Multiple Sclerosis Tingling - Why Do I Get This Tingling Feeling?

Of all the different symptoms of multiple sclerosis, tingling and numbness are two of the most commonly reported. Known as paresthesia to the medical community, you will find that the vast majority of MS patients will have experienced this symptom multiple times and may in fact be one of the symptoms that led them to seek a diagnosis in the first place.

While it is not by any means disabling this numbness and tingling in multiple sclerosis patients can most certainly be a major source of annoyance. Most patients will tell that although the medical professionals do not consider it to be a benign symptom, the tingling, burning and itching can become almost unbearable. Many will tell you that these symptoms can become so bad that it is like being slowly tortured both in a physical and a mental sense.

What Does the Tingling in Multiple Sclerosis Feel Like?

If you were to ask a range of MS patients to describe the how their multiple sclerosis tingling feels, you are likely to get a range of answers based on their personal experiences. This is because MS manifests itself differently in every patient. However the most common descriptions of this sensation include:

1.Pins and Needles, like you would feel if your foot or hand "fell asleep"

2.A painful burning sensation

3.Numbness in one or more extremity

4.Unbearable and incurable itchiness in one or more areas of the body

5.A tingling, buzzing or vibrating sensation at skin level in the affected area

What Cause Multiple Sclerosis Tingling and Can it Be Stopped?

The tingling in multiple sclerosis is a result of the formation of lesions on the spinal cord or the brain. It can be the result of touching something that sets it off or in many cases simply occurs at random, seemingly with a will of its own. In many cases it is the end result of another symptom such as heat intolerance or over MS related fatigue.

If you talk to your doctor regarding the tingling and multiple sclerosis and how long you can expect it to last, he is not likely to be able to answer your question. While it may be the one symptom that finally drove you to your doctor for a diagnosis, there is little that can be done to cure it. Like many of the symptoms of MS it will run its own course and may come and go at various times during the patient's life seemingly at random.