By Kerry Weiss – Medically Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed: October 12, 2022
Neuropathic pain is not your average pain.
Here’s what to know about this unique type of MS pain and how to find relief.
Pain is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), especially when the spinal cord is affected. But it’s very different from pain caused by, say, a broken bone or burn. MS pain is neuropathic, meaning the nerves generate it, but without any sort of injury or tissue damage present.
“I describe it as electrical short-circuiting in the nerves that signals to the brain something is wrong in the area those nerves supply,” explains Robert Bermel, MD, a neurologist at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic. “It’s like false pain signals being sent because the nerves aren’t functioning correctly.” (By contrast, an injury prompts nociceptors — a nerve ending that senses pain — to send signals to the brain so you feel pain where you’ve been hurt.)
For this reason, typical pain treatment won’t relieve neuropathic pain caused by MS. But if it’s something you’re dealing with, there are effective ways to manage it.
What Is MS Pain Like?
“Many people say, ‘It’s not like anything I’ve ever felt before,’” says Dr. Bermel. Among the more specific descriptions of neuropathic pain are:
- Burning hot
- Icy cold
- Stabbing
- Sharp
- Achy
- Prickling — like pins and needles
- Numbness
- Pain or discomfort with light touch, also known as allodynia
- Squeezing — a sensation known as the “MS hug”
The level of pain from MS can vary dramatically, from minor irritation to intense discomfort. Neuropathic pain most often affects the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Some people feel it in their faces. It’s unpredictable, too, and can have a major impact on daily activities and quality of life.