Does stress cause ms lesions? Or is it more that it flares up symptoms from old lesions? Children cause stress so it’s not like stress can be completely eliminated
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Hi @jmr . I’m no expert but I think the answer is that stress can cause both. Certainly, short term or continuing low level stress , whether emotional/mental or physiological ( infections, heat or whatever ) can make existing symptoms much worse and symptoms that you weren’t really aware of can come to the fore. Have you tried relaxation techniques and/or antidepressants/ anti anxiety pills?
In my case, and after my wife developed cancer, my Neurologist said that stress and anxiety could well be the reason why I developed new lesions ( on the other hand, it could have been for quite unrelated reasons - no way of knowing).
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The stress response keeps us alive, but it’s designed to go up and then come down again. If it’s permanently jacked up for too long it does our health no good at all. Personally, I try to steer round chronic stressors, but also try not to get too het up about the inevitable ups and downs - those are normal. Chronic stress just isn’t good for anyone, and this must apply with bells on for those of us with MS, or so it feels to me.
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Alison your first two sentences is one of the best that i have read or even been told about stress.
I also try too navigate chronic stressors, your right it really isn’t good for anyone, and is something we really can’t afford.
If you don’t mind me asking, do you have any tips on dealing with stress when it does happen. As we all know we can’t cut it out entirely, when i’m stressed or think that i’m heading that way, i think about a forest with a river running though it works for me.
Though i seem to be think about that forest a-lot lately 
.
Mac
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Thank you for your kind response and I have to tell you that it did actually make me laugh out loud because here I am sitting foggy-brained after a very poor night when I was fretting about something I won’t bore you with and I couldn’t get to sleep or stay asleep properly at all. So there you go. 
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