physically bothersome, just a reminder that I have MS but I'm so used to it that I think often it doesn't even register with me that it's happening.  It's my only benign symptom.

[Ojibajo]

I am glad that someone posted about this. I have wanted to ask about this and exactly what this is and if someone can describe it for me. I often don't feel that my neurologist always understands me when I am describing things to her and she is so "textbook" the she dismisses things as being "atypical" when I later find that a particular symptom while unusual is not unheard of. I always forget the term, L'hermittes, so I can never really look it up.

I occasionally get this I guess I will call it an "electric shock" sensation since I have heard others describe it that way when I move my head occasionally. I occasionally will go to turn or move my head and it's almost like it snaps and everything becomes painful yet numb (can't move it for a few moments). Even my tongue will become effected. I really don't know how to better describe it.

[Sierra28]

I've been trying to figure this one out myself. In fact, I was just googling L'hermittes just now. Today I had the strangest experience where when I bent my neck forward, my head would start to bounce involuntarily, sort of clonus-style. Now whenever I bend my neck for any extended period of time my head starts to bounce. It doesn't hurt when I do it, but it hurts quite a bit afterwards.

I don't think that particular sensation is L'hermittes, but I do also at other times get pain and stiffness in my neck. It's one of those things that I can't determine if its caused by the probable-ms, or if its from hunching in pain, or from spasticity in my shoulders or what.

One of my most problematic symptoms is the electrical sensations -- but mine are mostly in my arms and mid-back...and they do cause me to jerk or cry out.

Sorry, I'm probably not being very helpful either! Just kind of thinking aloud with you!

Hope you find relief soon!

[vwick77]

Oh no your so sweet thank u !

I find any input helpful so much appreciated!!!!

[Lulu54]

I am fortunate to not have this problem but early on I was  at a talk and the woman next to me was racked with L'hermittes.The entire time we sat and talked she was letting out small signs of extreme pain, and jerking motions.  Hers was the worst I have ever seen and there was no doubt that she was suffering from these shocks.  I hope yours quiet soon -I'm sorry I have no suggestions as to what might help, hopefully someone else will have ideas.