Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesPain Due to MedicationDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Causes
Pain Due to Medication
Diagnosis
Treatment
Multiple sclerosis (MS) hip pain and knee soreness are very common problems. Joint issues are usually due to a nerve-related or muscle-related manifestation of MS rather than degeneration of cartilage or joint inflammation, as seen in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Verywell / JR Bee
What Does MS Nerve Pain Feel Like?The pain associated withmultiple sclerosisis often a difficult symptom to define. Acute and chronic pain in various parts of the body may be described as:Pressure/squeezing/crushing (around the torso)Numbness/pins and needlesHot/burningSharp/stabbingDull/achingCrawling/itchingElectric shocks
What Does MS Nerve Pain Feel Like?
The pain associated withmultiple sclerosisis often a difficult symptom to define. Acute and chronic pain in various parts of the body may be described as:Pressure/squeezing/crushing (around the torso)Numbness/pins and needlesHot/burningSharp/stabbingDull/achingCrawling/itchingElectric shocks
The pain associated withmultiple sclerosisis often a difficult symptom to define. Acute and chronic pain in various parts of the body may be described as:
The nerve andmusculoskeletal symptomsthat characterize MS can indirectly contribute to aching joints and body pains. Causes include:
For example, when experiencing what’s known as theMS hug(pain and pressure felt anywhere on the torso), you may clutch your side with one hand. After a full day of walking around like this, your knee and hip on one side might be sore.
In addition, relying on a cane or walker can throw off your gait, which can cause painful joints.
What Is MS Spasticity?Spasticity refers to an increase in muscle tone or tightness. The effects of MS can make these strengthened muscles less capable of relaxing, which can result in painful spasms.The effects of spasticity in MS can differ between people and range from mildly annoying to debilitating. For example, some people with MS occasionally have trouble climbing stairs, while others experience severe spasticity that affects their ability to walk.
What Is MS Spasticity?
Spasticity refers to an increase in muscle tone or tightness. The effects of MS can make these strengthened muscles less capable of relaxing, which can result in painful spasms.The effects of spasticity in MS can differ between people and range from mildly annoying to debilitating. For example, some people with MS occasionally have trouble climbing stairs, while others experience severe spasticity that affects their ability to walk.
Spasticity refers to an increase in muscle tone or tightness. The effects of MS can make these strengthened muscles less capable of relaxing, which can result in painful spasms.
The effects of spasticity in MS can differ between people and range from mildly annoying to debilitating. For example, some people with MS occasionally have trouble climbing stairs, while others experience severe spasticity that affects their ability to walk.
Joint Pain Due to Medication
Joint pain is also a common side effect of interferon-baseddisease-modifying therapies, such as:
Pay special attention to whether or not your joint pain is worse in the 24 to 48 hours following your injections and if it is more concentrated in the knees or hips, as opposed to more generalized.
Anti-seizure drugs like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) may be prescribed to treat neuropathic pain in MS. However, they may also cause balance impairment, which can lead to compensatory joint stress and pain. Additionally, muscle relaxants used to treat muscle spasms (such as baclofen and tizanidine) can cause dizziness and balance issues.
For your healthcare provider to conclude that your joint pain is due to MS, they will rule out any other potential causes, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or an injury. Diagnostic tests may includeX-raysand blood tests, as well as a physical exam.
Your healthcare provider may also evaluate your gait and balance, or the degree of spasticity and muscle weakness to see how that may be affecting your joints.
Does MS Pain Come and Go?
Addressing the underlying causes of your joint pain—such as spasticity and muscle weakness—can improve your gait, and, consequently, reduce joint pain.
Another way to improve your gait and reduce associated joint pain is to embark on an exercise program that includes aerobic, resistance, and balance exercises. You may also want to consider taking up yoga. There is some evidence that yoga can improve balance and functional strength, as well as fatigue and possibly muscle spasticity.
Analgesics, such as acetaminophen, or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen can relieve pain temporarily. Finally, losing excess weight will put less stress on the hips and knees.
A physical therapist should be able to evaluate your gait and prescribe exercises to help you strengthen the right muscles. If you use a cane or other assistive device, the physical therapist can check to make sure that it is sized correctly and that you are using it correctly.
Summary
Diagnosing MS joint pain involves a physical examination, and testing to rule out other possible conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to medication, treatment can take several forms including diet and lifestyle changes, andcomplementary and alternative medicine(CAM) therapies like yoga and exercise.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MS Society.Pain.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Pain and itching.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Walking (gait) difficulties.American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).Spasticity.MedlinePlus.Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Interferon Beta-1b.MyMSTeam.8 Drugs To Avoid While on Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.Coca-Tapia M, Cuesta-Gómez A, Molina-Rueda F, Carratalá-Tejada M.Gait Pattern in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(4):584. Published 2021 Mar 24. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11040584Frank R, Larimore J.Yoga as a method of symptom management in multiple sclerosis.Front Neurosci. 2015;9:133. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00133
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MS Society.Pain.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Pain and itching.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Walking (gait) difficulties.American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).Spasticity.MedlinePlus.Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Interferon Beta-1b.MyMSTeam.8 Drugs To Avoid While on Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.Coca-Tapia M, Cuesta-Gómez A, Molina-Rueda F, Carratalá-Tejada M.Gait Pattern in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(4):584. Published 2021 Mar 24. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11040584Frank R, Larimore J.Yoga as a method of symptom management in multiple sclerosis.Front Neurosci. 2015;9:133. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00133
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MS Society.Pain.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Pain and itching.National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Walking (gait) difficulties.American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).Spasticity.MedlinePlus.Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Interferon Beta-1b.MyMSTeam.8 Drugs To Avoid While on Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.Coca-Tapia M, Cuesta-Gómez A, Molina-Rueda F, Carratalá-Tejada M.Gait Pattern in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(4):584. Published 2021 Mar 24. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11040584Frank R, Larimore J.Yoga as a method of symptom management in multiple sclerosis.Front Neurosci. 2015;9:133. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00133
MS Society.Pain.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Pain and itching.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Walking (gait) difficulties.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).Spasticity.
MedlinePlus.Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Interferon Beta-1b.
MyMSTeam.8 Drugs To Avoid While on Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.
Coca-Tapia M, Cuesta-Gómez A, Molina-Rueda F, Carratalá-Tejada M.Gait Pattern in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(4):584. Published 2021 Mar 24. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11040584
Frank R, Larimore J.Yoga as a method of symptom management in multiple sclerosis.Front Neurosci. 2015;9:133. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00133
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