Paraesthesia
A bit of a catch-all term for any abnormal neural related sensations. Usually, but not always, painless the sensation may be described as: numbness, burning, prickling, itching, tingling, pins and needles or skin crawl. Often experienced in the extremities, the hands and the feet, or the face or scalp. I have even heard it described as spiders crawling on your face.
The sensation may be temporary, or may change location over time. I, personally, experience slight numbness in the hands and feet almost constantly, and itching of the face and/or scalp in the evening when I retire to bed.
In addition to multiple sclerosis, this symptom may present in transverse myelitis, encephalitis or tumour or vascular lesion pressed against the brain.
Dysesthesia
Dysesthesia is a burning, throbbing, or shock-like pain along a nerve. With dysesthesia, a light touch may become painful.
Treatments
Most patients, like myself, will experience these symptoms as a mild annoyance and will require no specific treatment.
Where treatment is required, commonly used medications are tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants such as Gabapentin (Neurontin®), Carbamazepine (Tegretol®) and phenytoin (Dilantin®)
Capsaic acid (Axsain®, Zostrix HP®) is a product available without a prescription. This cream may be applied three times daily and aids in relieving this type of pain. Made from hot pepper oils, capsaic acid appears to be safe and has few side effects.
References:
MS
Association of America – Managing Symptoms
National
Institute of Neurological Disorders
Multiple Sclerosis Encyclopaedia
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