Lhermittes sign

[drsdonthelp]

Can you have Lhermittes sign only at a certain time of day? I have a sharp shooting pain go down my back when I bend my neck every morning when I first get up. It does not happen all day long, mainly after lying down.

Thanks, Pam

[drsdonthelp]

Hi Nancy,,, I guess I can say that I can produce the shock too!! Thanks for explaining it that way,it totally makes sense!!
The last neuro I had seen wrote in his notes "equivocal to lhermittes sign" but he did not tell me that.

Thanks again and hugs,
Pam

[Nancy T]

Lhermitte's can "fatigue," that is, if you bend your neck repeatedly (or hold your neck down), the shock (or whatever sensation it is) will not keep occurring until it's had time to "recharge."

So maybe when you're up and moving around, your neck is moving just enough to keep the Lhermitte's from recharging sufficiently to shock you until you've been lying or sitting in one position for a long time.

I have definitely noticed this "fatigue" effect with my Lhermitte's. Sometimes I have to wait a minute or two before I can produce the LHermitte's again, though sometimes (depending on the spot it's in, or rather the "type" of Lhermitte's, electrical or pulling sensation) it barely fatigues or even not at all. But most of the time it does fatigue.

I too get it more noticeably if I've been sitting in one position for a while and haven't bent my head down recently.

So I definitely think this still could be Lhermitte's that you describe.

Nancy

[roobie16]

Well said Nancy,
I feel the same about this recharge process.  I have mentioned in other posts about getting the shock every morning when getting out of bed.

[drsdonthelp]

Thanks girls for replying. I haven't changed my pillows recently. I do actually feel that electric shock, but when I describe it, I say pain, it definately is an (OOOHHHH = shock = pain = tingle) feeling and I usually get the feeling after my back has been in the same position (mainly after lying down). It has happened before when sitting in a chair for a while with my back straight.

I do have cervical disc bulges in my c5 c6 and c7. I am not having pain at the moment with this, but I have to be very careful how I lay down, how I stack my pillows and position my neck.

Believe it or not, I have my kids sit on my back in the morning, LOL  It feels soooo good to have pressure on my "lower" back, but my shock pain comes from the neck bending. The shock goes down to my hips.
Hugs Pam

[supermum_ms]

I dont have the Lhermittes sign, its suppose to be an electric shock sensation felt each time your bend your neck, so consistently like Mary said.

What your describing sounds to be more to do with the way your sleeping than Lhermittes, have you changed your pillow resently or is it getting a bit old? I'd say try not getting up suddenly, do a bit of flexing and stretching and see if it helps at all.

Cheers..........JJ

[twopack]

This doesn't sound like what I've usually heard people describe.  I would think any lesion or compression in the spinal cord that causes it would create the sensation consistently throughout the day.

It might be worth starting your morning with some very gentle and slow stretching movements to prevent this pain.

Mary