Multiple Sclerosis patients have been known to experience MS chest pain. This multiple sclerosis chest pain is also known as the MS “hug” or the girdle-band sensation.
The MS “hug” is typically described as an MS chest pain, but the truth of the matter is that it can be felt on the chest or on the abdomen. It can also be a one-sided pain or one that encircles the patient’s torso. Some patients describe it as a pressure on the chest that is more irritating than painful. But others describe it as pain so terrible that they fear they may be experiencing a heart attack. The MS “hug” can last a very short time (mere seconds) or it can last for hours and hours. Clearly, the presentation of the MS “hug” varies from individual to individual.
The Causes of MS Chest Pain
The MS “hug” is so named because it happens when the intercostal muscles of the patient’s ribcage go into spasm. When this occurs, it can often feel like there is a grip around the front of the patient’s torso, sometimes going all the way to the back. That the pain or pressure encircles the patient’s torso makes it like a physical hug. But that is where the similarity ends. Hugs are supposed to be affectionate and they tend to communicate a sense of welcome and security to the recipient. The MS “hug” is nothing close to that: it antagonizes and frustrates the patient, doing nothing to make him or her feel secure.
The question as to why the intercostal muscles go into spasm in the first place is worth considering. The MS “hug” or multiple sclerosis chest pain is attributable to the development of lesions on the patient’s spinal cord. The lesions are indicative of damaged tissue in the nervous system. The damaged tissue, which was previously responsible for regulating the movement of the intercostal muscles, can no longer function optimally. Hence, it provokes the continuous contraction of the intercostal muscles, thus sending them into spasm.
Treating Multiple Sclerosis Chest Pain
Like other symptoms of MS, the MS “hug” tends to be worst when patients are exhausted, overheated or under stress. These are the conditions that trigger exacerbations or flare ups of MS. Various forms of treatment exist for the MS “hug.” Likely, the severity of the pain felt by the patient helps to determine which ones are ultimately adopted. The options include breathing exercises, massages, the application of pressure or warmth to the affected area, analgesic creams, neuropathic medications for pain relief and anti-spasticity medications.
