b"Symptom ManagementPPTTffoorrPPaaiinnMMaannaaggeemmeenntti nMMSSinTThheerraappyyccaannrreedduuccee,,eelliimmiinnaatteeneeeeddffoorrmmeeddiiccaattiioonnssnBy Stefanie DiCarrado and Stephanie MuthPain is a common occurrence in everyonesIf you frequently experience muscle spasms, life. However, people with multiple sclerosisyou may feel pain with them because the have an even greater chance of developingspasms can compress nearby blood vessels, postural related pain, general muscle pain,causing what is called ischemic pain. The headache, or neuropathic pain. Recent articlesspasticity can cause microscopic muscle published in the Frontiers of Neurology foundinjury resembling that of muscle strains, which 50-70 percent of persons with MS report somemay also be a source of the pain. Headaches form of ongoing pain, with about 10 percentcan occur from poor posture, muscle spasms, reporting pain as their primary symptom. or can be induced by certain medications.Pain is not the same for everyone; it is aNeuropathic pain can occur from damage subjective experience that each person mayto either the peripheral nerves or from within describe differently. This is because pain resultsthe central nervous systems sensory pathway from our brain interpreting signals it receivesand is frequently related to the degenerative from the body. A lot of different factors caneffects of MS itself. This can cause pain that affect this interpretation, which means eachcan be felt in various places throughout your personcanexperiencepainfulsensationsbody and is often described as burning, electric, differently. Some people may interpret pain ator shooting in nature. Perhaps the most a higher or lower intensity than others, whilecommon neuropathic pain experienced by some may experience painful sensationspersons with MS is called dysaesthetic pain, without any actual tissue injury. described as a constant burning, tingling, or Causes and manifestations throbbing generally felt in the legs. Other types ofneuropathicpainincludetrigeminal Pain sensations can have different causesneuralgia (pain felt in the face), glossopharyngeal and manifest in several different ways. Postural- neuralgia (pain felt in the throat), and Lhermitte's related pain can result from accumulated tissuesign (pain felt down the back associated with microtrauma occurring when we stand, sit,neck movement). Although not necessarily move, or lie down in less than optimal positionsconsideredneuropathicpain,individuals for long periods of time. The pain tends to bewith optic neuritis may experience dull pain focused generally in the neck, back, and limbs. around or in their eyes. msfocusmagazine.org 26"