MS Hug: An Overview

Introduction:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. MS hug is a symptom that exhibits tightness or pressure around the stomach or chest. It is considered to be dangerous. It leads to other conditions as the symptoms correlate with other conditions.

What Is MS Hug?

MS hug is a feeling of tightness or pressure around the chest or stomach. It feels like some strong person is holding and squeezing tightly. MS hug is a symptom of MS and is very hard to describe.

This feeling of MS hug varies from one to another. In such a condition, the person may feel pain even when breathing. Any pain associated with the chest should be evaluated to rule out any heart or breathing-related problems.

MS hug is otherwise called banding or girdling. It may occur between the neck and the waist. The symptom may be chest tightening, resulting in breathing problems. It appears as pressure on one side of the body for a few seconds.

For some others, it may appear in the legs or hands. They feel as if they are wearing boots or gloves all the time. Some may feel tightening in their head region. The pain may vary from annoying to very painful. It may also vary in ache, pressure, burning sensation, and tickling pain.

Description of MS Hug:

The pain is felt under the rib cage. It can be described as

• Sharp-like stabbing type.

• Feels tight, as if the belt is worn.

• It appears dull or crawly.

• The pain is of an aching type.

• Feel pressure.

• Pain may be like pins, needles, or pricks.

What Are the Causes of MS Hug?

The condition called MS is the main reason for its cause. In MS, demyelination of nerves occurs in the brain and spinal cord. Because of the damage to nerve cells, there is disrupted transportation of signals to and from other parts of the body.

Along with MS, other symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness, or spasms may be present in the legs or hands. The tightness of the chest or stomach may be due to muscle spasms between the ribs (intercostal muscles). Sensations including aching, stabbing, crawling, or pins and needles may account for nerve pains called dysaesthesia (not a normal sensation).

MS hug does not occur suddenly or in the initial stage of MS. If it appears suddenly or surprisingly, it is a condition to be worried about. MS hug may be seen without MS, too. It may occur in some conditions involving inflammation, such as transverse myelitis.

Triggering factors of MS hug include,

• Stress.

• Weakness.

• Variations in temperatures occur suddenly.

• Due to tight dresses worn around the chest or stomach.

• An underlying condition.

Triggers may also vary from one to another.

MS hug may be present for seconds to minutes. If the MS hug accompanies other symptoms of MS, it may last for hours or longer. This condition may relapse after some periods.

How to Diagnose MS Hug?

Previously, an MS hug was thought to be painless. Research has determined that more than half of people experience pain in the case of MS at some point in their course of disease. Other types of pain with MS hug include trigeminal neuralgia, abnormal sensations in the legs and feet, and Lhermitte’s sign. Other pains include muscle pain, neck pain, and headaches.

All information should be shared with the doctor to make it easier for the doctor to reach a diagnosis. Other conditions that show the same type of symptoms should be ruled out. The doctor may recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

How to Treat MS Hugs?

MS hug can be treated in many ways. These include

• Avoiding triggers that are responsible for MS hug.

• Stretching and moving of the body.

• Application of warm or cool compresses to chest or stomach area.

• Consuming over-the-counter pain relievers as per directions.

• Other anti-inflammatory, antispasticity, and neuropathic pain medications will be used.

Since this condition is considered short-term, it does not need any treatment. If the MS hug is a long persisting one, then different medications should be taken. If the symptoms are thought of as relapsing, steroids may be given to treat them.

In the case of neuropathic pain, dysaesthesia or altered sensation can be treated with Amitriptyline. Duloxetine, Gabapentin, or Pregabalin are given. If the symptom is due to spasms, other medications like Baclofen, and Gabapentin are to be given. If these do not work, other medications are to be taken.

Sometimes, help can be taken from doctors in pain clinics to manage pain. Sometimes, combinations of drugs can be tried to achieve maximum benefits. MS hug is a temporary discomfort. Hence, it does not result in long-term complications.

How to Prevent MS Hug?

MS hug can be prevented, but this can only be done in some cases. The risk can be reduced by

• Avoiding stress.

• Having a good sleep during the night.

• Staying in a cool place whenever there is a rise in the temperature.

• Not wearing tight clothes and wearing loose fittings.

• Good health has to be maintained.

Other conditions that are similar to MS hug include

• Gallbladder pain.

• Heart disease.

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

• Anxiety.

• Shingles.

If pain in the chest or breathing becomes difficult, emergency care should be taken.

Any sort of chest pain should not be neglected. Immediate medical care is to be taken.

Other ways to fight against MS hug include

• A warm bath or using a heating pad may help.

• Another way to distract the brain from thinking of the tightness of the chest.

• Relaxation techniques may be followed to reduce stress. These include listening to music or practicing breathing exercises, mindfulness, self-hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

• Distracting the mind can be done by counting, singing, reading, doing needlework, model building, or painting.

• Sometimes, changing positions and moving around may help.

• A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine may be useful to a few people.

• Physiotherapy or other physical treatments may be of use.

• An MS hug can be considered stressful, tiring, and not predictable.

Conclusion:

MS hug is a symptom of the condition called MS. MS hug is not considered dangerous but a treatment to be done to manage pain. In the case of chronic pain, lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet, good-quality sleep, staying hydrated, and practicing relaxation techniques help fight against stress and stay active. Hence, knowing about MS Hug, its description, causes, management, and prevention becomes important. Knowing and adapting healthy lifestyle changes helps achieve a good quality of life.