The bra line battle is a wardrobe crisis for women with NMOSD
Some days, the neuropathic pain is so bad that I find myself holding my breath
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This post is for the ladies, although I’m going to assume that the men won’t mind eavesdropping. After all, 80% to 90% of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients are women. While this is a gender-skewed conversation, trust me, the struggle is universal enough to be educational.
There’s a battle I’m having with my wardrobe, and it’s deeply personal. I’m talking about bras because wearing one is incredibly painful.
When your nerves are literally shot, and I mean literally, and not in the figurative and dramatic teenage way, wearing a bra is uncomfortably intense. Since NMOSD is a demyelinating autoimmune disease, it comes with neuropathic pain, which is like a burning, stabbing, and electric feeling. And guess where there are a lot of nerve endings? Around the rib cage, in an area known as the bra line.
Intercostal nerves and where to find them
The clinical term for this neuropathic pain is intercostal neuralgia, referring to the intercostal nerves that run beneath each rib and provide sensory information to the skin. Since my NMOSD diagnosis more than 17 years ago, my intercostal nerves have been irritated and inflamed from spinal lesion damage. Even a light touch from clothing can sometimes feel like I’m locked in a personal nightmare that no one knows about.
I wish my greatest challenge were finding a cute bra, maybe with a little lace, functional, practical, in an assortment of colors, but instead it has become a daily negotiation with NMOSD. I’m looking for the unicorn of chest support. It’s a mythical creature that promises comfort, beauty, and the right amount of lift, but I have been deeply betrayed. While most women will tell you finding a comfortable bra is a nuisance, NMOSD women are hunting on expert mode. Just another element of this disorder that makes life a little more unfair.
Limiting my movement
Some days, the neuropathic pain hurts so badly that I catch myself holding my breath or trying not to move my torso. This area has become a hot spot of hypersensitivity that is also costing me a small fortune. I’ve tried everything: sports bras, bralettes, bandeaus, bras that promise to “feel like you’re wearing nothing.” I know the problem isn’t the bra, but wearing one doesn’t make the situation better.
Now, I wouldn’t describe myself as busty, but I’m proportionate. I inherited just the right amount of boob to be “persuasive” when necessary, but also just enough that going braless isn’t an option.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a feminist who believes we should free the nipple, but societal norms still dictate that I should probably wear a bra to my business meetings and school functions, even if wearing one physically hurts.
The contact in that area feels like someone has replaced my skin with a live wire, and I’ve covered it up with straps, hooks, and satin, with even the softest fabric feeling like sandpaper against my body.
Life doesn’t stop for NMOSD. There’s still work, meetings, showing up for our kids, cleaning our homes, and trying to look like a functional, well-put-together adult, even when our bodies are staging a rebellion. So, what’s the solution?
While I haven’t given up (yet) on finding the right bra, in the interim, I’ve been using topical pain relievers like Neuragen or Tylenol Pain Relieving Cream that has 4% lidocaine. These aren’t ideal long-term solutions, but they do just enough to take the edge off.
If you’re an NMOSD woman struggling with clothing, pain, or sensory issues, you’re not alone. Your wardrobe challenges are valid, and our daily negotiations with fabric, straps, and clasps are part of a much bigger story — one of resilience, adaptation, and refusing to let a disease dictate our confidence. So, to all the NMOSD women fighting the bra line battle: May your nerves be calm, your wardrobe be gentle, and your bras be merciful. And when you find that perfect fit, send me the online shopping link.
Note: Neuromyelitis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or 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 providers 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 Neuromyelitis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
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