Multiple sclerosis - spasticity

'I have to drive the professionals to treat me. I do the research but they do not follow up. I have no support or guidance, therefore no treatment,' wrote one respondent.

'I believe daily physiotherapy would have helped me, but it is not available on the NHS where I live and I could not afford it,' replied another.

Two thirds of the people who took part in the survey had spasticity arising from MS. Spasticity is an increase in muscle stiffness which typically results in painful muscle spasms. It is a common symptom of MS - a neurological condition which affects 85,000 people in the UK.

Muscles go into spasm when signals arriving from the brain along nerve fibres get scrambled. Instead of relaxing or contracting smoothly in response to these messages, the muscles twitch and jerk. When limb muscles are affected, arms and legs can either move out of control or become locked in a fixed position.

Walking, dressing, sleeping and simple everyday activities can become impossible. When muscles in the bowel or bladder go into spasm, people often experience continence problems. Spasticity and sudden muscle spasms are not only distressing and embarrassing, they can be painful and dangerous. Wild, uncontrolled limb movements may result in serious injury.

A number of treatments are available to relieve symptoms such as spasticity. These include the novel muscle relaxing agent, tizanidine, which reduces spasms without weakening muscles* like some older treatments. But, as Christine Jones, Executive Trustee of the MS Research Trust, points out, the current survey shows that many patients are not getting the sort of treatment they need.

'Unfortunately, these results show that people with MS and others who have spasticity are continuing to receive inadequate specialist care. Indeed, many are not even reaching a basic standard of care which people with many other chronic conditions take for granted,' she said.

Survey respondents highlighted walking difficulties, pain and discomfort, balance problems and general mobility as the most common everyday issues for people with spasticity. Not suprisingly, spasticity can have a significant impact on people's quality of life, especially if untreated. This is why it's essential to seek help at an early stage.

Muscle weakness has been reported infrequently, although in controlled clinical trials it was clearly demonstrated that Zanaflex (tizanidine hydrochloride) does not adversely affect muscle strength.

A new booklet will enable people affected by spasticity and their carers to gain a better understanding of their condition. Entitled Living with Spasticity: Your Questions Answered, it provides an outline of the causes and symptoms of spasticity and summarises the main treatment options. Copies are available free of charge by writing to:

Living with Spasticity booklet 
Packer Forbes Communications 
53 Cavendish Road 
London
SW12 0BL

We are indebted to the MS Trust for their help in compiling this section.