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MS Sensory Symptoms

According to Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, sensory problems in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients occur in 20 to 50 percent of the people early in the course of the disease. The sensory problems are common and are usually felt in the hands or legs, although they can be felt anywhere in the body. Symptoms can occur with no stimuli or as a response to being touched. MS sensory symptoms are caused by changes to the nerve pathways in the spinal cord.

  1. Paraesthesia

    • Paraesthesia is a burning, prickling sensation that can be felt anywhere in the body, but is typically felt in the hands, arm, legs or feet. Chronic paraesthesia is a sign of a neurological disease such as MS, or nerve damage. People with MS may feel partial or complete numbness in their extremities along with tingling, buzzing, vibration sensations and an increased sensitivity to being touched.

    Trigeminal Neuralgia

    • Trigeminal neuralgia also is known as facial pain. It is caused by lesions forming on nerves in the brain that run to the face. It occurs in the lower part of the face and can be triggered by eating, drinking, a breeze blowing across the face, or brushing the teeth. The pain is described as intense, sharp and can feel like an electrical jolt. Facial pain can last a few minutes or feel like a constant burning or aching sensation in the face.

    Neuralgia

    • Nerve pain can occur anywhere in the body and usually follows a specific nerve that is near the surface of the skin. The pain is burning in nature and can be intermittent or constant. Touch or pressure on the skin is perceived as pain by the MS patient.

    L'Hermitte's

    • L'Hermitte's sign is an electrical shock and buzzing sensation that happens when moving the head or lowering the chin toward the chest. It usually last for only a few seconds. L'Hermitte's indicates there are lesions in the cervical spine, or neck area, in people who have MS. It is felt anywhere in the body below the neck and can move around affecting different areas from day to day.

    Proprioceptive Dysfunction

    • Proprioceptive dysfunction is also known as sensory ataxia. This dysfunction is when the brain has a loss of awareness of the location of body parts and cannot sense where they are. A person with MS also cannot detect vibrations and loses his sense of balance.

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