Drug treatments including muscle relaxants While movement, through physiotherapy and exercise, is important in managing stiffness due to MS, they are sometimes not enough on their own. Drug treatments can often help, especially when used together with physiotherapy.
You might feel spasticity either as stiffness that doesn't go away or as movements you can't control that come and go, especially at night. It can feel like a muscle tightening, or it can be very painful. Spasticity also can make you ache or feel tight in and around your joints and low back.
Nerve pathways that connect your brain, spinal cord and muscles, work together to coordinate smooth movement. If nerve signals between a muscle and the brain are interrupted by damage caused by MS, the muscle can remain in its shortened state, making the affected limb feel stiff or tight and often difficult to move.
It is one of the more common symptoms of MS. Spasticity may be as mild as the feeling of tightness of muscles or may be so severe as to produce painful, uncontrollable spasms of extremities, usually of the legs. Spasticity may also produce feelings of pain or tightness in and around joints, and can cause low back pain.
The NICE guideline for MS recommends that baclofen should be the first drug used when treating MS spasticity (muscle stiffness). Baclofen is also sometimes used in combination with other medication to treat trigeminal neuralgia. It can help to relax the muscles and ease the pain.
Some of the most potent natural therapies to achieve these goals include resveratrol, vitamin D, fish oil, and a healthy diet. Ultimately, a healthy diet without simple carbohydrates is the baseline for health in those with multiple sclerosis.
One study noted young people with MS who took a calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium supplement had a reduced number of relapses.
Strength exercises such as squats, lunges and leg lifts will all help you to strengthen your legs if you have been feeling heaviness. Hold onto something as you are doing these exercises at first and you will gradually build up the strength and balance.
Tightness or stiffness of the muscles, called spasticity, is caused directly by MS. Spasticity, will alter walking and cause pulling on the joints. This can result in pain typically in the ankles, knees, hips and back.
The medical term sclerosis refers to abnormal hardening of body tissue. In multiple sclerosis, there is a development of hard areas called "plaques" along a neuron's axon (part of a nerve cell), hence the name.
Muscle stiffness and spasms are common MS symptoms, and are often described as 'MS spasticity'. Muscle spasms or stiffness can affect between 40% and 80% of people with MS at some time.
Fatigue is also among the most common symptoms, reported by at least 75% of MS patients at some point in the disease course. For many, fatigue is considered to be the single most debilitating symptom, surpassing pain and even physical disability.
Muscle spasms and stiffness: Movement throughout the day can help to loosen muscles and bring relief, but they get worse again during sleep when they are still. 2. Pain: Nerve and muscular pain, common types of MS pain, may worsen at night and interfere with sleep.
In many patients, over a span of 5 to 15 years, the attacks begin more indolently, persist more chronically and remit less completely, gradually transforming into a pattern of steady deterioration rather than episodic flares. This pattern is referred to as secondary progressive MS.
“The less weight you carry around, the less strain on the legs and the better balance you have.” A review and meta-analysis from 2021 found that both aerobic training and resistance training are equally highly effective at improving lower extremity physical function and fatigue in people who have MS.
Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) use massage for prevention or relief of the following symptoms: Spasticity — Massage can help relax muscles and enhance range of motion exercises. Pain — Massage is useful in any condition in which a reduction in swelling or mobilization of tissues leads to pain relief.
Vitamins that seem of particular interest to people with MS include vitamin D, the antioxidant vitamins, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Vitamins A, C, and E
Since antioxidant vitamins like A, C, and E lessen cell damage by free radicals, some researchers believe they may also help improve MS.
The general advice is to drink around one and a half to two litres, or six to eight glasses, of liquid per day. If plain water seems too boring, you could try sparkling water instead or add a slice of lemon or lime. Many people enjoy caffeinated drinks such as coca cola, coffee and tea.
Lifestyle Factors and MS Progression
We know lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, exercising regularly, and taking vitamin D are helpful for our overall health. Some, like exercise, can help with MS symptoms, prevent complications, and possibly be neuroprotective.
Diana: The best MS exercises are aerobic exercises, stretching, and progressive strength training. Aerobic exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate, like walking, jogging, or swimming. You just don't want to overdo it—it should be done at a moderate level.