low back pain increases intensity, ending burning in the entire spine

[Sammyjames]

This will start as a twinge of pain in my lower back. Within a few hours it's very painful and over a period of a couple days the pain increases,burning  stinging stabbing as it moves up my entire spine. Muscles in the back as well as in my abdomen squeeze tightly. Most of my problems are on my right side so it makes sense the right side abdomen has this sensation and not the other. Want to make sure this is ms and not something else entirely different going on with my spine. All this comes to a peak around day 5 to the point I can barely stand the pain then it all slowly subsides to the low back pain stomach twinge til about day 10 it's pretty much gone til the next time it decides to flare up. Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thankyou!

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

One thing we've all learned at some stage is that it is not always MS, from my perspective it's better to not assume that it is....

"a twinge of pain in my lower back. Within a few hours it's very painful and over a period of a couple days the pain increases,burning  stinging stabbing as it moves up my entire spine."

It sounds more consistent with a structural spinal issue eg like a pinched nerve, slipped disc etc being the initial trigger that is 'potentially' causing a domino effect, for example a thoracic herniated disc is more likely to impinge on the exiting nerve root at that level of the spine and it can cause radiating chest wall or abdominal pain.

It's also possible your are experiencing the Hug which is a banding feeling that is partially or fully surrounding the torso, commonly located around the upper trunk ie ribcage - intercostal muscles but it can happen anywhere in the trunk of the body. Common descriptions are feels like wearing a bra too tight, having an elastic band around your body, being squeezed etc muscles spasm, lock in contracted phase, release, spasm and lock etc unfortunately the HUG if that is was is happening can last hours, days, weeks, months...in MS its caused by spinal cord lesions but the "hug" can be caused by any damage to the spine, as it is not unique to MS....

I suggest you bring this to the attention of your neurologist!

Hope this helps.....JJ