Multiple sclerosis (MS) can appear in many different ways. Common symptoms of MS include numbness and tingling, vision problems, tremors, vibrating sensations, ongoing pain, and more. In addition, some people with MS experience out-of-the-ordinary goosebumps. Sometimes, these goosebumps can appear on one side of the body only.

If you’re experiencing goosebumps with MS, you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know about goosebumps with MS, including what they feel like, how they may appear, and what may be causing them.

What Are Goosebumps?

Goosebumps (also known as goose pimples or gooseflesh) usually pop up when small muscles just under the skin flex, rather than relax. The flexing also causes hairs on the affected area of skin to stick straight up. Although muscles are involved, these movements aren’t muscle spasms.

This reaction helps parts of the body keep warm when you get cold. The tiny muscles tighten to make heat, and the raised hairs help trap warmth by closing the skin’s pores. The tiny muscles that contract are also connected to stem cells in the hair follicles that control hair growth. It may be that goosebumps help the body keep a layer of heat while also stimulating more hair growth for long-term warmth.

Goosebumps can also be caused by strong emotions that activate the sympathetic nervous system — our fight-or-flight response. That means emotions like fear, awe, pride, and excitement can all cause goosebumps.

Goosebumps are rarely a sign of a medical problem. In these cases, goosebumps are associated with other symptoms. Goosebumps that seem unusual or don’t go away should be checked by a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Does MS Cause Goosebumps?

There’s not much research that focuses on goosebumps in people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. But, goosebumps, one-sided or not, could fall into a couple of categories of MS symptoms.

Goosebumps are associated with a certain type of peripheral nerve damage (especially if the small fibers, called autonomic, are affected). MS mainly affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system is made up of the nerves that branch out from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. Because these two systems are connected, MS can sometimes affect how the peripheral nerves work, causing symptoms that seem like other nerve problems.

MS and Altered Sensations

MS can cause altered sensations, known as paresthesias, which are feelings that happen without an actual physical cause — for example, feeling as though your skin is wet when it’s actually dry.

These strange sensory symptoms happen because MS damages the protective covering around the nerves, called the myelin sheath. This damage affects how the nerves work, so messages to and from the brain may not be sent or received correctly. When the brain gets mixed-up signals, it tries to make sense of them by connecting them to something familiar — like something you’ve felt before or can imagine. This can lead to strange feelings, like getting goosebumps when you’re not cold.

MS and Cold Sensitivity

Many people with MS are sensitive to heat, but some are also more sensitive to cold than people without MS. This cold sensitivity can occur due to:

• Damage in parts of the brain that sense temperature
• Changes in how the brain helps the body respond to cold
• Temperature shifts that slow down how fast nerve signals travel through the body

These changes can make someone with MS feel colder than the temperature really is, which may cause frequent goosebumps.

What Are Goosebumps With MS Like?

While MyMSTeam members frequently report experiencing goosebumps with MS, the exact prevalence — or how common this symptom is among all individuals with MS — remains unknown. Goosebumps can also be a completely normal body reaction, but especially in the setting of sensory symptoms and nerve damage, they can become bothersome.

Goosebumps at Unusual Times

Many members experience goosebumps at unusual times, like when they’re not cold at all. One posed the question: “Just curious if anyone else with MS has goosebumps all the time? It’s always like that, even when I’m not cold.”

One member wrote, “When I get really hot, my arms and legs get goosebumps.”

Another added, “During the daytime, it can be cool or warm, and I will get goosebumps all over.”

These goosebumps can be frustrating and annoying. One member described their experience: “I was researching whether MS is the reason I get goosebumps constantly, even if I’m hot — women will understand how annoying that is, especially right after shaving and your hair grows right back! It’s not emotion- or climate-induced, but I get goosebumps around four times a day!”

Another member reported experiencing frequent goosebumps: “Oh, and I had the usual goosebumps.”

For others, goosebumps indicate a flare-up or MS relapse. As one member explained, “Goosebumps were my first symptom for my first relapse. It came on suddenly. I would lean over or put a shirt on and have goosebumps on my flanks, arms, torso, and back. And then it hit my lower body, crept up my legs, and went to ice-cold feet 24/7. It lasted for two months.”

Temperature Sensitivity and Goosebumps

Some members experience goosebumps only when they’re cold, but they feel cold all the time. “I am freezing all the time,” wrote one member. “I just came in from being outside to get warmed up. It’s 90 here today, and I was lying in my lounge chair in the sun for almost an hour. I even got goosebumps at one point during that time.”

Others experience temperature swings, complete with goosebumps, even when their environment is not that cold. “Either I’m super hot, or a slight breeze gives me goosebumps,” explained one member.

Other Goosebump Experiences With MS

A few MyMSTeam members have had other unusual sensations or experiences with goosebumps.

One member shared how they get goosebumps on one arm only: “I am getting episodes where during the day, in my left arm, I will get the ‘tingles.’ My hairs stand up, it feels like my skin is crawling, almost exactly like pins and needles, and I get goosebumps. This ONLY happens on my left arm, and it’s such a pain.”

Another wrote, “I’ve been hating the cold this winter. Goosebumps feel like knives all over.”

Another member described experiencing something like goosebumps just before their face or head became numb. “For me, it feels a little like goosebumps when it’s coming on.”

Research shows that feelings like goosebumps, prickling, or tingling can happen before numbness in people with MS. These may be early signs that something is affecting how the nerves are working.

If you’re experiencing sensory symptoms or bothersome, persistent goosebumps, it’s important to mention this to your doctor or neurology provider. This is especially true if the goosebumps are uncomfortable, frustrating, or causing mental distress. One member expressed having feelings like this: “These ‘goosebumps’ are in my head. I hate drugs, but I can’t deal with this anymore. Anyone know of any meds I can talk to my neuro about?”

Talk to Your Doctor

Ask your doctor for medical advice if you have a new or worsening symptom, especially if it affects your quality of life. Working with a neurologist to find the right MS treatment or set of treatment options could help reduce how often these goosebumps appear — no matter what they feel like or what’s causing them.

Find Your Team

On MyMSTeam, the social network for people with multiple sclerosis and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with multiple sclerosis.

Have you had goosebumps with MS? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.