Damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord and brain can cause painful muscle spasms, including in the legs. Vision problems : Some people may experience double or blurred vision or a partial or total loss of vision.
This usually affects one eye at a time. Inflammation of the optic nerve can result in pain when the eye moves. Vision problems are an early sign of MS. Gait and mobility changes: MS can change the way people walk due to muscle weakness and problems with balance, dizziness, and fatigue.
Emotional changes and depression: Demyelination and nerve fiber damage in the brain can trigger emotional changes. Learning and memory problems: These can make it difficult to concentrate, plan, learn, prioritize, and multitask.
Pain: Pain is a common symptom in MS. Neuropathic pain is directly due to MS. Other types of pain occur because of weakness or stiffness of muscles. There is also a higher risk of urinary tract infections , reduced activity, and loss of mobility. In the later stages, people may experience changes in perception and thinking, as well as sensitivity to heat.
MS affects individuals differently. For some, it starts with a subtle sensation, and their symptoms do not progress for months or years. Sometimes, symptoms worsen rapidly, within weeks or months. A few people will only have mild symptoms, and others will experience significant changes that lead to disability.
However, most people will experience times when symptoms worsen and then get better. Find out more about the early signs of MS here. Scientists do not really know what causes MS, but risk factors include:. Genetic factors: Susceptibility may pass down in the genes, but scientists believe an environmental trigger is also necessary for MS to develop, even in people with specific genetic features.
Smoking: People who smoke appear to be more likely to develop MS. They also tend to have more lesions and brain shrinkage than non-smokers. Other viruses that may play a role include human herpes virus type 6 HHV6 and mycoplasma pneumonia. Vitamin D deficiency: MS is more common among people who have less exposure to bright sunlight, which is necessary for the body to create vitamin D. Some experts think that low levels of vitamin D may affect the way the immune system works.
Vitamin B12 deficiency: The body uses vitamin B when it produces myelin. A lack of this vitamin may increase the risk of neurological diseases such as MS. Previous theories have included exposure to canine distemper, physical trauma, or aspartame, an artificial sweetener, but there is no evidence to support these. How does MS affect women? Click here to find out more. No single test can confirm a diagnosis, so a doctor will use several strategies when deciding whether a person meets the criteria for a diagnosis.
If the doctor diagnoses MS, they will need to identify what type it is and whether it is active or not. The person may need more tests in the future to check for further changes. Learn more here about the tests for diagnosing MS. There is no cure for MS, but treatment is available that can slow the progression of the disease, reduce the number and severity of relapses, and relieve symptoms.
Some people also use complementary and alternative therapies, but research does not always confirm the usefulness of these.
These work by changing the way the immune system functions. A doctor may give some of these by mouth, by injection, or as an infusion. How often the person needs to take them and whether they can do this at home will depend on the drug. The following DMTs currently have approval :. Current guidelines recommend a person begin using these drugs when in the early stages of MS, as there is a good chance that they can slow the progression of MS, especially if the person takes them when symptoms are not yet severe.
Some drugs are more useful at specific stages. For example, a doctor may prescribe mitoxantrone at a later, more severe stage of MS. A doctor will monitor how well a drug is working, as there may be adverse effects and the same drugs do not suit everyone.
New drug options coming onto the market are proving to be safer and more effective than some existing ones. Adverse effects of immunosuppressant drugs include a higher risk of infections. Some medications may also harm the liver. If a person notices adverse effects or if their symptoms get worse, they should seek medical advice. Other drugs are useful when a person experiences a worsening of symptoms during a flare.
They will not need these drugs all the time. These medications include corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.
They can treat an acute flare-up of symptoms in certain types of MS. Effective symptom management by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals is one of the key components of comprehensive MS care.
Often a first symptom of MS or a relapse, an MS hug is a squeezing sensation around the torso that feels like a blood pressure cuff when it tightens. Related to several factors including weakness, spasticity, loss of balance, sensory deficit and fatigue, and can be helped by physical therapy, assistive therapy and medications. Numbness of the face, body, or extremities arms and legs is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
Refers to feelings of stiffness and a wide range of involuntary muscle spasms; can occur in any limb, but it is much more common in the legs. Weakness in MS, which results from deconditioning of unused muscles or damage to nerves that stimulate muscles, can be managed with rehabilitation strategies and the use of mobility aids and other assistive devices.
The first symptom of MS for many people. Optic neuritis, neuromyelitis optica, blurred vision, poor contrast or color vision, and pain on eye movement can be frightening — and should be evaluated promptly. People with MS may feel off balance or lightheaded, or — much less often — have the sensation that they or their surroundings are spinning vertigo. Very common in the general population including people with MS.
Sexual responses can be affected by damage in the central nervous system, as well by symptoms such as fatigue and spasticity, and by psychological factors. Constipation is a particular concern among people with MS, as is loss of control of the bowels.
Bowel issues can typically be managed through diet, adequate fluid intake, physical activity and medication. Pain syndromes are common in MS. Can be a reaction to the stresses of living with MS as well as the result of neurologic and immune changes. Anxiety, mood swings, irritability, and episodes of uncontrollable laughing and crying pose significant challenges for people with MS and their families. Studies have suggested that clinical depression — the severest form of depression — is among the most common symptoms of MS.
You may not notice the vision problems immediately. With optic neuritis, pain when you look up or to one side also can accompany vision loss. There are a variety of ways to cope with MS-related vision changes.
The sensory nerves in the spinal cord can be affected by demyelination, causing diminished sensation when you touch something, which can affect your ability to walk or do things with your hands.
You can also have paresthesias sensations like numbness, tingling, or burning. Tingling sensations and numbness are one of the most common warning signs of MS. Common sites of numbness include the face, arms, legs, and fingers. Chronic pain and involuntary muscle spasms are also common with MS. Pain can be a direct result of the demyelination or by the symptoms themselves causing secondary pain.
Types of MS pain could include neuropathic pain. This acute pain is caused by nerves miscommunicating signals to the brain. Examples include:. MS can also cause chronic neuropathic pain, where the acute pain mentioned above can also be experienced on a more ongoing basis.
This may include dysesthesias painful sensations in the limbs or pruritis , which causes itching, tingling, and similar sensations.
Muscle stiffness or spasms spasticity are also common. You might experience stiff muscles or joints as well as uncontrollable, painful jerking movements of the extremities.
The legs are most often affected, but back pain is also common. Slurred speech and trouble swallowing, particularly in later stages of the condition, can also occur due to motor issues. Unexplained fatigue and weakness affect many people living with MS. Fatigue is often related to the number of lesions in the brain and to inflammation.
Weakness can develop due to muscle atrophy muscles shrinking from lack or use or due to demyelination of the nerves. Chronic fatigue occurs when nerves deteriorate in the spinal column. Usually, the fatigue appears suddenly and lasts for weeks before improving. The weakness is most noticeable in the legs at first. People who have MS can have intermittent fatigue, recurrent fatigue, or constant chronic fatigue. Dizziness and problems with coordination and balance can decrease the mobility of someone with MS.
This can contribute to problems with your gait. People with MS often feel lightheaded, dizzy, or as if their surroundings are spinning vertigo. This symptom often occurs when you stand up. Urinary-related symptoms are often manageable. Less often, people with MS experience constipation , diarrhea , or loss of bowel control. Sexual arousal and function can also be a problem for people with MS because it begins in the central nervous system — where MS attacks. It could stem from physical problems with fatigue, spasticity, or secondary emotional symptoms.
Many with MS will develop some kind of issue with their cognitive function. This can include:. Depression and other emotional health problems are also common. Major depression is common among people with MS. The stresses of MS can also cause irritability , mood swings , and, rarely, a condition called pseudobulbar affect.
This involves bouts of uncontrollable crying and laughing.
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