Question
I have had a numb feeling in my mid back for about 6 months on and off.  It's not painful it's almost annoying.  At times it feels like something is touching my back but there is nothing, it is causing me to be very concerned.  Could it be MS?  Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Answer
Dear Stacey,

If this is the only symptom you are experiencing, then I doubt that MS is the cause.  It is more likely that you are having some sort of nerve inflammation due to irritation from abnormal vertebral position/movement than MS. Band like sensory disturbances, such as numbness, that follow the normal dermatomal (skin mapping) nerve distribution pathways are not a big concern, unless there is an associated weakness of the surrounding musculature and pain.  Symptoms such as you have described are frequently ameliorated by chiropractic spinal adjustments, and are usually minor problems.

Conversely...Multiple Sclerosis is a disease characterized by on and off symptoms.  Symptom are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. One person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder or bowel problems. Some symptoms will come and go over the course of the disease, others may be more lasting and chronic.  

The common factor here is that the symptoms are neurological in nature and come an go without a specific pattern. In school I was taught that visual problems were very common in MS patients, and this was a significant finding to look for.  Also the onset of symptoms usually starts in the late teens/early twenties, although many people fail to recognize that they have a problem for years.  It is more common in females that males, and along with clinical correlation, the diagnosis is confirmed with plaqueing found on spinal and brain MRI. Family history may also be a significant risk factor.

I would suggest that you monitor your symptoms and write them down in a journal.  This way you can stay in touch with individual problems as they occur which will be more indicative of an MS diagnosis, and may lead you to getting an MRI.  At this point I would not get too worked up about it. The one symptom you are describing can be explained by many other benign conditions, and may easily be remedied by manual treatment.  I would recommend that you seek out aggressive massage therapy/myofascial release in that area or spinal manipulation from a qualified chiropractic physician to see if you can get quick results concerning the reduction of your symptoms.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net