About half of all patients with multiple sclerosis will experience some type of pain during their battle with the disease. MS neck pain is one symptom some people will have. This type of pain is usually muscular in nature. There are many different causes for multiple sclerosis neck pain, and the exact cause can vary from person to person, making it difficult to pin down. Seeing a medical professional for the neck pain should be the first step to getting treatment for the problem. They will be able to assess where the pain is coming from, the degree of the pain, and what kind of treatment is going to work best depending on what stage your multiple sclerosis is in.
Neck pain in multiple sclerosis can be directly related to demyelination going on in the body. This is the process where the myelin sheath that protects the nerves is damaged. This can keep the regular signals from getting transmitted around the nervous system, causing muscle spasms and cramps throughout the body. This can lead to pain in the neck and back area. Any pain should be monitored and discuss with your doctor. Keeping a pain journal can be a good way to keep track of any symptoms.
Treatment for MS Neck Pain
There are many different treatments for multiple sclerosis neck pain. Depending on the source of the pain, the treatment can be traditional, alternative, or a combination of both. Prescription pain medication can help with pain, but it can only be prescribed by the proper medical professional. For muscle pain, an anti-inflammatory can be helpful. Doctors will typically try to start out with a lower dose of pain medication in order to avoid side effects, and move up the dosage if it does not help. Pain medications can be administered through injections, oral pills, and intravenous drips.
There are also alternative treatments that can be tried. Many of them can be done at home. One popular type of treatment is adding gentle exercise. Gentle exercise can be something like water exercise, stretching, or yoga. This can help to keep the muscles in the body limber and strong, keeping them from having as many spasms and cramps. There are specific fitness classes geared towards people with multiple sclerosis. The instructors of these exercises classes will be able to conduct a gentle class while knowing what limitations people may have. They will also know how to give them a workout without having them overdo it.
