Last week was National Hugging Day – but not all hugs are welcome.
The ‘MS hug’ is an uncomfortable, sometimes painful feeling of tightness around the chest or stomach. It’s not dangerous, but it can be frightening, especially if you haven’t come across it before. The MS hug can feel different from one person to another. It’s also known as banding or girdling, but people describe their MS hug in all kinds of ways to help others understand it, including their MS team. The MS hug can be one of the first symptoms of MS, or it can happen years after diagnosis. Not everyone with MS gets the MS hug.
You can find out more on the MS Society website: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/signs-and-symptoms/pain/ms-hug
Source: MS Society