MS or stress?

Everyday living
1

Hi there you all ,

was wondering if anyone can give me any advice or opinion on my new ongoing problem for last year or so.

i started having stiff knuckles on waking quite a while ago but that disappeared after a few months. I’ve had general stiffness and tense muscles in my back legs and feet on waking for years which I’ve learned to live around. Also stiffness in my feet and ankles when I get up to walk after sitting for a while. About a year ago I started getting a tight jaw, this improves during the day and then worsens at night and is worse still on waking. I’ve had MS for many years but luckily for me, I’m still mobile and my most worst symptom after this jaw problem is fatigue, which has worsened a lot this last year. The jaw pain is also worse when the fatigue is worse. According to MRI scans, my neurologist says my MS hasn’t been active for last several years (no more lesions or heavy plaque loads) he therefore sent me to a rheumatologist to see if I might have fibromyalgia or anything else going on. I have no signs of arthritis according to blood tests and examination but although I have symptoms and trigger points of fibromyalgia , consultants don’t diagnose it separate to MS . I’m now waiting to see my neurologist again shortly.

i take 75mg of pregabalin which certainly helps with both spasms tension and pain. Ibuprofen and paracetamol also help so I’m not in bad pain but he discomfort affects me every day and it’s getting me down. I also am prescribed diazepam 2mg to relax the muscles when it’s causing bad pain and it works for a couple hours, I don’t like to take it all the time in case I get dependant on it though. Doesn’t affect my chewing or swallowing but can’t stretch my mouth fully open and I dread dentist! I’ve had dental and eye exams and no problems detected, although I do seem to clench my jaw a lot now and am wondering whether it’s muscle tension due to stress or anxiety etc. I do some stretching exercises and some walking and meditate at night prior to sleep, I use mindfulness and guided relaxation to try and stop me clenching but it’s not working. I don’t know what else to do.

2

Hello there

I too suffer terribly with jaw clenching at night and at first had no idea what the problem was. I was waking up in the mornings with headaches, stiff jaw and neck and almost felt dizzy which in turn made me anxious. A good dentist told me I was grinding my teeth and clenched my jaw at night so they made me a mouth guard for sleeping. What a revelation! Jaw problems gone! Go back to your dentist and ask for impressions and get a mouth guard for sleeping. It’s will really help.

Now on to the stiff ankles and feet. Every time I used to get up from sitting at my desk to go to the toilet or something I was walking like the tin man and it was really getting me down. I then went on a course to teach me how to meditate (Vedic meditation) and I started practising this twice daily. Religiously. And after about 4-5 months of regular practice something magical happened, the stiffness disappeared!!! I am now able to get up from sitting (or laying) with very little issues. I see you meditate yourself but you don’t say what type.

Anyways, I hope you find some of this post helpful.

good luck! X

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