A Multiple Sclerosis Caregivers View - What is Spasticity?

One of the words that has been used several times in both conversation and literature we have been supplied with through our chosen drug; Rebif, has been spasticity. Trying to absorb the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has not been an easy one for my husband. You see, his father had the illness and died at the age of fifty-three. His father's illness was progressive and nothing like the illness that he has been dealt. The biggest problem are his memories of his father who degenerated rapidly and became a vegetable. This burden was especially tough on his dear mother, who worked a full-time job and came home to take care of a husband who needed more attention than a newborn baby. My husband and his younger brother took turns doing night duty when his mother was lucky enough to get a job at a nearby hospital working the night shift. 

Now we face our future as senior citizens, both retired on a fixed income. We know that his prognosis is good, he is accepting his drug as well as can be expected and we will be applying for assistance with paying for his MS drug, from the manufacturers of Rebif. Until about a week ago, the word spasticity was just a word that appeared in his Rebif literature. Recently, I noticed that during his sleep, he jumps sufficiently to startle me. He is a sound sleeper and I burn the midnight oil usually writing. So when I finally go to bed I will put the television on with the sleep timer and drift off while he is sound asleep. 

Spascticity as it appears on MedlinePlus, means stiff or rigid muscles, increased muscle tone or tightness of muscles. At one point in time, nearly everyone has a muscle cramp or muscle pull, but with Multiple Sclerosis.

Symptoms of spasticity include: 

• Abnormal posture
• Carrying the shouler, arm, wrist, and finger at an abnormal angle because of muscle tightness
• Exaggerated deep tendon reflexes (the knee-jerk or other reflexes)
• Repetitive jerky motions (clonus), especially when you are touched or moved
• Scissoring (crossing of the legs as the tips of scissors would close)
• Spasticity can also affect speech
• Severe long-term spasticity can cause contracture which can leave joints bent in a permanent position

We will be seeing our neurologist next week and are looking forward to asking him more questions. One of the questions that our nurse pointed out to us regarded his last MRI, of his spinal column. I'm sure he told us at the time, but we were still in shock and do not remember if there were lesions on his spine or just on his brain. 

Now that I have the ability to write his progress here on Factoidz, and share with others who have the illness or have a friend or family member with Multiple Sclerosis, I am committed to sharing this information; good or bad. Thanks for the encouragement we get from other writers and readers of these posts.