MS Pain Management 1 of 7

Pain and MS Is pain a common MS symptom?  

Until the mid-1980s, many people, including doctors, considered MS to be a painless condition. It is now widely recognised that MS can cause pain and that at least a third of all people with MS will feel some level of pain at some time.

No two people will experience exactly the same pain. MS pain can come and go in short bursts, or may last longer. It can be a daily nuisance, a distressing but occasional shock, or an ongoing ache that makes it hard to think about anything else. Even mild changes in sensations can have an impact on daily life, so it is important that pain is acknowledged and managed.    

What causes pain in MS?  

MS can cause pain either directly, due to nerve damage, or indirectly, due to MS symptoms. Pain may also be a side effect of drugs. But having MS does not rule out the possibility of experiencing pain due to other health conditions or accidents, just like anyone else. Furthermore, if you experience pain it could be because of one of these factors, or a combination of several.   

What exactly is meant by pain?  

It may sound obvious, but a sensation is 'painful' if it causes you mental or physical discomfort. Only you will know whether a sensation is painful or not, or if it leaves you numb or tingling. And pain is not just a physical sensation – there is always an emotional element as well. Pain can sometimes cause distress, fear, anger or frustration and these emotions can, in turn, affect how you deal with painful sensations.

If pain continues, it can be exhausting, perhaps make fatigue worse, affect your mood, or make it harder to continue with everyday activities. Pain can stop people doing what they like and need to do. It can have an impact on both the person with MS and those around them, becoming frustrating for all.

As MS pain can take many forms, it is important to describe your pain in detail when working with health care professionals, so together you can find ways to treat and manage it. Being able to explain your pain also helps family, friends and carers understand this 'invisible symptom' that they may otherwise be unaware of.     Until the mid-1980s, many people, including doctors, considered multiple sclerosis (MS) to be a painless condition.1 It is now widely recognised that MS can cause pain and that at least a third of all people with MS will feel some level of pain at some time.  No two people will experience exactly the same pain. MS pain can come and go in short bursts, or may last longer. It can be a daily nuisance, a distressing but occasional shock, or an ongoing ache that makes it hard to think about anything else. Even mild changes in sensations can have an impact on daily life, so it is important that pain is acknowledged and managed.  Describing and explaining MS pain to health care professionals helps the causes to be found, and knowing the cause of pain can help find the most appropriate ways to manage it. This may include a combination of physiotherapy, drug treatments, complementary therapies and making adjustments to the way that daily activities are approached. It is best to determine which combination of treatments will suit you by looking at your individual circumstances with a doctor.  With recognition and support, it is possible to find relief or gain some control over pain, making it easier to cope with this difficult symptom.   It may sound obvious, but a sensation is ‘painful’ if it causes you mental or physical discomfort. Only you will know whether a sensation is painful or not, or if it leaves you numb or tingling. And pain is not just a physical sensation – there is always an emotional element as well. Pain can sometimes cause distress, fear, anger or frustration and these emotions can, in turn, affect how you deal with painful sensations.  If pain continues, it can be exhausting, perhaps exacerbating tiredness, affecting your mood, or making it harder to continue with everyday activities.4 Pain can stop people doing what they like and need to do. It can have an impact on both the person with MS and those around them, becoming frustrating for all.  As MS pain can take many forms, it is important to describe your pain in detail when working with health care professionals, so together you can find ways to treat and manage it. Being able to explain your pain also helps family, friends and carers understand this ‘invisible symptom’ that they may otherwise be unaware of. 

Unfortunately, knowing how something feels does not mean it is easy to describe. Health professionals often talk about pain being ‘acute’ (short-term) or ‘chronic’ (long-term). But describing how it affects you will be an individual thing. When you do describe it, use whatever words seem to best sum up what you experience, however odd they may seem at first. Here are just some of the words people use to describe pain: 

• squeezing or crushing

• cold

• hot or burning

• sharp

• dull

• like ants under my skin or ‘creepy crawlies’

• like a build up of pressure

• stabbing

• creeping

• like an electric shock 

Compliments of:

UK Multiple Sclerosis Society