Is Lhermitte's phenomenon causing my neck pain?

Question:
I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2011. About three years ago I began developing pain in my neck. I am fine except when I bend my neck down and either right or left. I feel a sharp shooting pain. My neurologist told me it could be Lhermittes Sign. I was placed on Lyrica to help with the pain. A year later I suffered from memory loss and discontinued the Lyrica. I have now been prescribed Tramadol for neck pain and severe back stiffness/soreness. Does this seem like a good recommendation? Is there another avenue that I should discuss with my neurologist in regards to pain management? Thank you.

Answer:
Lhermitte’s phenomenon is an electrical or tingling shock like sensation that radiates down the spine or sometimes to the right or left arm with forward neck flexion. Sharp shooting pain could represent Lhermitte’s but is more often related to compression of a nerve root by arthritis or disc herniation or both. The fact that you now have chronic neck pain supports this hypothesis. 

You may want to ask your doctor to evaluate you for cervical spondylosis or another process that causes sharp jabbing pain with neck movement. The treatment will depend upon what is found.

Revere (Rip) Kinkel MD
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
University of California San Diego