Pain
Pain is a common symptom in MS
and it effects daily actives such as work, play, mood and enjoyment of life.
Why does pain occur in
MS and what are the common types?
Steady and achy types of pain in
MS may be a result of muscles become fatigued and stretched when they are used
to compensate for muscles that have been weakened by MS. The pain I have experienced has been a mixture
of stabbing, throbbing and burning pain. Sometimes it feels like someone has
got a knife, plunged in it to the back of my neck and twisting it around.
This pain comes from faulty nerve signals emanating from the
nerves due to MS lesions in the brain and spinal cord.
The most common pain syndromes experienced by people with MS
include:
- headache (seen more in MS than the general population)
- continuous burning pain in the extremities
- back pain
- painful tonic spasms (a cramping, pulling pain)
Experts usually describe pain caused by MS as either
musculoskeletal pain, paroxysmal pain or chronic neurogenic pain.
Musculoskeletal pain
can be due to muscular weakness, spasticity and imbalance. It is most often
seen in the hips, legs and arms and particularly when muscles, tendons and
ligaments remain immobile foursome time.
Back pain may occur due to improper seating or incorrect
posture while walking. So remember to walk straight as if an angel has got you
by a string on top of the head and when sitting, do not slouch. Anyone who
knows me has the right to tell me off if I walk or sit slouched, one of my
friends already does – good friend.
Contractures associated with weakness and spasticity can be
painful. Muscular spasms or cramps (called flexor spasms) can be severe and
discomfiting. Leg spasms, for example, often occur during sleep – this is one symptom
I get and its very annoying as it often disturbs my sleep – probably a good job
I am single and sleep alone otherwise my husband might be battered and
bruised!!
Paroxysmal pains
are seen in 5-10% of people with MS. The most characteristic is the facial pain
of trigeminal neuralgia, which usually responds to carbamazepine. Lhermittes
sign is a stabbing, electric-shock-like sensation running from the back of the
head down thespian brought on by bending the neck forward. Medication is of little
use because this pain is instantaneous and brief.
Neurogenic pain
is the most common and distressing of the pain syndromes in MS. This pain is
described as constant, boring, burning or tingling intensely. It often occurs
in the legs. Paraesthesia types include
pins and needles, tingling, shivering, burning pains, feelings of pressure, and
areas of skin with heightened sensitivity to touch. Thepains associated with
these can be aching, throbbing, stabbing, shooting, gnawing, tingling, tightness
and numbness. Dysesthesia types include burning, aching or girdling around the
body. These are neurologic in origin and are sometimes treated with
antidepressants.
Optic Neuritis (ON) is a common first symptom of MS. Pain commonly
occurs or is made worse with eye movement. The pain with ON usually resolves in
7-10 days – I disagree with this has for me it last nearly a month.
MS is often called the invisible illness because most of the
symptoms are unseen by others and pain is one of these. I walk around in pain
most of the time, but people can’t see this - and then others try to tell me
they know how I feel – but really no one else knows what other people’s pain
feels like. Everyone’s pain is unique to
them and pain cannot be compared.
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