MS Hug

What is an MS hug?

An MS hug is the painful feeling of tightness around your, chest or stomach area. Unlike a friendly hug, this symptom feels like a very strong person is forcefully squeezing you. During an MS hug, you may feel chest and rib pain that’s:

• Sharp (stabbing).
• Tight (a belt-like sensation).
• Dull (crawling).
• Burning.
• Aching.
• Pressing (pressure).
• Like pins and needles.

An MS hug can affect all around your chest and stomach area or only one side of your body. It’s a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS).

An MS hug is a type of dysesthesia. This is a broad term for symptoms that are unexpected, unpleasant and painful. It happens when part of your nervous system isn’t working as expected.

What happens in your body during an MS hug?

Studies suggest that blocked nerve signals from your brain to other parts of your body cause an MS hug. This sensation is usually caused by demyelination (or damage) affecting your spinal cord. Specifically, the muscles between your ribs (intercostal muscles) spasm or twitch. This sudden contraction of your muscles leads to symptoms of pain and discomfort.

How long does an MS hug usually last?

An MS hug can last for a few seconds or minutes. As with other MS symptoms, some people experience an MS hug that can last for hours or longer. Each person’s experience with this symptom is different. After the symptom goes away, it could come back again in the future.

What are the most common causes of this symptom?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is usually the main cause of an MS hug, which is where it gets its name. MS is an autoimmune condition that affects how your nerve cells communicate. In addition to an MS hug, other symptoms of MS include muscle weakness, spasms and numbness in your arms or legs.

Can you have an MS hug but not have MS?

Yes, multiple sclerosis (MS) isn’t the only cause of an MS hug. If you have a condition that causes inflammation, like transverse myelitis , you can also experience a hug like sensation.

What triggers an MS hug?

Triggers are things or events that cause a symptom to happen. Common MS hug triggers include:

• Stress.
• Fatigue.
• Sudden temperature changes.
• Wearing tight-fitting clothes around your stomach and chest.
• An illness.

Triggers vary from person to person.

How is an MS hug treated?

There isn’t one solution to stop an MS hug. Like other symptoms of MS, you may need to try different things to manage the symptom until you find one, or a few, that works best for you. Some ways you can treat an MS hug include:

• Avoiding triggers (for example, not wearing tight-fitting clothing).
• Stretching or moving your body (like sitting up straight or lying down).
• Applying a warm or cool compress to your chest or stomach area.
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers as directed.
• Taking anti-inflammatory medications, antispasticity medications, or neuropathic pain medications as directed by your healthcare provider.

Due to the short-term nature of this symptom, it doesn’t always need treatment.

What are the possible complications of not treating an MS hug?

An MS hug is a temporary discomfort. It doesn’t lead to long-term complications and doesn’t always need treatment. A healthcare provider usually recommends treatment if the symptom interferes with activities of daily living.

Can this symptom be prevented?

While you can’t prevent all cases of an MS hug, you can reduce your risk by avoiding things that trigger this symptom like:

• Minimizing stress.
• Getting enough sleep at night.
• Staying cool when the temperatures rise.
• Wearing loose-fitting clothing.
• Maintaining good health.

Triggers may be different from person to person. Talk to your healthcare provider if you need help identifying triggers of this symptom.

When should an MS hug be treated by a healthcare provider?

If you feel sudden, unexplained chest pain and/or difficulty breathing, contact a healthcare provider right away. While an MS hug doesn’t require emergent treatment as other forms of chest pain, like a heart attack, you still need to seek medical attention. A healthcare provider can closely examine the symptom and its cause to make sure you’re safe.

What can be mistaken for MS hug?

An MS hug may feel similar to conditions that include:

• Gallbladder
• Heart disease.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Anxiety.
• Shingles.

If you experience sudden chest pain or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention or contact emergency services immediately.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

While a hug is usually something that makes you feel good, an MS hug feels like the opposite. You may experience this symptom if you have multiple sclerosis or an inflammatory condition. It can come and go throughout your life and usually starts due to a trigger like stress or a lack of quality sleep. A healthcare provider can help you find out what triggers this symptom and offer treatment options if it’s uncomfortable.