Symptoms
Other early signs of MS include the following:
- Bowel problems range from constipation due to reduced physical activity causing a reduction of food moving through the intestinal tract to diarrhea and incontinence related to neurological dysfunction.
- Depression
- Difficulty thinking
- Fatigue
Causes
Early signs and symptoms of MS. Common early signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) include: vision problems. tingling and numbness. pains and spasms. weakness or fatigue. balance problems or dizziness ...
Prevention
Common early signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) include: vision problems; tingling and numbness; pains and spasms; weakness or fatigue; balance problems or dizziness; bladder issues; sexual dysfunction
Complications
What are the early signs of MS?
- Painful vision loss in one eye. Vision problems can have many causes. ...
- Facial paralysis. When one side of your face becomes temporarily paralyzed or appears to droop, it’s called facial paralysis or facial palsy.
- Persistent limb weakness or numbness. ...
- Severe, ongoing dizziness. ...
What are the earliest symptoms of MS?
What are the symptoms of early onset MS?
What are the common signs of MS?
What are the early warning signs of multiple sclerosis?
What does multiple sclerosis feel like at first?
Abnormal sensations can be a common initial symptom of MS. This often takes the form of numbness or tingling in different parts of your body, such as the arms, legs or trunk, which typically spreads out over a few days.
What part of the body does MS affect first?
Visual problems are often the first symptoms associated with MS. The optic (eye) nerve can become inflamed (optic neuritis) as the optic nerve is a common area where damage to the protective covering of nerves (demyelination) occurs. More than half of people with MS will experience at least one issue with vision.
What were your MS symptoms before diagnosis?
Early warning signsVision issues.Depression.Numbness and tingling.Sensitivity to heat.Lhermitte's sign (pain that runs down the spine like a mild electrical shock when you bend your neck)Bowel or bladder trouble.Sexual dysfunction.Stiff muscles and trouble moving your body.More items...•
What were your first MS forum symptoms?
Vision problems are one of the first symptoms that are commonly reported. This includes blurry or double vision, loss of vision or color contrast, or pain while moving the eye. Vision problems can be very scary and affect your independence. Numbness and tingling can occur in your feet, legs, hands, arms or face.
What are the early symptoms of MS in a woman?
There are lots of symptoms that MS can cause, but not everyone will experience all of them.fatigue.numbness and tingling.loss of balance and dizziness.stiffness or spasms.tremor.pain.bladder problems.bowel trouble.More items...
Does MS show up in blood work?
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosis, Sjogren's, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections, and rare hereditary diseases.
How does MS usually begin?
Muscle spasms: They usually affect your leg muscles. They're an early symptom for almost half the people with MS. They also affect people with progressive MS. You might feel mild stiffness or strong, painful spasms.
How long can you have MS without knowing?
Benign MS can't be identified at the time of initial diagnosis; it can take as long as 15 years to diagnose. The course of MS is unpredictable, and having benign MS doesn't mean that it can't progress into a more severe form of MS.
How often is MS missed on MRI?
MRI is considered the best test to help diagnose MS. However, 5% of people with MS do not have abnormalities detected on MRI; thus, a "negative" scan does not completely rule out MS. In addition, some common changes of aging may look like MS on a MRI. To track the progress of disease.
Can eye test detect MS?
Diagnosis and early intervention As optic neuritis is the presenting sign of MS in up to 30 percent of patients, the eye exam can lead to the initial systemic diagnosis.
Is MS painful in early stages?
Difficulty thinking. Fatigue. Pain, which may be acute or chronic, caused by the nerves that carry sensation "short circuiting." Types of pain can include band-like pain around the chest, or MS hug, caused by spastic nerves along with other types of painful sensations in the neck, arms, legs and feet. Sexual problems.
Does MS start suddenly?
Symptoms. Most commonly, MS starts with a vague symptom that disappears completely within a few days or weeks. Symptoms can appear suddenly and then vanish for years after the first episode, or in some cases never reappear. The symptoms of MS vary greatly and can range from mild to severe.
How does MS usually begin?
Numbness or Tingling Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
What part of the body does MS affect?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
What does MS feel like in legs?
The weakness can make your legs feel heavy, as if they are being weighed down by something. They may also ache and hurt. Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs. This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting.
What does MS pain feel like?
Neuropathic pain happens from “short circuiting” of the nerves that carry signals from the brain to the body because of damage from MS. These pain sensations feel like burning, stabbing, sharp and squeezing sensations. In MS you can experience acute neuropathic pain and chronic neuropathic pain.
What is the first symptom of MS?
Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
What are the symptoms of MS?
Vision Problems. 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.
What is the weakness of MS?
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.
How many people with MS have impaired hearing?
About 6% of people who have MS complain of impaired hearing. In very rare cases, hearing loss has been reported as the first symptom of the disease.
What does it feel like to hug someone with MS?
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.
What are the emotional changes of MS?
Emotional Changes. 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.
What are the problems with MS?
Bowel Problems. 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.
What are the early signs of MS?
Other early signs of MS include the following: Bowel problems range from constipation due to reduced physical activity causing a reduction of food moving through the intestinal tract to diarrhea and incontinence related to neurological dysfunction. Depression.
What are the symptoms of MS?
You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache.
Why does MS cause scarring?
With MS, the myelin gets destroyed because your immune system mistakenly tells your body to attack it, causing scarring — or sclerosis — and signal interruption.
What is the second most common symptom of Shoemaker?
Spinal cord inflammation, or what's called partial transverse myelitis, is the second most common symptom Shoemaker typically sees. "You may experience numbness, tingling, weakness in the arms and legs, bladder dysfunction and/or difficulty walking," he explains.
How many people have MS?
MS affects more than 2.3 million people globally. Though MS is not contagious or even directly inherited, some factors may increase the risk for this disease, including the following: Age. Most people diagnosed with MS, are between the ages of 20 and 50 years old, although MS can develop at any age. Ethnic background.
When does MS progress?
Primary-progressive MS occurs when there's no improvement in symptoms from the onset of disease. "There may be subtle improvements, but overall, the trajectory is continued worsening over a period of at least a year," Shoemaker explains.
Which ethnicity is at greatest risk for MS?
Ethnic background. Those of Northern European descent are at the greatest risk of developing MS, while Native Americans and those from African or Asian descent have the lowest risk.
What are the symptoms of MS?
This includes blurry or double vision, loss of vision or color contrast, or pain while moving the eye.
When do you start experiencing MS symptoms?
According to the research, most people will experience the initial onset of their MS symptoms in their 20s to 50s. The same research reveals that of the 2.3 million people in the world diagnosed with MS, ...
What does it mean when you feel numb?
The numbness and tingling can progress to be so severe that it affects your activities of daily living like dressing, eating, and bathing. Itching, bur ning, and other unusual sensations are common with the numbness and tingling. Fatigue is another commonly reported symptom that can be debilitating.
What are the symptoms of sexual health?
While this may be difficult to talk to your doctor about, your sexual health is a part of your overall well-being and should be discussed with your doctor. Cognitive or speech problems are common symptoms as well. Brain fog or fuzzy memory leads to slow thinking and poor concentration.
Why is MS so hard to explain?
Cognitive and speech problems can make it extremely difficult to complete daily tasks. These are part of the “invisible illness” symptoms that make MS hard to explain to others.
What are the emotional changes associated with MS?
Depression and emotional changes are associated with the onset of multiple sclerosis. Clinical depression is common with people living with MS. This can be associated with the emotional changes that happen with the diagnosis or neurological changes. Mood swings, uncontrolled laughter or crying at inappropriate times, ...
Can MS affect sex drive?
Sexual problems are common as well. Whether it relates to function, sensation, or desire, MS can affect the sex drive in both women and men. When you experience signs and symptoms of MS, it is difficult to feel attractive or be attracted to your partner. In addition to physical function, there can be a component of depression here as well.
