Pain Or No Pain?

[As4OurHaus]

I have always been curious to know how many people have pain with their MS symptoms and how many have no pain. I struggle with numbness, tingling, spasms, etc., and they are all very irritating, but I can't honestly say that I have been in pain because of my MS. Is it more common to have pain? I try not to complain, because I know there are people who struggle a whole lot more than I do, but I was just curious... And are there folks who have developed more painful symptoms over time?

[CasinoKathy]

I've always considered myself "lucky?" in that the only pain I have is some occasional burning in my left calf and the bottoms of my feet. Nothing I can't handle

[akafearless]

Who Knows

Neuros say the pain is not from MS, but who really knows. I do have degenerative disc disease also. I have had pain for about 5 or so years.
It has steadily gotten worse.

[SpringOwl]

Pain

Pain 24/7 since 2005.

My pain is from spasticity in my legs and feet and it seems to just slowly get worse. Can't sleep now because of pain.

Count yourself very lucky to be pain free.

[twisterred]

Good topic, thank you.

I have pain, especially in my legs.
The pain is similar to a toothache.
It is an ache that wears on me, especially if I overdo physically.

Rest is my best cure.
The pain I have can get so bad, I sometimes have to take medication to make me sleep, regardless of the time of day or night.

If I sleep for a couple of hours (2 minimum), the pain is somewhat dulled, but not gone. A full day of rest helps more.

Hopefully, you won't ever have this symptom.
This pain is not on my top 10 list for certain.

[Shashi]

I haven't been diagnosed, but my symptoms are consistent with MS. Over the last five years since they started, I have had varying degrees of pain from just mild irritation to extremely painful.

Most of the extreme pain has been from spasticity or muscle spasms in my legs, arms, back, etc. I've also had pretty bad nerve pain (either shooting pain or burning pain) in my head, hands, feet, legs, face, etc.

When I first started having symptoms, I had the "MS hug" a couple of times and it was rather painful too, since it felt like a boa constrictor wrapped around my ribcage squeezing me. Ouch!

For the last few months, I've been relatively pain free, except for the occassional "zinger" (that's what I call shooting nerve pains) and a little bit of burning on my right cheek. I've been able to stop taking baclofen and gabapentin, which I was on for years. I hope this "vacation from pain" continues. It's been a big relief!

[salamandertom]

I have pain every single day, all day long. It sucks, and it is really terrible. Some days are worse than others. Good days are a 5, Bad days could be a 10 - but typically a bad day would be a 9. I cannot think, or function on a bad day - but most people would have no idea. I go through the motions and try my best because I have no choice. This is my life and I have to learn how to live it in pain. Gabapentih has helped a little - but not enough. I hate MS, and I hate nerve pain and spasticity. I hardly notice the spasticity anymore b/c the pain hurts so bad.

Luckily my neuro recognizes pain with MS, or at least he appears to.

My pain is from the MS hugs mainly - I get it in my face too. In my hands and feet, arms and legs. It likes to move around the closer I get to my next dose of gabapentin. Mainly my back and chest. Shoulders and neck sometimes. It hurts all over sometimes. Hard to pinpoint. I get a lot of headaches b/c of the beta too. I have had one pretty much every day since I started in early march.

I guess I count my self lucky(?) here as well, as the only pain I experience is a result of headaches. They come and go a few times a year in clusters, although I am not so sure they have anything to do with my MS.

[opiegirl]

I do not have pain that I associate with MS. I have three herniated discs in my neck, so that has caused me consistent pain. However, the more research I do on MS and inflammation, I am convinced that an anti-inflammatory diet is the only way to go.

I have been on one now for almost 8 weeks and the pain in my neck is almost gone. I believe the diet along with P/T has helped tremendously with the pain I was experiencing.

I too consider myself lucky not to have to live in pain from MS.

My heart goes out to those who do.