McFox is not a doctor, though he tries to play one on the internet. He isn't a scientist, nor MS expert...but goes from site to site collecting information, some of it actual and factual, a lot of it anecdotal..
meaning.."Yes!! I feel that way too!!!" -- story-telling, amateurs comparing symptoms, without much basis in fact or actual medical knowledge.
So be careful with what you read at his site.
I read his description, realized I'd read it before, somewhere else, and went digging. Here it is again from the book, "Multiple Sclerosis, The Questions You Have -- The Answers You Need", edited by Rosalind C. Kalb, Ph.D. Rosalind Kalb is a clinical psychologist at the MS Care Center at St. Agness Hospital in White Plains, New York, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at New York Medical College... so reasonably legitimate.
Her book is arranged as if someone was asking a question, and then it will be answered (not all by her, but by a team of MS specialists). Here is the section from the book which McFox nearly quotes without attribution:
"My hands and feet often get numb or feel like "pins and needles." Are there any medications for this problems?"
"Pins and needles" are one example of sensory symptoms in MS. Sensory symptoms are those that a person can feel but for which the physician cannot see objective evidence during the neurologic exam. Other examples include numbness, tingling decreased or blurred vision, dizziness, or pain. These symptoms occur because of demyelination in the sensory pathways of the spinal cord or brain. Although they can be quite uncomfortable, sensory symptoms are generally considered relatively benigh because they tend to come and go without severely restricting a person's ability to function. Although there is no specific medication for most sensory symtpoms, antiseizure medictions, such as gabapentin (Neurontin), carbamazepin (Tegretol), and valproic acid (Depakene) may decrease their intensity. A tri-cyclic antidepressant medication such as amitriptyline (Elavil) can provide some relief, particulary if the symptoms are painful. In the meantim, remember that these symptoms tend to go away on their own and seldom signal significan't impairment."
This book, by the way, can be found in most libraries. The publisher donated several thousand copies to libraries across the US, and it's even in my small-town (population, 2,000) library. I consider it an excellent source, whether you're in limbo, newly diagnosed, or long-time person with MS.