What is the difference between anxiety tingling and MS tingling?

This article will discuss what is the primary difference between anxiety tingling, and MS tingling. It will show how you can set them apart, and will also explain what are the most common symptoms of anxiety, and what MS is.

What is the difference between anxiety tingling and MS tingling?

The biggest difference between anxiety tingling, and Muscular Sclerosis (MS) tingling lies in its constancy and duration of it. When you are experiencing a tingling that is related to anxiety, it will likely last shorter than it would if it was connected to MS.

Tingling can be a common sign of anxiety, but it is also something quite common to people that are going through Muscular Sclerosis (MS), and that can make you wonder what is happening to you. As you do that, you can begin to search online and get the most terrifying information.

What you need to observe, when trying to understand what your tingling is related to, is if it is constant, or it comes and goes. When you are dealing with MS, the symptoms won’t disappear, rather they will get worse and worse.

But the symptoms of anxiety tend to last less. They can go on for minutes, hours tops. And then they will get better. And it is only when you are anxious again that you may feel that tingling once more. 

What you also need to keep in mind is that MS wouldn’t only bring you the tingling, it would likely have a bigger impact on your life, and you would feel it a lot more than what anxiety brings you. So if you have identified that you are anxious, rather than having MS, it may be time for you to consider how to manage anxiety in your life.

Knowing that difference will prevent you from getting out of your chest at least one of those concerns that may be contributing to your anxiety. To help you have a clear view of the symptoms that can come with each of them, we have highlighted the common symptoms of anxiety and made a brief explanation of what MS is.

What are the symptoms of anxiety? 

Anxiety can cause the person to experience many symptoms, they can be physical, and emotional. It can cause the person to feel nervous as if something bad is about to happen. 

Because of that, the person can have trouble relaxing. When anxious, the person will often notice that their heart rate will increase, and their breathing will be heavy.

Aside from that, anxiety can cause people to sweat, even though they are not feeling warm, and they can begin to tremble, feel weak, or even tired. 

Anxiety can make it hard for people to focus, which can affect their ability to memorize matters, that is because they are constantly thinking about their concerns, which seem to be impossible for you to control.

Anxiety causes you to have trouble sleeping and can lead to problems in your gastrointestinal system. And when you have been living with anxiety, you may come to identify what triggers it, and with time, you will start to avoid things that will trigger your anxiety.

What is MS? 

Muscular Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the person’s brain and spinal cord. It doesn’t have a cure, and it is degenerative, which means that as time progresses, the effects on the person will be more and more intense, leading, in some cases, to the person’s disability.

The condition has different types, which define if the symptoms will happen in a progression, or if they will come and go. It is mostly diagnosed in adults aged between 20 and 40, and it is more frequent in women. 

MS can cause various symptoms beyond the tingling, it can cause the person to experience fatigue, difficulty walking, problems in their sight, such as blurred vision, and problems with bladder control.

Aside from that, MS makes the person experience muscle spasms, or stiffness, along with problems with balance, coordination, and cognitive difficulties, which can make it harder for the person to learn, think, and plan.

Since there is no cure for MS, the treatment will be based on trying to control the condition, so it doesn’t progress so quickly, and on easing the intensity of the symptoms.

How can I ease my anxiety?

If you are feeling tingling because you are anxious, know that there are some ways you can calm yourself. 

Have a healthy lifestyle

If you want to address your anxiety, the main thing to take into consideration is your lifestyle. Try to be careful with what you eat, and drink. Avoid drinking too much alcohol, and caffeine, since they can make you more agitated, and will ultimately make your anxiety worse.

It is also a known fact that exercising is a powerful tool when trying to control your anxiety. 

It is not even necessary that you do a big workout, sometimes just going for a walk can be a great way to reduce your stress levels, since it will lower your cortisol levels, which is the hormone that is responsible for stress. And give your mood a boost because of the endorphins.

Do something you love

Life shouldn’t only be based on fulfilling schedules, you should often take some time to do things that bring you joy. Some people may see this as a waste of time, but being able to take some time for yourself will reduce your stress, and make you more motivated to do the things you need to.

Put it out

It is a known fact that putting your feelings out tends to make you feel more at ease. It can be by writing or talking to other people. As you do that, your emotions gain form, which makes them less scary. It is also something that will maybe help you get a new perspective on things, making it all easier to deal with.

Use fragrances

The use of lavender fragrance when you shower, or as you go to bed is known for having a calming effect. Make it a part of your bedtime routine, and you may feel calmer.

Take up meditation

Meditation or breathing exercises are two wonderful ways to help you step away from that anxiety zone. You can create a meditation ritual, or turn to the breathing exercises as you notice that anxiety is taking over.

Both of them will help you focus more on the moment, and on your body rather than the racing thoughts that anxiety brings. As you connect with yourself more, you may notice that you won’t surrender so easily to them, making you calmer.

Look for help

Sometimes it is not possible to manage anxiety by yourself. When that is the case, you should look for professional help. Some therapists and psychiatrists are more than ready to help. 

With the first, you may understand more about your emotions, and learn how to manage the triggers of anxiety so you don’t react so negatively.

As for the psychiatrist, they can often prescribe you medication to help manage your symptoms so they are not so intense.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): What is the difference between anxiety tingling and MS tingling?

What causes anxiety? 

Anxiety can happen for numerous reasons. It can be a reaction to someone experiencing an illness, or even a reaction to a trauma the person has gone through. Whenever a person is exposed to intense stress, they may also develop anxiety.

Some people have personality traits that make it easier for them to feel anxious, and they also seem to be a genetic factor in it. Aside from that, anxiety can be a reaction to other mental health conditions, such as anxiety; or related to the abuse of alcohol, or drugs.

What are the types of anxiety?  

There are many types of anxiety, and they change based on what causes the person experiences. Generalized anxiety refers to the person feeling anxious even doing basic, everyday activities. 

A person can also develop panic disorder, which will often lead to panic attacks, which are sudden and intense feelings of anxiety. There is separation anxiety, which often happens to children when they fear that their loved ones will be harmed if they are away from them.

There is also social anxiety, which leads the person to get anxious whenever they will be in a social situation because they fear how others will perceive them. And there are phobias, which are anxiety related to a specific situation, for example, heights.

Can only medication treat anxiety? 

No, only medication will not treat anxiety. Although it can surely help to manage the intensity of your symptoms, whenever you stop taking the medication, if you haven’t worked on the cause of the anxiety, it will likely come back.

That is why it is important to also do therapy as part of your treatment, in that you will be able to understand more and more about the root of your anxiety, and the emotions that come with it. It is also a space that will allow you to create better strategies to deal with your triggers, so you don’t feel so bad.

What is the 3 3 3 rule on anxiety? 

The 3 3 3 rule for anxiety is a breathing exercise that can help you calm yourself down whenever it seems anxiety is taking over. You can do it as many times as you want. The first thing you need to do is to take a deep breath and try to name 3 things that you hear.

After those, you should try to name 3 things that you see around you, and finally, name 3 parts of your body. As you focus on breathing and naming things, you will likely take your mind out of the anxiety the racing thoughts bring, which will ultimately make you calmer.

Can anxiety kill me?

No, anxiety in itself won’t be able to kill. But the prolonged exposure to anxiety and the stress that can come with it can be extremely detrimental to your health. It can lead you to experience heart problems or even high blood pressure.

Anxiety can also have an impact on how you care for your health. A lot of people may fear going to a doctor because they get anxious that they will discover an illness, in those cases, anxiety can be something that will make you more susceptible to life-threatening conditions.

Conclusion 

This article showed what is the difference between the tingling a person can feel when anxious, and the one that is related to MS. Aside from that, the article explained what MS is, and what are the most common symptoms of anxiety.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

Is It Multiple Sclerosis or Anxiety?

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/multiple-sclerosis/