There are three different types of muscle spasms in MS: Flexor spasm — The limb bends up toward the body. Extensor spasm — The limb shoots out, away from the body. Adductor spasm, commonly in the legs and thighs — The limbs come in toward each other.
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.
Spasms and stiffness can range from a minor annoyance to problems that make daily life and activities uncomfortable, painful and difficult.
A muscle twitch and a muscle spasm are both involuntary contractions of a muscle, although they are not quite the same. A muscle twitch is a short contraction that may happen repeatedly. It can cause discomfort but is not typically painful. A muscle spasm is a prolonged contraction that may cause pain.
Spasticity is a symptom of multiple sclerosis that causes your muscles to feel stiff, heavy and difficult to move. A spasm is a sudden stiffening of a muscle which may cause a limb to kick out or jerk towards your body.
Pinched nerves tingle (think “pins and needles”) while pulled muscles feel tighter and sore to the touch. Pinched nerve pain radiates to other areas around the affected nerve while pulled muscle pain typically stays localized in the area around the muscle. Pulled muscles swell while pinched nerves do not.
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.
Muscle spasms and stiffness: Formally called spasticity, this symptom can range from mild feelings of muscle tightness to severe and painful spasms, according to the National MS Society, and it most commonly affects the legs.
Describing the MS hug to your doctor
If it is an MS symptom, they might describe it as dysaesthesia (unusual sensations) or muscle spasms – two different ways MS could create a hugging, squeezing effect.
Vision problems
In around 1 in 4 cases of MS, the first noticeable symptom is a problem with one of your eyes (optic neuritis). You may experience: some temporary loss of vision in the affected eye, usually lasting for days to weeks.
Numbness or Tingling
Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
MRI Scans. An MRI is the best imaging technology to detect scarring or MS plaques in different parts of the central nervous system (CNS). This test can also distinguish old MS plaques from those currently active or new ones.
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), in which a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid is removed from your spinal canal for laboratory analysis. This sample can show abnormalities in antibodies that are associated with MS . A spinal tap can also help rule out infections and other conditions with symptoms like MS .
True flares can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks or months, per the NMSS.
About 5 percent of people who are confirmed to have MS do not initially have brain lesions evidenced by MRI. However, the longer a person goes without brain or spinal cord lesions on MRI, the more important it becomes to look for other possible diagnoses.
The early signs and symptoms of MS can be the same for women and men. One of the more obvious first signs of MS is a problem with vision, known as optic neuritis. This is often because it's a more concrete symptom as opposed to vaguer neurological symptoms like numbness and tingling.
Characteristics of the MS gait pattern
You may walk more slowly, with shorter steps. You may lack in confidence when you walk – leading to hesitation and stumbling. You might feel unsteady when turning or walking. You might find placing your foot on the ground difficult.
One study noted young people with MS who took a calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium supplement had a reduced number of relapses.
Leg twitching is a common symptom that is most often due to lifestyle factors, such as overexertion, dehydration, or overuse of stimulants. It usually gets better following appropriate lifestyle changes.
Neuropathy. When nerve cells are damaged, it changes the way they communicate with each other and with the brain. Twitches and spasms can be warning signs that this common condition is affecting the nerves that control your muscles.
Neuropathic pain is caused by MS nerve damage in the brain and spinal cord. Nerve damage might cause a range of sensations, from minor irritations to intense sharp or burning pains. Musculoskeletal pain is the pain in muscles and joints that comes from living with the stresses and strains MS places on the body.
PN is often mistaken for another common illness, multiple sclerosis (MS). To get a better idea on the distinction between those diseases: PN or Peripheral Neuropathy – Part of the reason it is not easy always to identify PN is simply how diverse the condition is.
Here's where MS (typically) starts
You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache. It often occurs on one side and can eventually lead to partial or total vision loss. Spinal cord inflammation, or what's called partial transverse myelitis, is the second most common symptom Shoemaker typically sees.