| L'Hermittes sign is the name given to an electric shock-like
sensation which often presents itself with multiple sclerosis; although
Lhermitte's sign is not exclusive to ms and may be the result of some
other conditions such as electrolyte imbalance, cervical cord tumour,
cervical spondylosis, or even vitamin B12 deficiency.
Typically, the
electric shock-like sensation radiates from the neck downwards and lasts
for a very short duration; usually less than a second. The sensations
can repeat indefinitely so that it might feel almost continuous.
The areas affected by Lhermitte's sign are usually the arms and /
or the legs, although the sensations can radiate to the trunk.
Lhermitte's sign gets its name from the person who first characterized
it, Jacques Jean Lhermitte, and is sometimes (rarely) known as 'barbers
chair phenomenon'.
This is because of the way that Lhermitte's response is triggered;
by flexing the neck forwards. When the head moves in this way, the electric
shock like sensations are triggered.
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