For me, the MS Hug effect, came out from nowhere; I had no real warning; I tried taking 10 mg of Baclofen and one xanax , three times a day; it did not help; I cried alot, since crying helps my autonomic nervous system work better; I also drink hot tea, and I stand in the shower since the steam seems to help me breathe easier; now, I have    more »

It is particularly important to approach spasticity management from an interdisciplinary team approach (neurologist, nurse, rehabilitation physician and other rehabilitation specialists), including the person with   more »

Spasticity, which refers mainly to feelings of muscle stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms, is a well defined consequence of MS. It can be identified and assessed, for the most part, based on reported symptoms and findings   more »

Researchers are putting together a more complete picture of how the body perceives and deals with pain. For example, we now know more about sodium channels, which are "gateways" between the inside and outside of nerve cells. Sodium channels are involved   more »

Everyone has a right to good pain control. Many people with MS live with pain that could be effectively relieved. Sometimes this is because their existing treatment is not working, because they or their health professionals are not aware of all treatment methods, or because   more »

Everyone has a right to good pain control. Many people with MS live with pain that could be effectively relieved. Sometimes this is because their existing treatment is not working, because they or their health professionals are not aware of all treatment methods, or   more »

Doctors used to think that MS did not cause pain. Now we know that's not true! At least half of people with MS have pain because of the condition. Find out more about MS pain and how to get effective relief   more »

I was diagnosed with MS 4 years ago. I am on Copaxone and I take Provigil as needed for fatigue. My question is this: Within the past year I have at times started having the feeling of not being able to take a deep breath   more »

This is the term for one of the rather strange and weird symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis which can be classed as one of the many invisible symptoms but also as a spasm-type symptom. The derivation of the term   more »

In the past MS was viewed as a painless condition but now thankfully people have woken up to the fact that pain can be very much part and parcel of MS. In fact it is    more »

Further reading Pain: The Science of Suffering by Patrick Wall. Published by Columbia University Press (2002), ISBN: 0231120079. A book that explores the nature and   more »

It can be helpful to discuss specific goals with a health professional. For example, it might be to get a full night’s sleep, to have four hours free of pain each day, or to reduce pain sufficiently to take part in a social event or activity. Achieving targets for pain relief   more »

Some people with MS say that they find cannabis relieves their pain. It is still an illegal drug in the UK. However, by isolating certain ingredients in cannabis – known as ‘cannabinoids’ – researchers have developed controlled ways of testing the possible benefits of cannabis. Sativex is a drug   more »

Is there anything I can do to relieve my leg spasms, other than taking more medicine?

 

Some people find there are things that set off painful sensations, or make them feel worse. For example, heat and cold can make muscle pains worse and flexing the neck sometimes brings on the sharp, shooting pain of L’Hermitte’s sign. Recognising triggers like this can   more »