Patients' Lived Experiences of Spasticity

Spasticity is an individual, sensory-motor experience that is correlated with nonmotor symptoms of pain, fatigue, and dysesthesia. Patients and clinicians may have different understandings of spasticity. This discrepancy is complicated because spasticity is highly variable depending on the individual and the unique stressors in their environment. Listening to how patients explain their symptoms and what factors make their spasticity better or worse is key to effective symptom management. Good patient-clinician communication leads to applying the correct treatment of each symptom. The use of oral medications, physical therapy, botulinum toxins, intrathecal baclofen therapy, and adjunctive therapies are reported through patient experience.