What is spacticity in MS patients?
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Margarita_k
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Margarita_k
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Last activity on 07/10/2020 at 11:39
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Spasticity is one of the most common MS symptoms, occuring in 60% to 90% MS cases. About 1 in 5 people reported that spasticity and spasms frequently affected their activities and one in eight described their symptoms as severe. But most people will only experience occasional symptoms.
Spasticity refers to feelings of stiffness and a wide range of involuntary muscle spasms (sustained muscle contractions or sudden movements). Spasticity may be as mild as the feeling of tightness of muscles or may be so severe as to produce painful, uncontrollable spasms of extremities, usually of the legs. Spasticity may also produce feelings of pain or tightness in and around joints, and can cause low back pain. Although spasticity can occur in any limb, it is much more common in the legs.
In flexor spasticity, mostly involving the hamstrings (muscles on the back of the upper leg), and hip flexors (muscles at the top of the upper thigh), the hips and knees are bent and difficult to straighten.
In extensor spasticity, involving the quadriceps and adductors (muscles on the front and inside of the upper leg), the hips and knees remain straight with the legs very close together or crossed over at the ankles.
Spasticity may be aggravated by sudden movements or position changes, extremes of temperature, humidity or infections, and can even be triggered by tight clothing.
What Causes Spasticity?
Spasticity happens because of an imbalance in the electrical signals coming from the brain and spinal cord, often when multiple sclerosis has damaged the nerves there. This unevenness makes your muscles contract on their own and makes them tense.
What is the difference between spasticity and spasms?
People with spasticity describe their muscles as feeling stiff, heavy and difficult to move. When spasticity is severe it can be very difficult to bend a limb at all.
A spasm is a sudden involuntary tightening or contraction of a muscle.
Any muscle can be affected but leg spasms and spasticity affecting the arms, legs or the trunk and back are most common.
Sources: webmd.com, mstrust.org.uk, nationalmssociety.org.
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Have you experienced this symptom? How did you cope? Did you get enought explanations from your doctor about spasticity?