The Cold Hand of Multiple Sclerosis Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Multiple Sclerosis
The Cold Hand of Multiple Sclerosis
By Trevis GleasonFor Life With Multiple SclerosisReviewed: February 22, 2012Everyday Health BlogsFact-CheckedLike many of you, I’ll experience things which have me wondering if it’s multiple sclerosis or something else. Sometimes these experiences are dramatic and other times they are just minor annoyances which have me wondering if our demyelinating nemesis is once again at work. Case in point: I’m still on the recovery side of my last flare. It wasn’t a big one, but it did cause a bit of a ruckus (as there were travel plans which had to be scrapped). Over the past 48 hours, I’ve been experiencing a cold sensation on the inside of my left leg (and to a much lesser extent, my left arm). Couple that with a knot in my left trapezius muscle and I’ll not lie, something much more major than an MS symptom came to mind last night. I’m fine. It wasn’t a heart attack or anything even close (and I know that you who have experienced the MS hug have had a much brighter flash of that idea than I did last evening). It was, however, a new sensation, and I thought, “What better place to ask then our community?” We’ve talked about the cold/hot water/wax dripping sensations here before. We’ve talked about cold feet and hands. I even think we’ve had discussions of the feeling of being just plain cold all of the time. I don’t know that I’ve ever read any of your comments about a cold feeling inside of a limb. My skin was warm (enough) to the touch, but it was like the muscles themselves were cold. It wasn’t just a feeling of temperature though; it was almost like waves of cold blood were flowing though my leg and my upper arm. By waves I guess I’m trying to say that the cold seemed to vary. It wasn’t like a chill, more like cold hands were massaging my muscles from the inside and the chill faded as the hands moved down my leg. There was some general stiffness in my lower extremities when I tried to move/walk. I thought they were minor, but Caryn observed me trying to walk to the kitchen for some water and noted that I was having more than usual difficulty. A good night’s rest and I don’t feel the cold this morning, though I am still a bit stiff below the waist. It hasn’t been an easy couple of weeks around here, and I thought I’d throw out this new symptom experience and see if anyone else has had anything like it or if it was just some non-MS related quirk. Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers Trevis Don’t forget that you can also follow me via my Life With MS Facebook page and on Twitter. Check out our bi-monthly blog I'm doing for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of the United Kingdom, A Yank's Life With MS, as well as our very special new monthly blog for the National MS Society. Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.See More NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Multiple Sclerosis Newsletter
SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Latest in Multiple Sclerosis
How to Craft a Life s Mission Statement
By Trevis GleasonOctober 21, 2022 Dysarthria When MS Makes It Hard to Speak
By Mona SenOctober 20, 2022 Is That Really How I Walk
By Trevis GleasonOctober 18, 2022 How Do You Know When to Throw in the Towel
By Trevis GleasonOctober 14, 2022 Living With MS What to Know About Neuropathic Pain and How to Manage It
Neuropathic pain is not your average pain. Here’s what to know about this unique type of MS pain and how to find relief.By Kerry WeissOctober 12, 2022 UTIs and MS The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment
If you have multiple sclerosis, you may be prone to frequent urinary tract infections. Besides being painful, UTIs can make MS worse, so it’s important...By Kerry WeissOctober 12, 2022 Why Is Orange the Color of MS
By Trevis GleasonOctober 11, 2022 13 Celebrities Who Have Multiple Sclerosis
Look among the millions of people with multiple sclerosis and you'll find famous faces, too. Learn how some of these celebrities are dealing with MS and...By Regina Boyle WheelerOctober 11, 2022 We All Have Something to Teach Our MS Doctors
By Trevis GleasonOctober 7, 2022 EBV An MS Box I Can Finally Tick
By Trevis GleasonOctober 4, 2022 More In Life With Multiple Sclerosis How to Craft a Life s Mission Statement
Is That Really How I Walk
How Do You Know When to Throw in the Towel