Understanding the Difference Between Anxiety Tingling and MS Tingling

Have you ever felt some strange bodily sensations during stressful or frightening situations? These sensations do not specifically occur in anxiety disorder, as there are also some other medical conditions, such as Multiple sclerosis, in which people experience these sensations. If you want to get rid of these prickling sensations, then first you should know the major difference between MS tingling and anxiety tingling. By knowing the differences, you can develop a better idea of when and where to seek professional help.

This article is a comprehensive guide to MS tingling and Anxiety tingling. You will get a detailed insight into their triggers, causes, key differences, and treatment strategies. So let’s start!

What is Tingling or Paresthesia?

Tingling is a sensation or feeling like pins and needles, numbness, or burning in different parts of the body. It is medically named as paresthesia. If you are feeling uncomfortable sensations, then it does not mean that you are having any serious illness. However, if it occurs most often, then it is an alarming sign and you should pay attention to your health.

Persistent paresthesia

The sensation of prickling or uncomfortable tingling or numbness is often temporary, but if it lasts for a longer period, then it is referred to as persistent paresthesia. This is a sign of any underlying issue.  Anxiety tingling may occur alongside other symptoms that affect life functioning

What are the common triggers of Tingling?

It can be caused by multiple factors, which include:

  1. Pressure on Nerves

If you are sitting or standing in just one position and not showing any movement, then it can result in compression of nerves. This, in turn, leads to the disruption of signaling in neural networks, which results in this sensation.

  2. Circulation issues

A decreased supply of oxygen in nerves due to poor blood circulation can also result in tingling. People may feel like tickles in their bodies.

 Other common triggers of tingling include

• Nerve damage
• Pinched nerves
• Injuries
• Infections
• Shingles
• Nutritional deficiency
• Stress and Anxiety disorder

 Major Neurological conditions that can also trigger tingling

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

If you feel this sensation in your skin or any other part of your body, then first you should know what triggers your tingling, is it Anxiety, MS, or any other trigger

What is MS Tingling?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. In this disorder, the body’s protective immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the myelin sheath, which is a protective covering around the nerve fibers. This results in the disruption of nerve signal transmission, which in turn leads to the occurrence of multiple symptoms like tingling or paresthesia. Ms can cause tingling or numbness just like anxiety or panic disorder. In some cases, people suffering from other neurological conditions are also mistakenly diagnosed with MS.

Read More About: Can Anxiety Cause Numbness and Other Strange Body Reactions?

Tingling: Common MS symptom

Tingling is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis. Living with MS is not so easy. It is also considered a common type of nerve pain in MS. People with MS feel this sensation in any body region. However, some feel tingling in their hands, while others feel it on their feet or other regions of the body. In some cases, anxiety symptoms can be mistaken for MS symptoms. Likewise, multiple other conditions seem like multiple sclerosis. Multiple studies have reported that approximately 50% of people with MS experience sensory symptoms such as tingling. In addition, MS can affect the throat and muscles. Moreover,  MS and anxiety often occur together.

What are the main mechanisms involved in MS-related tingling?

The main mechanisms that are involved in MS-tingling are as follows:

Myelin damage: The myelin sheath damage that provides insulation to nerve fibers also results in the sense of tingling and numbness.

Inflammation: Any inflammation in the central nervous system can also cause nerve pain and sensations like tingling.

 Other underlying mechanisms include

• Neuropathic pain
• Sensory impairment
• Brain’s misinterpretation of signals

 Other common symptoms of MS

.  People with multiple sclerosis also experience:

• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Cognitive issues
• Vision problems
• Mood swings
• Dizziness
• Coordination issues

How does MS Tingling feel in the body?

• Some painful prickling sensations or electrical impulses
• Certain body regions become painful on light exposure.
• Weakness in different areas of the body
• Itching on the skin

What is anxiety tingling?

Anxiety is a common mental illness that can also cause the sensation of prickling or numbness. Numbness is a common symptom of anxiety. In case of any stressful situation, the body’s stress response is generated, which involves certain physical symptoms including paresthesia.

What are the main mechanisms involved in Anxiety-related tingling or numbness?

Tingling due to anxiety can occur due to the following reasons:

1. Hyperventilation

Rapid and shallow breathing during the state of anxiety results in reduced carbon dioxide levels in the blood, leading to tingling. This sensation mostly occurs in the fingers and toes.

2. Muscle stiffness

Muscle tension is most common in anxiety. This results in nerve compression which directly leads to this sensation.

3. Blood vessel constriction

Anxiety also involves the constriction of blood vessels. Therefore, the blood supply to certain areas gets reduced resulting in this sensation.

4. Excessive use of stimulants

The high consumption of stimulants such as caffeine also results in anxiety and contributes to tingling.

What are the Key differences between anxiety tingling and MS tingling?

Although their symptoms are similar, there are still major differences between them.

       1. Triggers:
The main triggers in both  anxiety tingling and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Tingling are different:

Anxiety tingling: This occurs when the brain receives any stress signal and develops a response to that stressful situation. Stress or anxiety caused by any internal or external factor can trigger these sensations.

MS tingling: The main trigger of MS-related tingling is damage to the nervous system. This can occur at any time. However, anxiety can increase in severity.

       2. Onset:

Anxiety tingling: The onset of anxiety-related prickling is rapid. When a person is exposed to any stressful scenarios, then during or after the situation, prickling or numbness can occur.

MS tingling: The onset of this sensation in MS is not sudden as it occurs gradually. However, MS symptoms may get worse with time.

     3. Duration:

Anxiety tingling: Anxiety-related tingling often lasts for a shorter period. As the anxiety ended, this sensation also vanished.

MS tingling: This condition is not temporary. The feelings of sensation can stay for a longer period. It may come and go but severity can increase with time.

    4. Location:

Anxiety tingling: The sensation caused by anxiety does not specifically occur in the body. As tingling often affects both sides of the body.

MS tingling: This can occur on any side of the body. In some cases, some feel it on one side of the body while others feel this sensation on both sides.

 5. Accompanying symptoms: 

This condition also involves strong feelings of fear, fatigue, or respiratory issues. Likewise, major accompanying symptoms of Multiple sclerosis prickling involve muscle weakness and vision problems. Both numbness and tingling may occur together, but it’s not obvious every time.

Comparison of MS tingling & Anxiety tingling

When to get professional help

Whenever you feel any uncomfortable sensation in any part of your body and have difficulty performing the daily tasks, then without any delay, you should consult professionals to get the best treatment plan.

Experts deeply analyze the MS tingling patterns and anxiety-related patterns and then develop treatment strategies that help in getting rid of numbness or tingling.

Learn more about symptoms of anxiety:

 Can Anxiety Cause Numbness and Other Strange Body Reactions?

Diagnostic tests

Due to the resemblance between both conditions, individuals face difficulty in identifying their actual condition. However, professional experts use a variety of tests to differentiate both conditions such as:

1. MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging scans the entire CNS and helps in identifying any lesion or inflammation, which indicates the presence of Multiple sclerosis.
2. Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap): In this test, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is taken and then examined for inflammatory cells or protein, which in turn also shows the presence of MS.
3. Blood tests: Blood tests are useful to determine the presence of any other medical condition that might show a resemblance in symptoms.
4. Evoked potential tests: These tests help in the identification of nerve damage.
5. Optical Coherence Tomography: These tests can also identify the lesions.

Evaluation of Anxiety tingling

To diagnose the anxiety-related tingling, experts utilize the following:

• Physical evaluation
• Psychological evaluation
• Review of medical history or family history
• Questionnaires
• Screening tools

How to manage MS tingling & Anxiety Tingling?

There is no permanent cure for both conditions, but it is possible to manage MS symptoms as MS can make your life harder. With the help of some of the most effective treatment options and strategies, the frequency and severity of these symptoms can be reduced to a greater extent and individuals can live a normal life. As tingling caused by anxiety and MS are similar, medications that assist in slowing the progression of MS also help in decreasing tingling and other symptoms associated with MS.

Managing MS tingling

1. Symptomatic Treatments: This involves specialized medical interventions that help in the effective management of these symptoms. This treatment option comprises:
2. Anticonvulsant medications: Anticonvulsant medications are effective in managing neuropathic pain and tingling. Common anticonvulsant medications which are used for treating MS tingling involve:

• Pregabalin
• Gabapentin

MS drugs

Certain MS drugs that are useful for managing MS can also help in managing tingling sensations.

 Disease-modifying therapies: The main role of Disease-modifying therapies is to address severe tingling or pain. They also help in slowing the rate of progression of anxiety and the tingling due to MS.

Pain management: There are multiple pain management strategies and nerve blocks that can suppress the tingling or pain.

Physical therapy: Regular exercise can improve the structure and function of the central nervous system and can result in a significant reduction in these sensations and MS anxiety.

Cooling techniques: Heat can increase the severity of sensory symptoms. However, the use of cooling vests or other related products can prevent this sensation.

Managing Anxiety tingling

     1. Medications
Experts recommend anti-anxiety medications to treat anxiety and associated symptoms which include numbness and tingling. Benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are majorly recommended by the experts to alleviate tingling.

     2. Therapy
Therapies also function significantly to treat or prevent this sensation that occurs during anxiety, such as:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Dialectical behavioral therapy
3. Positive lifestyle
Other than traditional treatments, a healthy lifestyle is also helpful in managing anxiety-related tingling. Major positive lifestyle alterations include:

• Nutrition
• Sufficient sleep
• Regular physical activity or exercise
• Avoid the intake of alcohol or any other substance

          4. Relaxation techniques 

To get rid of this sensation, the first thing that you should do is suppress your anxiety. Multiple relaxation and stress management techniques help in overcoming this condition such as:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Deep breathing exercises
• Progressive muscle relaxation

Find the Professional help at Brainpower Wellness Institute!

Brain Power Wellness Institute is an exceptional platform that offers the finest and most comprehensive mental health services to treat common mental issues, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Whether you are dealing with anxiety or any physical symptoms caused by any mental illness, such as tingling sensations, then we are here to help you. Our mental health professionals not only develop and implement therapeutic strategies but also provide guidance that is required for well-being. They also teach different pain management or stress management strategies so you can take control of your mental health and improve the quality of your life.