An MS hug is a symptom of MS. In fact, it’s often the first sign of the condition, or it may be a sign of an MS flare-up, or relapse. It can also occur as part of a pseudoexacerbation, in which new symptoms occur or recurring symptoms worsen for less than 24 hours, often in response to overheating.
What Does the MS Hug Feel Like?
Typically, an MS hug feels like a rubber band is being wrapped very tightly around your torso. However, different people can have different sensations, and the levels of severity can also vary greatly.
- A tickling or tingling sensation
- Pins and needles
- Numbness
- Dull pain
- Crushing sensation or pain
- Crawling sensation under the skin
Justin Abbatemarco, MD, a neurologist with Cleveland Clinic’s Mellen Center in Ohio, says: “Patients will often describe it as a tightness, a belt, a tight squeeze around their body. But some patients will only notice a difference in sensation above and below the affected area. For example, if they’re in the shower and the hot water is running across their body, they’ll only feel a difference on the top part versus the bottom half of their bodies.”
Other times, the squeezing pressure is so intense that it makes it difficult to take a deep breath.
An MS hug can also be accompanied by other symptoms, Dr. Abbatemarco says. “You may have weakness in the arms and legs, and trouble with your bowel and bladder. You may also feel numbness and tingling in your extremities.”
How Long Does an MS Hug Usually Last?
What Happens in Your Body During an MS Hug?
In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath — a protective layer surrounding the nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This causes inflammation and associated symptoms. An MS hug “usually represents some inflammation of the spinal cord,” says Abbatemarco.
But there are also other factors involved. The brain signals that normally travel throughout the body and spinal cord are blocked, interrupted, or altered due to the myelin sheath being damaged. This can cause all sorts of sensations in the body, including muscle spasms and the tightening sensation that is the MS hug.
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