How the symptoms of multiple sclerosis affect my hands
Buttons and jewelry clasps are much more challenging these days
My last column described how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects my feet, so today I’m writing about how it affects my hands. I don’t believe MS has affected my wrists or palms, but my fingers and thumbs aren’t ānormalā anymore.
My most prominent symptom is loss of sensation, or peripheral neuropathy. I have numbness in my fingertips, and it’s present all the time.
It became obvious to me how much feeling in my fingers I’d lost when I cut myself recently. I was slicing vegetables to make a salad and accidentally cut through my fingernail, deep enough to cause significant bleeding.
I was surprised that the injury wasn’t all that painful. I remember thinking, āThis really should hurt a lot more.ā I was envisioning all the movies I’d seen where people were tortured by having their fingernails removed or something pushed up underneath them, causing the people to scream in pain. That’s when I realized my numbness was probably a lot worse than I thought.
Everyday challenges
Surprisingly, I don’t constantly drop stuff, but because of this numbness, I have coordination and dexterity issues when using my hands. I notice the most difficulty with activities requiring fine motor skills, such as fastening buttons, writing, typing, and putting on jewelry.
Buttons are tricky for me, especially that tiny one at the base of the neck that fastens the back of a shirt or dress. The smaller the button, the harder it is for me to manage. It takes me more than twice as long now to button a piece of clothing as it did before my MS diagnosis.
I now undo only enough buttons to be able to pull on the garment. That saves me time when getting dressed and decreases my frustration (unless I mess up my hair or get makeup on the clothing).
In addition, using a writing utensil is more difficult than it was when I was in college and took lots of handwritten notes. Holding on to a pen or pencil can be a challenge at times. My hand feels stiff if I have to write for a longer period.
My handwriting has become much worse. I’ve never had perfect or pretty handwriting, but sometimes I’ll refer to my notes and find them illegible. I now have to be purposeful when writing to ensure that people, including myself, can read it. I also try to avoid writing documents by hand these days.
Typing is an obvious solution to my handwriting problem, but using a keyboard poses its own challenges. I’m old enough to have taken a typing class in high school, so I know how to type correctly. The problem is that when I canāt feel the keys, I hit the wrong ones frequently and make a lot of mistakes.
Thank goodness for autocorrect, which helps me fix my mistakes, but using this technology still takes extra time. Again, it takes me at least twice as long to type a document as it did before my MS diagnosis.
Interestingly, I have less trouble typing on my phone than on my computer keyboard. I also frequently use my phone’s speech-to-text function, speeding up my communication. I know a similar technology exists for my laptop, but I haven’t explored its utility yet.
Lastly, I find those tiny clasps on necklaces and bracelets tough, if not impossible, to use. I like to wear jewelry, but if none of my family members is home to help me put on a piece, I typically wonāt wear any.
I recently purchased magnetic jewelry clasps, which have allowed me to put on my jewelry myself. These have been a game changer for me. They’re relatively inexpensive and sold online.
Another symptom I sometimes experience is a tingling sensation in my fingertips, which tends to bother me more in hot weather and during and after exercise. Walking my dogs in the summer heat can trigger this sensation, which is another manifestation of peripheral neuropathy. Pain can be associated with it, but thankfully, my hands don’t hurt.
MS affects my hands less than my feet, but the symptoms still cause challenges in my life.
Note:Ā Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice,Ā diagnosis, orĀ treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
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Comments
John Cowburn
I have difficulty with my left hand, my middle finger now just droops and using a normal fork is nearly impossible. I have a specilly adapted fork with a ring on the handle, makes it easier but still difficult.
Ian R
We are in a similar position regarding hands and feet. When I was diagnosed 20 years ago the main symptom of my first relapse was losing normal sensation in my right hand (Iām right handed). I noticed it most when shaving and doing up buttons on a work shirt. It hasnāt changed too much over the 20 years. My right hand still lacks normal sensitivity. It feels like Iām wearing a very thin leather glove. I often use a fork in my left hand as I have more control. Thankfully I can still put in / take out my contact lenses as I hate wearing glasses. Best wishes.
Merlene Cook
I used to have nice handwriting. Not now. I went from writing to printing slowly. GOOD at first. Over two years, my printing is wavy and shows differently with each word. My Christmas cards do not provide an update of our life but simply a printed signature. No longer personal to each person. This year, I'm thinking of a standard typewritten letter included in a card. Friends are doing away with cards ... I may do the same. Phone calls are the answer. Texting seems to be the standard but also impersonal. OK for the younger generation who did not embrace the act of sharing cards in the mail.
I seem to drop items. My grip is not as strong. My husband follows me around with a hand held vacuum. Often, he simply vacs me as I sit in my favourite chair. lol Now, I do not trust myself lifting items .... a teapot never. I use my flat rollator seat to collect and move items from area to area. I cannot trust my hands to do tasks without small consequences resulting. Takes twice as long till completion.
As for jewellery....I have picked one set of earrings and necklace. I wear them all the time ...even to bed. The need for a jewellery box has ended.
I am more mindful using hot and cold items, knives, other cutting objects and jars to be opened. Thank goodness I have a partner around. He never complains. Results in living with a sloppy person who used to fastidious in most things. Lesson..... stop sweating over the small stuff. Challenge greets me daily. That is where I put my limited energy. Pride in small accomplishments is what I take away daily. Others do not see it. But I have to remind myself that this is my Bucket List of challenges. Thankful for remotes and tech devices.
Betty Ann Vivian
Thenks for this post as I have a real problem writing! I used to have beautiful writing (before MS) but now my handwriting is so small, I have a problem reading it and I wrote the damn thing! It's nice to know I'm not the only person with this problem!
Chris Jackson-Smith
Thank you for your post Leigh Anne. I have peripheral neuropathy too, in fact losing sensory awareness was my first sympton of MS. Mine is from my neck down in varying degrees, although my hands are the worst. It makes me so clumsy, and I find cooking particularly difficult. I used to enjoy embroidery and knitting but can do it rarely these days, it does mean that I'm able to do a lot more reading though (definitely a silver lining "task" š¤£) Keep well, love from the UK X
Pat Denman
I have this problem, too. I have Celiac disease. My brother had MS, my half brother had schizophrenia and died of colon cancer. All the same family of disease. When will America wake up?
Thomas F Schaeffer
Thank you for the thoughts and sharing. I have secondary progressive MS. It is getting progressively harder to button buttons and ties shoelaces. So I brought one of those old-fashioned button hooks and it works great. Got it through Amazon. As for tying shoes...that was a lost cause until I replaced all my shoelaces with the self-closing ones. It has simply become a matter of using a shoehorn and slipping my feet into them. As to handwriting, it is a lost cause. I was never good at handwriting, and so I learned to, as you did, to use the iPad more and more. It has been wonderful to have the tools of spell check, editor and above all, the capability for dictation. The phone is a lost cause.. Because of MS related eye problems, I have a hard time to adjust to the phone. I have had MS since 1975 and now am entering my 8th decade of living. MS and Myasthenia Gravis have become my companions in my life journey. I am just thankful to God for having a new day to explore living and a spouse and a family who have been supportive through the days
TKay
8 decades!! Wow you are a true hero and inspiration! Here I am complaining about 7 years. This disease is awful and ruining everything even just the basics of life like writing and typing but we have to keep fighting! Itās exhausting but better than giving up or complaining about everything. Wish you all the best
Hayley west West
I have the same issues and can become very frustrated specially when I'm tired.my fingers and toes feel so tight sometimes. I have learnt to massage them 2/3 times a day they can really hurt till they have loosened up.
Abbey (UK)
Hi Leigh Anne, my numbness had got ridiculous years ago, 100% left side and 98% right side. My Neurologist had told me about vitamin D deficiency, blood test showed 8. Prescribed daily 50,000 iu for six weeks and got (most) feelings back!
Still daily take 3000 iu D and (latterly added) 100ug K.
i sincerely hope this will help you.
Abbey.
Ra
Some shared issues: no longer wear jewelry, updated signature at elections office as it had changed so much, buttons are a drag and sometimes I canĀ“t read my own handwriting. Sigh.
Joe
Ive heard many people talk about this topic. I have not heard how to combat it. Occupational therapy I do, but. I need
more access to exercises, tools, and meds.
Kristna Sennett
I think we are twinsā¦ā¦
Thank you for all that information. I feel so much better about my journey now!