Sensory Dysfunction and the ‘MS Wet Spot’

A life with multiple sclerosis (MS) is full of surprises and often contradictions. When the disease gets worse, they call it “progression.” I don’t see any “progress” in going downhill, myself.

Lay-down or fall-down fatigue is called “profound.” I feel no great profundity in my fatigue when it hits — other than the ability to sleep through a cyclone.

‘Neuropathic Pain’ That Feels Like a Wet Spot

Thus, it wasn’t with much great surprise that I found that a recent symptom was filed under “neuropathic pain” when I experienced it as a “wet spot.”

This wasn’t a wetness due to bladder dysfunction (though I’ve had more than a few of those). Nor was it a bout of night sweats brought on by poor thermoregulation. (There’s a whole train of symptoms that go along with that one.) No, I had a wet spot on the bottom of my right foot, and it wouldn’t go away.

In fact, it was never there.

I was standing in socks and slippers in the run-up to Christmas and thought that perhaps I’d stepped in something wet. (We have a new puppy, so it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise.) I checked the sole of my slipper, my sock, and my foot — no sign of wetness.

I wiped my foot with a towel anyway, changed socks, and reshod myself with my slippers. When I stood again — and for the next several weeks — it still felt like it was wet.

‘Trickling’: Another Sensory Symptom

Later in the week I experienced another phantom sensory symptom that many have mentioned over my years of writing the “Life With Multiple Sclerosis” column: a “trickling” sort of sensation, again on my right side.

I keep mentioning which side of my body is feeling the sensation, because my more-affected side has always been my left. When things like this start to happen on my “good” side, I begin to worry a bit.

This trickling was different than I’ve experienced before. Rather than feeling like drops of water or wax on my skin, it felt like small bubbles running up my leg — as if my leg was under water and a bubble of air was tripping along the hairs of my calf.

Odd.

‘Odd’ Is the New Normal

But I’ve grown used to odd — well, as used to it as one can get when assimilating as “normal” all of our MS abnormalities.

So, for now at least, I’ll put up with the annoyance. I’ll hope it goes away. I’ll grow used to it if it doesn’t. But, as my right side has been the one to keep me (mostly) upright for all these years, I’m still going to worry a little bit about this possible sign of “progression.”

Wishing you and your family the best of health.

Cheers,

Trevis