Jolt in neck, pins and needles in hand, I'm a wreck, help!

[Katie*]

I've been concerned about something that happended about 6 month ago. I got this shooting pain in my neck when bending it, it felt almost like an electric shock. It didn't run down my spine or anything, but I'm still worried if this could me MS? Has anyone experienced anything similar? I have a bad neck generally, so I'm hoping it was just a pinched nerve or something. It hasn't happened since.

I woke up today on my right side, left hand asleep, so no, it's not because I have been lying on it and I don't have carpal tunnel (it's the answer EVERYONE gives, but I really don't have that.)

Can depression and anxiety be causing this? Help!

[countrygirl]

I have exact same symptoms as you and its because I have arthritis and a herniated disc in my neck. I wake up every single night at least once with my right hand numb and like you am more often than not laying on my left side. I had tests for carpal tunnel and do not have it and was told its due to pressure on nerves in my neck.

Have you ever had a mri scan of your neck as this is how I found out what was causing my long list of weird symptoms 10 years ago that had me convinced I had MS. I can get vertigo or longer spells of dizziness, sudden split second falling sensations, crawling sensation in head and face or pulling sensations the list is really endless and all due to my neck. somedays it even hurts to move my tongue!

[Katie*]

Thanks for the reply. I do have a not of problems with my neck, I can relate to the vertigo / dizziness too, it comes and goes. Haven't had an mri, doctor's conviced It's all "just" anxiety. I'm afraid to have an mri, I just know I couldn't deal with an MS diagnosis. I'm so afraid.

I have pain in my cheeks, but it feels like muscle pain. I think I grind my teeth at night.

[countrygirl]

I spent many many years worrying about having MS and all the time it all my symptoms were due to the problems in my neck and I did not have MS as I also had brain scans over the past 10 years as well.

It was a huge relief to me when I did have mri of neck and they found what was wrong - my symptoms did not change but at least I knew why I had them rather than the what if its xxxx.

Your Gp cannot send you for mri of neck ( they can only do lumbar spine and knees) but he could refer you to orthopeadic at hospital and they could send you for one or pay yourself via GP (£280).

[robocop192]

Hi guys. I often have had those symptoms. Its down to anxiety especially when the adrenaline is flowing and the oxyhen is lacking! My neck often cracks when I move it too but I guess thats ageing for you!