Does stress contribute to the development of multiple sclerosis? Explore the relationship between stress and MS, and learn effective strategies to manage stress and its impact on your health.

The Relationship Between Stress and Multiple Sclerosis

Stress is a common experience for individuals, whether they have multiple sclerosis (MS) or not. Stress can arise from various sources, such as work deadlines, family challenges, or adjusting to a new diagnosis of MS. While a certain level of stress is normal, prolonged or excessive stress can have negative effects on both physical and emotional health, including the potential to exacerbate MS symptoms.

Identifying Stress and Its Symptoms

Medically, stress triggers changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and metabolism. These physiological responses can initially improve physical and mental performance to cope with immediate crises, known as the “fight-or-flight” response. However, if left unchecked, excessive stress can have detrimental effects on overall health, including increased fatigue levels.

Stress can manifest in various ways, both physically and emotionally. Common physical symptoms include increased sweating, muscle tension, headaches, and digestive issues. Emotional symptoms may include irritability, reduced concentration, feeling overwhelmed, and decreased confidence. Behavioral changes, such as sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and decreased social engagement, can also be indicators of stress.

Can Stress Cause Multiple Sclerosis?

The relationship between stress and the development of multiple sclerosis is a topic of ongoing research, with mixed findings. Some studies have suggested a link between experiencing a traumatic or stressful life event, such as divorce or the loss of a loved one, and the later development of MS. However, other studies have not found a direct causal relationship between stress and the onset of MS.

On the other hand, research has indicated that stress may play a role in triggering relapses or exacerbating symptoms in individuals who have already been diagnosed with MS. Some studies have shown that stress management programs can slow down the progression of new lesions in the brain, as observed through MRI scans, although this effect may be temporary.

Interestingly, personality type may be more relevant than the amount or type of stress in determining its impact on health. Some individuals may use stress as a motivator, while others may find it more challenging to cope with.

Strategies for Managing Stress with MS

While it may not be possible to eliminate all sources of stress in one’s life, it is possible to develop effective strategies for managing stress and its impact on MS. The key steps in stress management include:

1. Recognizing the effect stress is having on your health
2. Identifying the causes of stress
3. Taking action to remove or reduce the sources of stress

Some helpful strategies for managing stress with MS include:

• Keeping things in perspective and maintaining a positive attitude
• Recognizing your own signs of stress and taking charge of your emotions, thoughts, and actions
• Seeking support from others and discussing sources of worry
• Planning ahead and prioritizing activities to create more time for essential tasks
• Engaging in regular physical activity and enjoyable activities to relieve stress
• Practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises

The Role of Stress Management in Improving MS Outcomes

While the direct causal link between stress and the development of multiple sclerosis remains a subject of ongoing research, the evidence suggests that effective stress management can play a significant role in improving the overall health and well-being of individuals living with MS.

By recognizing the symptoms of stress, identifying the sources of stress, and implementing proven stress management strategies, individuals with MS may be able to better manage their condition, reduce the risk of relapses, and improve their quality of life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the relationship between stress and multiple sclerosis is complex and multifaceted. While the direct causation between stress and the onset of MS is not conclusively established, research indicates that stress can exacerbate symptoms and the progression of the disease. By developing effective stress management strategies, individuals with MS can take an active role in managing their condition and improving their overall health and well-being.

Stress | MS Trust

Last updated: 1 September 2018

Many people, whether they have MS or not, experience stress. You might experience stress when there is an imbalance between the demands made of you and your ability to meet those demands. This could mean deadlines at work, family difficulties, or having to adapt to new life circumstances, such as your MS diagnosis.

Having some stress isn’t necessarily bad, and it is normal to feel anxious or worried from time to time. However, long-term or excessive stress can affect your health and may make the symptoms of MS seem worse. Learning to manage your stress in such a way that it does not make life with MS worse is an important part of taking control of your condition.

How can I tell if I have stress?

Medically speaking, stress causes changes in your blood pressure, heart rate and metabolism. You may not notice these changes yourself. In the short-term, these responses can improve your physical and mental performance to cope with immediate crises – the ‘fight or flight’ response. However, left unchecked, excessive stress can have negative effects on physical and emotional health, including a direct effect on levels of fatigue.

Everybody reacts differently to stress, but there are common symptoms:

• Physical – increased levels of sweating, muscle tightness, regular headaches, constipation or diarrhoea.
• Emotional – irritability, reduced concentration, feeling overwhelmed, problems making decisions, decreased confidence, low mood.
• Behavioural – difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, loss of libido, increased drinking or smoking and reduced willingness to socialise.

Can stress cause MS?

Some people with MS feel that they developed MS as a direct result of some stressful event or trauma. The evidence on this connection is mixed. Some studies do see an effect whilst others don’t. For example, one study found no link between experiencing a traumatic or stressful life event such as divorce or bereavement of a child or spouse and later developing MS.

Some research does suggest that a prolonged period of stress will increase the risk of having a relapse, in people who already have an MS diagnosis. However, not all studies have found this result. Further research has shown that stress management programmes can slow down new areas of MS damage (lesions) shown by MRI scans. This effect may only be temporary, but it does indicate a link.

Personality type appears to be more relevant than the amount or type of stress in determining the effect it has on your health. This would explain the mixed results from the studies above. Basically, are you the kind of person who reacts well to stress? Some people use stress to push themselves to achieve more, some retreat from challenge and find stress hard to cope with. Do seek practical help with stress-management if you need it.

How can I deal with stress?

Nobody can say what will be stressful for another person, and people have individual ways of dealing with stressful situations.  

It might not be possible to remove all of the sources of stress in your life, but it may be possible to manage your own stress by changing the way you think about it, or reducing some of the stressful elements. There are techniques you can learn to help you cope better with stress and develop healthier habits of thinking. These may take time to have an effect.

Three stages in stress management:

• Recognise the effect stress is having on your health.
• Identify what is causing you stress.
• Take action to remove or reduce the cause of stress.

Ideas to help you deal with stress:

• Keep things in perspective. Focussing on only the bad things that might happen will prevent you from enjoying the good things that are happening just now.
• Recognise your own signs of stress, and take charge of your own emotions, thoughts and actions.
• Keep a positive attitude. Try changing your thinking from “There’s no help anyone can give me” to “What can I do improve my situation”.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Seek support from other people – discussing sources of worry with others rather than keeping them to yourself can help. Even if they can’t directly change the source of stress, another person’s point of view can put things in a different light.
• Plan ahead – prioritising activities can create more time for essential tasks and also identify potential areas of stress in advance.
• Stay active and take time out for enjoyable activities – taking a step back from stressful events can change the perspective on problems and relieve the build up of stress to some degree. Physical activity is one of the most effective stress remedies, improving mood and self esteem. It can also act as a safe way to let off steam, or work off anger or frustration which doesn’t involve taking things out on other people – a route more likely to increase stress.
• Use relaxation techniques or practise mindfulness techniques. Both relaxation and mindfulness training have been shown to be effective at helping people with long term conditions deal with stress.

Find out more

• 10 stress busters – NHS

Simpson R, et al.
Mindfulness based interventions in multiple sclerosis – a systematic review
BMC Neurol. 2014; 14: 15. Jan 17
Full article (link is external)

Artemiadis AK, et al.
Stress as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis onset or relapse: a systematic review.
Neuroepidemiology 2011;36(2):109-120.
Full article (PDF, 232kb) (link is external)

Riise T,et al.
Stress and the risk of multiple sclerosis.
Neurology 2011;76(22):1866-1871.
Full article (link is external)

Djelilovic-Vranic J, et al.
Stress as a provoking factor for the first and repeated multiple sclerosis seizures.
Materia Socio-Medica 2012; 24(3):142-147.
Full article (link is external)

Artemiadis AK, et al.
Stress management in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology 2012;27(4):406-416.
Summary (link is external)

Lovera J, Reza T.
Stress in multiple sclerosis: a review of new developments and future directions.
Current Neurology And Neuroscience Reports 2013;13(11):398.
Summary (link is external)

Nielsen NM, Bager P.
Major stressful life events in adulthood and risk of multiple sclerosis.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 2014;85(10):1103-1108.
Summary (link is external)

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Stress and Multiple Sclerosis | National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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In this article

If you live with multiple sclerosis, you may worry that stress impacts your health and the course of your disease. In fact, many people who live with MS believe that stress worsens their MS symptoms. We don’t have the research to prove this conclusively. But it is true that strategies and habits to reduce stress might be particularly beneficial for you.

What do we know about MS and stress?

During stressful times, we need more energy to think, solve problems and address the demands of daily life. Any difficulty, including MS symptoms, may become more challenging. Stress may also add to a feeling of overwhelming fatigue, already one of the most burdensome symptoms of MS. For these reasons, the information on this page can help you better manage stress in order to live your best life with MS.

Common MS stressors

Having any chronic illness increases stress. MS is no exception. It creates a range of stressful experiences, including:

• Diagnostic uncertainties (before the definite MS diagnosis)
• Loss of control (for example, unpredictable symptoms that come and go)
• The invisibility of some MS symptoms (which might cause you to feel misunderstood)
• The visibility of some symptoms, particularly emerging ones (to which others may react before you have had time to adjust)
• The need to adjust and readjust to changing abilities
• Financial stress and concerns about employment
• The presence — or possibility — of cognitive impairment
• The need to make decisions about disease-modifying therapies and adjusting to the treatment if it is chosen

Emotional, mental and physical signs of stress

We are all familiar with the most common physical signs of stress: headaches, stomachaches, clammy hands or sweatiness. Diagnosing an unhealthy level of stress can be more complicated for people with MS. After all, some of the common signs of stress — fatigue and muscle tightness, for example — may also be symptoms of the disease.

Stress manifests itself in a range of ways, though. In addition to these common physical symptoms, you might also experience emotional signs and changes in your thought patterns. Use the lists below to better understand your stress responses and learn to separate them from your MS symptoms.

Emotional signs of stress

• Chronic irritability or resentment
• Feeling down in the dumps, demoralized
• Continual boredom
• Excessive nervousness or anxiety
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Nightmares

Thinking-related signs of stress

• Worrying every day
• Distractibility
• Expecting the worst to happen
• Difficulty making everyday decisions

Physical signs of stress

• Clammy hands or sweating
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Stomachaches, knots, cramps or nausea

• Muscle spasms or tightness
• Lump in throat
• Faintness
• Fatigue/weariness
• Sleeping too much/too little
• Short and shallow breathing

Managing stress

Whether stress is keeping you from enjoying daily life or not, it can be helpful to review your patterns and habits, and consider what new practices might be helpful. To start reducing stress:

1. Identify the things that produce your stress. You may find that certain pressures have been part of your life for so long that you may not immediately identify them as stressors. Examples include a worsening relationship with your partner, declining job performance, an ongoing effort to hide your symptoms or financial problems related to insurance companies or benefit programs.
2. Get help with stressors where you can. Consider hiring a marriage counselor, job coach, financial planner or patient advocate. Ask for accommodations at work. An MS Navigator can help you identify resources that can help.
3. Strengthen your support system. Talking about a problem can help relieve stress. Find a support group or peer support.
4. Take practical steps to alleviate stress. See “26 Stress-Reducing Strategies You Can Practice Today” for concrete steps you can take today to improve your quality of life.

Is it stress or something more serious?

If you suspect that you’re experiencing more than just stress, note that as well. Some of the symptoms of stress are remarkably similar to the symptoms of depression. The guide, “What to Expect from Mental Healthcare: A Guide for People with MS” can help you sort out what you’re feeling, decide whether or not you need help and find the support you need.

Additional resources

• Out-Stressing Stress (Momentum article)
• Mind Over Mind (Momentum article)
• A Small Window (Momentum article)
• American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (online search tool)
• American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology (online search tool)

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Stress and arterial hypertension

Stress is the eternal companion of our life. It arises as a result of excessive nervous and mental stress, despondency, lack of positive prospects or a state of uncertainty. Stress is multifaceted in its manifestations. It plays an important role in the occurrence of not only disorders of human mental activity, but also a number of diseases.

Indeed, mental stress causes an increase in the release of hormones that increase vascular tone, increase cardiac output, accelerate heart contractions and, as a result, lead to an increase in blood pressure.

Stress is a factor provoking the development of arterial hypertension.

How can you tell if stress is having a negative effect on you? There are many signs, and they are all different in their manifestations.

All alarms can be divided into four categories:

Physical – dizziness, clenched jaws, headaches, indigestion, tense muscles, impaired sleep, palpitations, tinnitus, slouching posture, sweating of the palms, fatigue, exhaustion, trembling, weight gain or loss.

Psychological – worries and fears, difficulty in making decisions, forgetfulness, pessimism, devastation.

Emotional – a manifestation of anger, aggression, tearfulness, a feeling of powerlessness, frequent mood changes, irritability, a feeling of loneliness, negative thinking, nervousness, longing.

Behavioral – alcohol, drugs, overeating, changing jobs and even places of residence, if this is possible.

Stress management is a useful skill that every modern person needs. It is very important to learn how to cope with stress yourself and protect yourself from its consequences, including such as arterial hypertension.

How to overcome stress:

• Use your time wisely (decide on the main tasks, and then assign a time for each of them and fix them, for example, in your notebook. After that, you can plan the rest of the tasks and assign time for them in between the main tasks).
• Avoid negative assumptions (eg “everything always goes wrong with me”, “I can’t do this”, etc.) and tune in to a positive outcome (eg “I can do this”, “I can do it” etc. ).
• Analyze the causes of your anxiety. After you understand what the true cause is, think about how to minimize or completely eliminate the existing irritant.
• Avoid bad habits, they only exacerbate the presence of problems.
• Take rest breaks. Breaks should be taken not only during work, but also on weekends. In particular, make sure you get good sleep.
• Maintain positive relationships with other people.
• Go in for sports. At the preparation stage, you should undergo a medical examination, which will allow you to answer the following questions: What kind of sport is optimal for you? What is the maximum allowable load? Physical activity should be dosed. Sports should be done 3-4 times a week. The recommended duration of one workout is 30-60 minutes. The load should be increased gradually.
• Take proportionate responsibility. Don’t take on things you can’t handle.
• Set realistic goals in life.

How to learn to relax.

Muscle relaxation. Switch your thoughts to yourself and your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Mentally “walk” through your body. Pay attention to areas of tension. Relax your muscles. Slowly turn your head to the sides one or two times. Roll your shoulders back and forth. Then breathe deeply again. You should feel relaxed.

Psychological relaxation. This is also a very important moment of relaxation. Learn to imagine yourself in pleasant places: whether it is a quiet forest, a calm sea or mountains. This allows you to relax.

Relaxing music. Find quiet calm instrumental music in the store or on the Internet. Currently, there is such music on the market, specially created for this purpose.

Why you can’t lose weight if you don’t get rid of stress

March 17

Health

Often a person struggles with being overweight without noticing the real reason – constant stress and dissatisfaction with life.

Iya Zorina

Author of Lifehacker, athlete, CCM

You can listen to the article. If you feel more comfortable, tune in to the podcast:

How Stress Increases Body Fat

Psychologist Melanie Greenberg, in her article on stress addiction and overeating, claims that stressful situations trigger the release of several hormones: adrenaline, corticoliberin and cortisol. Thus, the brain and body are preparing for the fight.

In the short term, adrenaline reduces hunger. The blood is redirected from the internal organs to the broad muscles: the body prepares to fight or flee. Surely you have experienced this during times of great stress, for example, before an exam, when you could not even think about food.

However, this does not last long. When the effect of adrenaline disappears, the main role is assigned to cortisol, the stress hormone.

University of California, San Francisco psychologist Eliza Epel claims that elevated cortisol levels in response to prolonged stress increase appetite and make us crave fatty foods.

Eliza Epel

Psychologist. In an interview with Beet.TV

Stress is a double-edged sword. It may make you feel better at first, but in the long run, stress can cause problems like visceral fat, diabetes, and heart disease.

Under the influence of cortisol, visceral fat begins to accumulate in the body, surrounding the internal organs.

Stress increases the risk of metabolic syndrome and, as a result, obesity and problems with the cardiovascular system.

Metabolic syndrome – an increase in the mass of visceral fat, a decrease in the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin and hyperinsulinemia, which disrupt carbohydrate, lipid, purine metabolism, as well as arterial hypertension.

A review by the New York Institute of Obesity Research has confirmed a link between chronic stress, changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (hormonal regulatory network activated in response to stress) and obesity in animals.

For example, a study of monkeys has shown that stress directly affects fat storage. Monkeys on an atherogenic diet (low in animal fats and easily digestible carbohydrates) placed in packs with a high risk of aggression had more visceral fat than those living in more relaxed conditions on the same diet.

As far as humans are concerned, their study proved to be quite a challenge due to the modern way of life: overeating, lack of mobility and lack of sleep. However, earlier research by scientists showed a relationship between stress and the amount of visceral fat.

Thus, chronic stress not only affects your appetite, due to which you acquire extra pounds, but also directly increases the amount of body fat.

How can you tell if you have such an addiction? Several factors need to be assessed.

How to understand that excess weight does not go away precisely because of stress

First of all, excess weight is a wrong eating behavior. It is equally likely to be caused by both stress and poor eating habits.

If you are used to exceeding your daily calorie intake and lead a sedentary lifestyle, stress may not have anything to do with it. To be clear, use this formula to calculate your daily calorie intake and estimate the cost of activity during the day. If you consume more than you spend, then the reason for the extra pounds is in the diet.

But if you fit into the norm, but you still have excess weight, or it is psychologically difficult for you to refuse to consume such an amount of food, then you should think about how often stress factors appear in your life. This does not only mean strong shocks. Here is a sample list of such factors:

• Lack of respect, acceptance, normal communication in the family or work team.
• Constant fear or tension caused by work, family quarrels, other factors.
• Self-destructive patterns of behavior – constant internal discomfort caused by low self-esteem, guilt or other psychological attitudes.
• Constant lack of sleep, heavy physical labor, emotional burnout.

If these factors are present in your life, it will be much easier to gain weight, and it will be more difficult to lose weight.

How to get rid of stress, and can it be done by changing the diet, not the environment?

How to get rid of stress

If you eat too many calories and lead a sedentary lifestyle, the first thing you need to do is change your eating habits. However, to do this without eliminating stressful situations will be extremely difficult. Moreover, you risk earning an eating disorder. Overeating will be replaced by fanatical calorie counting or serious problems such as bulimia and anorexia.

Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to deal with stress – to change the environment in which stress factors are present. For example, a job that makes you very nervous about deadlines.

If there is no way to act radically – to change jobs or leave the family – you can start small. For example, ask for remote work or transfer to another department, try to be at home less – sign up for a gym or find another hobby.

There are also simple and effective ways to deal with stress: physical activity, reading, meditation, communication with people you like.