Is MS painful?

[Jamrhi6]

I am scheduled to see a neuro for a second time.last year for optic neuritis and now for possible ms. My doctor said it might not be ms because ms isn't painful? What are your thoughts?

[CaliReader]

I can't find the link, but I've read statistics that between 80 and 90 percent of ms patients experience pain. I'm currently on Gabapentin to control my ms pain. I also had to suck it up and accept that some pain was just now part of my life, as I don't want to be completely sedated.

[Jamrhi6]

I have read very similar findings and find it odd that a neurologist would feel this way. My feet and hands are severely cramped up and the pain when I'm walking is intense. Does that sound like ms? My hands do the same thing I can't grip a pen or a shopping cart. My hands and feet get a burning sensation and turn bright red. I guess I'll know soon enough.

[NHE]

I've had burning sensations in my right foot for 14 years. Sometimes I can ignore them, sometimes they feel like someone stuffed nettle leaves into my sock.

MS most certainly does cause pain. It sounds like your neurologist is old school and still believes in some of the early myths about MS. Here are some search results on pain in MS from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/search ... t=0&num=20

[NHE]

Let's not forget the "MS Simultor" shoes. This was from an article on pain in the NMSS's magazine.

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/post207046.html#p207046

[Jamrhi6]

Very interesting articles. I'm experiencing severe muscle cramping and spasms which brought me in. It hurts as soon as I wake up and lasts all day. I can't walk straight I have a little limp. My hands are doing the same thing? I hate having to wait for another doctor to ask me the same 100 questions the last one did. They should've gave me an MRI when they diagnosed me with optic neuritis. I had twitching and tingling and numbness back then.

[amberfer]

Hi Jamrh, like others said, I believe pain is very common for many MS patients! I am thankful to have pain that is not severe like many do.

I do hope you switch neuros, and to save time, you might write out your own "answers" before you see the neuro. You know, just a profile of what you think they want to know. Fax it to their office, then follow up in a few days to make sure the new neuro got it. You'll still have to answer some questions but it'll probably be easier.

[Anonymoose]

Don't forget nutrient deficiencies can cause peripheral neuropathy. For the burning sensation you might try a good b complex. My hand burning returned a couple days ago and I've managed to knock it out with b complex (taking famil-E, zinc/copper, and iron for iron deficiency too). I wish I had figured that out a long time ago!

Hope that helps. Good luck with the neuro!

[jimmylegs]

good call anon - also the b-complex could help activate magnesium which we have been over on another thread, jam