“Before I was diagnosed with MS, I felt like I was sitting on a pager that was under my couch cushions,” one MyMSTeam member shared. Tremors can be a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), but some people experience vibration sensations without physical movements like a twitching eye or shaky hand. The vibrating sensation people with MS feel generally isn’t painful, but it can be annoying or confusing.

Medical professionals sometimes describe sensations of vibration as internal tremor or IT. Internal tremor is defined as abnormal sensations of tremors, shaking, or vibrations in the body that aren’t caused by actual movements.

If you’ve felt unexplained vibrating sensations with MS, you’re not alone. Read more about what vibrating sensations feel like for different people living with MS, what causes these unusual sensations, and how to manage them.

What Does Vibration in Multiple Sclerosis Feel Like?

Just as MS can cause different symptoms in each person, vibrating sensations can show up in a wide variety of ways. “It’s like throbbing vibrations,” said one member. “It’s not too bad, but I could really do without it.”

You may feel the vibrating sensation in different parts of the body, although people with MS often report tremors in their feet and legs. “I feel it a lot at night or when I’m lying around for a while,” one MyMSTeam member explained. “I can feel the lower half of my body vibrating like I’m lying on a vibrating bed.”

Other members experience their internal tremor as a “slapping” sensation inside the chest, abdomen, back, or limbs. “I had a constant slapping feeling that started in my hands and feet that eventually moved to my lower legs and arms,” one member wrote.

“I have those symptoms too, especially in my lower back area,” replied another.

Other MyMSTeam members said:

• “My brain is vibrating.”
• “Eyes and face vibrating. It feels like my face wants to cry or laugh, and my muscles are sore from it.”
• “Ears numb and vibrating …”
• “Having vibration issues like I’m plugged into an outlet.”

How Common Is a Vibrating Sensation With MS?

One study of people with several chronic conditions found that more than one- third of respondents with MS (36 percent) experienced internal tremor.

The frequency of internal tremor is different in everyone. For example, in the study described above, almost 32 percent of respondents said that they felt the vibrating sensation once per day, while 29 percent said it occurred two or three times per week, and 39 percent experienced it four to seven times a week.

What Causes Vibrating Sensations in Multiple Sclerosis?

MS is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the myelin (coating that protects nerve fibers) in the central nervous system (CNS), causing lesions on the brain and spinal cord. Once a person with MS develops lesions in the areas that control movement, they may start experiencing dysfunctions such as tremor, speech problems, and eye twitches.

More research is needed to clarify how and why people with MS experience internal tremors. That said, doctors believe internal tremors may have the same root cause as visible tremor: damage to the parts of the brain that control movement (the cerebellum and thalamus) and to the nerve fibers within the spinal cord. Research also shows that people who experience visible tremor (between 25 percent and 58 percent of MS cases) are significantly more likely to feel a vibrating sensation.

Vibrating sensations are also seen in other long-term health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor disorder. If you notice any unusual sensations that are new, persistent, or getting worse, talk to your neurologist. They’ll try to identify the cause of these sensory symptoms and work with you to find the best way of managing them. To figure out which condition is causing internal tremor, doctors might review your other symptoms.

In MS, common symptoms include motor and sensory issues such as:

• Numbness
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Incontinence
• Dizziness
• Optic neuritis (blurry vision)
• Muscle spasticity
• Unsteady gait
• Slurred speech
• Lhermitte’s sign (electric-shock sensations)

Managing Vibrating Sensations in Multiple Sclerosis

Vibrating sensations can be distracting and annoying, but they may not necessarily be painful. You may not need any immediate relief from internal tremors. However, the symptom may mean you have CNS damage and should be taken seriously. If you’re experiencing vibrating, prickling, or tingling sensations (also called paresthesia) that align with the neurological symptoms of MS, you may want to ask your doctor or neurology expert for medical advice.

There are no guaranteed treatments for tremor in MS, but taking steps to prevent or slow the progression of the disease may help.

Anxiety and Stress Reduction

One study from the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders found that participants with MS and internal tremor reported significantly higher anxiety levels than those with MS without internal tremor. As one MyMSTeam member shared of this sensation, “I get it at night … usually at the end of the day, when I’ve done way too much.” Similarly, another member indicated that getting enough sleep seemed to help: “Much better sleep, vibrations seem to have stopped!”

Stress is also a frequent cause of MS pseudo-exacerbations (a temporary period of worsening symptoms). These pseudo-exacerbations can look and feel like relapsing. However, they aren’t generally associated with an increase in disease activity, inflammation, or nerve damage. Instead, these exacerbations briefly make MS symptoms worse after periods of stress, illness, or excessive heat.

Some people find effective ways to work through stress through techniques such as yoga, exercise, medication, or therapy. “Moving around helps me sometimes,” shared a member regarding their vibration sensations. Stress reduction is an important part of keeping MS symptoms under control.

Medication

Currently, there are no medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage MS tremor, although some drugs have been found to have a positive effect on the symptom. For example, hydroxyzine (Atarax) may help ease stress-exacerbated tremor, while clonazepam (Klonopin) can lessen anxiety as a risk factor.

If stress management techniques don’t work to reduce your vibratory tremors, ask your health care provider whether there’s a safe and effective medication you could try.

Other Treatments

Other treatment options for tremor include physical therapy, neurosurgery, and electrode implants. However, these approaches may be too extreme if you’re only experiencing a vibrating sensation. Talk to your health care provider about what you can do to safely manage your symptoms, slow the progression of MS, and improve your quality of life.

Find Your Team

MyMSTeam is the social network for people with MS and their loved ones. On MyMSTeam, more than 207,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with MS.

Have you felt vibrating sensations with MS? Share your experiences in the comments below or by posting on your Activities page.