colon and esophageal spasms?

[Rachelinpain]

i have been having problems swallowing and also abdominal pain...my doc thinks i might be having colon spasms as well as esophageal spasms which would account for my symptoms but the meds i was given are not helping.  i have not been diagnosed with MS as of yet but was wondering if anyone has experience with this or knows if MS can cause it.  thanks

[Rachelinpain]

thank you so much for all the comments.  i do not think whatever it is is spasms.  my doctor basically could not figure out what it was so said we would try this medicine and see if that was a problem.  i do think i need a swallowing study because i have been near choked several times because of it.  she has also referred me to a surgeon for an evaluation of the abdominal pain if the medicine does not work.  the swallowing problem is very scary.  i can chew fine but then it seems like i have a very hard time getting the swallowing stated at the back of my throat and have to drink liquids to get the food to go down, especially if it is a little dry.  i also have a horrible time clearing my throat of mucous so i constantly feel like i am suffocating.  this seems like more than just a spasm to me but my doc does not seem all that concerned.  i am probably going to have to demand a swallowing study if it continues much longer.  

my abdominal pain is like a dull ache but sometimes becomes a severe sharp stabbing pain.  i have muscle spasms in other parts of my body and wonder if this is some sort of spasm of the MUSCLE that could be causing it.  i also have low back pain in the same location.  

thanks again for all your input.

[sllowe]

Hi there,

Well, I have had my share of swallowing issues, but it was more mechanical and started with chewing issues 1st. Wasn't that I couldn't swallow, was that I was unable to automatically finish chewing withough concentrating through each step and ultimately swallow.

As for spasms.  The past year or so I have had horrible ones. The are directly in the spincter (gosh I hate that word). I finally told my urologist. He had a name for what he called them, and he said there are several things that could cause them but could not say for certain it was the MS.  

He told me what to do while I was haing them (mine left me unable to walk or move or they would intensify). He said I had to do a Kegal no matter how much it hurt. To hold it as long as I could.  He also wrote me a referral to a PT who he said would teach me some things since I've had them more than once. He explained the pelvic floor and how everything was connected, etc.  

I trust him, he is an amazing Dr. I've not gone to the PT yet, but will eventually.  I'm just glad to know what to do when it comes on.  They are so very painful, but maybe this kegal will stop it in it's tracks to hold me over.

Describe your symptoms a bit if you can.....

ttys,
shell

[essdipity]

A great many MSers have swallowing difficulties or 'esophageal motility disorders.' There can be problems in doing the actual swallowing, or afterwards, with pain and spasms of various kinds. If you are dealing with this, see if you can go to a swallowing center at a large hospital, which is likely to do a comprehensive evaluation.

Colon spasms can be caused by a great many things, and stress is sure one of them. Long ago I had problems with that for almost a year, and it was a very stressful year indeed. But MS can cause bowel difficulties as well. Constipation is often seen in MS. I don't know about colon spasms, but I don't see why not, given everything.

If you can be thoroughly examined for swallowing and colon problems and the specialists find no reasons for these except a neurological one, that should add weight to a diagnosis of MS if your neuro is hesitating. I hope you get this resolved soon.

ess

[JonM]

I have MS and have not had spasms in those places due to MS.  20 years or more ago I use to have colon spasms and my doc told me it was stress and gave me a mild tranquilizer and something to calm the colon.  It worked.

Maybe someone else has experience with these and MS.  I do have a swallowing weakness but not spasms.

Jon