Lhermitte's Sign

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFO ABOUT MY BIGGEST MS SYMPTOM. 

  If you ever hear me say I vibrate, or get shocked when I bend my neck, or if I look strange when I bend or if you tap me. (Which please don't do-if you touch me, touch me...NO Tapping/Patting.)  Or if I walk for a long distance quickly & make faces after, it's because EVERY part of me does this. It's whack.

Please Just UNDERSTAND my MS....don't think you do, realllllllyyy understand it. It's not damn tumors on my brain...it's not contaigious, it's not going to go away, I can't be cured. It's not ALS, it's not something I've "done" to myself. If you ask me about it, listen &  think about what I'm telling you about this disease. I kinda know what I'm talking about since I HAVE IT.  If you have questions, ask. It is a very complex disease. Just because your mom's friends sister has it and is doing great, or BillyfuckingBob's Uncle has it & his life sucks...do.not.compare it to mine. 
I do not mean to offend anyone by this post....this is just the best way I know how to get through to people. If you care to learn about it...read about it. Ask questions. Just don't assume you know what is going on with me. I'm not "faking" it. I'm not exaggerating. This shit is real & affects my daily life. 


Lhermitte's Sign 
More then two thirds of those with Multiple Sclerosis experience what is known as “Lhermitte's Sign” or “The Barber's Chair Symptom”. It is a sensation of buzzing, tingling and electric shocks brought about by lowering the head as to bring the chin closer to the chest. These sensations are usually felt in the spine, arms, and legs.

What Causes 
Lhermitte's Sign?

There are many things that can lead to Lhermitte's Sign such as injury or side effects of medications but in Multiple Sclerosis it is typically a result of a lesion in the cervical spine (or neck). When the head is tilted downwards, the demyelinated nerves in the neck stretch causing erroneous electrical signals to be triggered which then causes parasthesia (the sensation of buzzing, tingling and electric shocks).

Symptoms (Parasthesia)

Lhermitte's Sign causes parasthesia who's symptoms include but are not limited to:

Buzzing
Tingling
Pins & Needles
Prickling
Itching
Crawling Skin
Sensations of electric shock
Sharp Pains
Burning
Partial Numbness

The Barber's Chair Symptom

Ever wondered why it's sometimes called “The Barber's Chair Symptom”? What does a barber typically ask you to do when they need to trim your neck line? They ask you to tilt your head down, chin to chest!

Treatment

In some cases, Lhermitte's Sign can be treated with medications such as Anticonvulsants (Anticonvulsants are used to treat epileptic seizures). Others choose to wear a restrictive collar that helps limit the range of movement that can be achieved with the neck in order to prevent positioning the spine in such a way that would trigger the sensations of parasthesia.