Men with ms experience similar symptoms as women. These include changes to vision, balance and coordination, numbness or tingling, and bladder problems like bowel incontinence.
Symptoms may be caused by nerve demyelination (lesions) or inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. Medications can treat the symptoms and prevent future attacks. These include corticosteroids like methylprednisolone, injected into a vein (intravenously) or taken by mouth (oral steroids).
Other tests used for MS are an MRI scan and analysis of the liquid that cushions your brain and spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Difficulty with walking or balance
Often, difficulty with walking or balance is one of the first MS symptoms that people notice. This is because nerve demyelination can affect the parts of your brain that direct your muscles, resulting in incoordination. It can also cause problems with balance, such as feeling off kilter and leaning to one side (ataxia).
In some cases, people with MS experience cognitive changes that can be hard to pin down, like slowed processing speed or trouble finding words when talking. They can also experience a tremor when they try to move a limb or hand, which is known as action tremor and may be treated with medication and physical therapy.
Other MS symptoms include pain that can be a result of the nerve damage, but it can also be caused by certain medications, such as steroids, or by infections, such as Epstein-Barr virus, which causes infectious mononucleosis. Some people with MS also experience itching, tingling or other sensations in the limbs, which is called neurogenic pain.
Many people with MS experience muscle stiffness or spasms, which is called spasticity. It can be difficult to control and is usually felt in the legs, but it can also affect the arms and back. It can be accompanied by a burning or cramping sensation.
Men are less likely to be diagnosed with MS than women, but this difference has been narrowing in recent years. The reason for this is unclear, but it could be related to things like access to healthcare and differences in treatment options. However, it’s also possible that men develop MS differently from women. For example, they may have a different pattern of the disease with more frequent and longer-lasting relapses and remissions.
Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
While everyone has had tingling in their hands or feet from time to time, it’s usually short-lived and goes away if they stretch the affected limb or change position. If this symptom occurs repeatedly, however, it could be an early sign of multiple sclerosis.
MS is an autoimmune condition that can cause damage to the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. People who have the disease experience symptoms like numbness and tingling in the hands or feet due to damage to the protective sheath that covers nerve cells, known as demyelination. This can make it difficult for messages to travel between the brain and body, leading to weakness, difficulty walking, and trouble controlling bladder or bowel functions.
If you’re experiencing numbness or tingling in your hands or feet, it’s important to visit with your doctor and explain your symptoms. He or she may ask you to describe when your tingling first began and where it is happening. He or she will also perform a physical exam to check your reflexes, balance and ability to feel light touch and vibration. Additional tests, such as blood and urine tests, imaging exams like X-rays or an MRI, specialized nerve and muscle tests and electromyography (EMG) may be needed to diagnose the cause of your tingling.
Other things that can cause this symptom include medication, vitamin deficiencies, pinched nerves and infections. Some of these things, such as a deficiency in vitamins E, B-1, B-6 or B-12, can be corrected with changes to your diet or the use of vitamin supplements. Other causes, such as a pinched nerve, can be treated with physical therapy and exercises that help relieve pressure on the nerves.
Difficulty with speech or swallowing
Having difficulty with speech or swallowing can be another early sign of multiple sclerosis. It may be due to the numbness, or because of damage to the protective covering of nerves (demyelination), which can lead to muscle weakness or incoordination. It can also be a result of the pressure MS symptoms can put on the bladder and brain, causing bowel problems like constipation or incontinence.
People with MS can experience cognitive changes, which can be more common in women than men, such as slowed thinking or trouble remembering things. They can also have a tremor, which can happen anywhere in the body but is most often felt in the hands or legs, causing a shaking that makes it hard to hold something or write. Medications and rehabilitation techniques can help with these symptoms.
Other symptoms that are more likely to affect men include a change in their gait, or their way of walking, which can mean they start to trip or fall a lot more than before (ataxia). They might also have vision problems, such as double vision or pain when moving the eyes.
If you notice any of these symptoms, and they last more than a day, you should make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor can do tests to find out whether or not they are caused by MS, and if they are, they can give you advice on how to cope with them.
Your doctor will probably want to do an MRI of your brain and spinal cord, which uses large magnets, sound waves and a computer to take detailed pictures of organs and other structures within your body. Your doctor can look at the pictures and detect plaques or scarring of your nerve tissue. They might also ask you to do a test called sensory evoked potentials, which measures your brain’s electrical response to sight, sound and other stimulation.
Mood changes
Men who experience mood changes often have a hard time understanding or controlling their emotions. They may feel happy and energized one minute, and then angry or sad the next. This makes it difficult to get on with daily tasks and relationships. Mood swings can also cause physical symptoms, including headaches, stomach problems, fatigue, and muscle tension. If you’re experiencing mood swings, talk to your doctor about them.
Mood changes are common in people of all ages, and are usually harmless. However, if they occur frequently and regularly, they can disrupt your life and lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Mood swings can be caused by hormonal changes, stress, alcohol or drug abuse, and certain medical conditions. You can manage your mood swings by taking steps to address the underlying causes and making healthy lifestyle choices.
If you’re having mood swings, try eating a balanced diet. Avoid foods with added sugars and processed fats, which can trigger mood changes. In addition, drink plenty of water and practice stress management techniques like meditation or deep breathing. If you’re still having trouble, talk to your doctor about getting tested for a mental health condition.
Mood changes in men can be caused by many factors, including hormones, depression, low libido, or a midlife crisis. Sometimes these changes are due to a testosterone deficiency (late-onset hypogonadism). Other times they’re due to a psychological problem. These problems are typically brought on by work or relationship issues, money worries, or concerns about aging parents. Medications, a healthier lifestyle, and counseling can all help ease mood changes in men. If your mood changes are affecting your relationships, it’s important to seek help.
Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction affects men of all ages, although it is more common in middle age and beyond. It is usually related to health problems like vascular disease, depression and stress. But it can also be a result of lack of physical desire, boredom or being tired from a long daily routine.
Problems with sexual response may happen at any stage of the sexual reaction cycle: excitement, arousal and orgasm, but it is most commonly seen during or right after sexual contact. Men with a sexual dysfunction often experience pain during sex (priapism) and the inability to maintain an erection during sexual activity (erectile dysfunction).
A lack of sexual drive or desire is called low libido and it can be caused by factors such as medication (especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, stress or relationship problems.
If a man’s sexual problem only happens in certain circumstances or with specific partners, it is considered to be “situational” rather than “generalized.” It is also important to determine the cause of the sexual dysfunction to make sure that any medical condition can be treated.
A doctor can diagnose sexual dysfunction in men by a thorough physical exam and discussion of the patient’s lifestyle and sexual history. In addition, he will perform an examination of the external genitalia and reflexes. He may also order a blood test to check for a decrease in the amount of red and white blood cells or a heart function test (echocardiogram). If the problem is psychological, treatment from a psychiatrist or psychologist can be helpful. This may include couples therapy. If there is a underlying health condition, the doctor may suggest a treatment plan that includes surgery or other options.
