Symptoms of MS can include vision problems (double or blurred vision), pain when you move your eyes, and numbness in the arms and legs. People who experience a new symptom or relapse should see their doctor right away.
Often doctors don’t take fatigue seriously because it’s so common among women, but it could be one of the early signs of ms. Other early warning signs include:
1. Loss of Appetite
If your appetite is low and it doesn’t seem to be related to an illness or tiredness, speak with your healthcare provider. It could be a early sign of ms or another condition.
The symptoms of MS vary widely and can affect any part of the body. They may come and go in phases (relapses) or get gradually worse over time (progressive). The condition is characterized by the immune system attacking the myelin sheath, the fatty insulation that surrounds nerve cells. This disrupts the transmission of nerve signals and leads to inflammation and damage. The scarring that results is called plaques or sclerosis. The condition was first described by the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868. It affects more women than men and is most common in people aged 30 to 40. It is most likely to occur in temperate climates, although researchers are not sure what causes it. People with certain autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Exposure to sunlight and vitamin D may help lower the risk.
Fatigue is very common in MS, as well as in other conditions that can affect the nervous system. It can cause a mental and physical exhaustion that goes way beyond normal fatigue. It is also common for people with MS to experience changes in sensation, including pins and needles, tingling or numbness and the feeling of crawling under the skin (known as altered senses). Watch Caroline, Helena and Cara talk about their experiences.
In many cases, the symptoms of MS improve or disappear after treatment with drugs that suppress the immune system and/or neurorehabilitation therapy to restore lost function. However, some of the symptoms, such as loss of appetite, continue to increase over time and can have serious implications for health.
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical exam. Then they will refer you to a specialist in conditions that affect the brain and nerves, called a neurologist. If they suspect you have MS, they will check whether your symptoms are recurrent or progressive and how long they have been present.
2. Pain in the Back or Neck
Pain in the back or neck is a common symptom of MS. It can feel like a sprain or strain, but it doesn’t always go away on its own. It can get worse over time and become chronic, which means it lasts more than 6 weeks. It’s important to see your doctor for pain in the back or neck because it could be an early sign of ms.
Some pain is caused by nerve damage, like the prickling or stabbing sensations that feel like a toothache or an earache (sometimes called trigeminal neuralgia). Others come from spasms or stiffness, which is called spasticity. It affects your arms, legs and torso, making your limbs feel heavy and awkward to move. This is often the first symptom people experience with MS.
Other types of pain are more common in MS, including problems with your bladder and bowel, which can make you feel more frequent or urgent urges to urinate. You might also notice you need to wake up more at night to use the bathroom. Bladder and bowel issues can also lead to constipation.
Changes in vision are another early symptom of MS. Sometimes, inflammation of the optic nerve can cause blurred or double vision. You may also notice a feeling of dizziness or vertigo. But these symptoms aren’t the same for everyone with MS, so they shouldn’t be taken as an early warning sign.
When you start to have neck pain, it’s best to see your doctor right away. He or she will take your complete medical history and perform a physical exam. Then, your doctor will refer you to a specialist, such as a neurologist, to get an official diagnosis.
Your doctor will likely order blood tests to rule out other diseases that can cause similar symptoms, such as Lyme disease and HIV. They might also order an MRI to make detailed pictures of your brain and spinal cord and look for evidence of MS. They might also check the liquid that cushions your brain and spinal cord, called cerebrospinal fluid, with a procedure called a lumbar puncture or spinal tap.
3. Numbness or Tingling in the Arms or Legs
Many people experience numbness or tingling in their arms or legs at some point, usually after sleeping in an awkward position or sitting for too long. But if this occurs more than once and persists, it’s important to get medical help. This could be an early sign of MS, which can lead to other symptoms such as muscle stiffness or spasms, tremors and changes in vision.
This is a common symptom of MS, and can be especially noticeable if it affects one side of the body more than the other. This is because the two hemispheres of the brain control different parts of the body. If a lesion develops on the left brain sensory fibers, for example, that side of the body may feel numb or tingly.
Another early symptom of MS is trouble walking, which can be caused by damage to the nerves that control balance. This is called “neuropathy” and can also cause a feeling of being off-balance or that you’re leaning to one side. Some people may even begin to fall more often. The condition can also cause bowel and bladder problems, such as constipation or the need to wake up frequently at night to urinate.
Muscle weakness and stiffness, which can be triggered by stress or illness, is another early sign of MS. It can be severe enough to interfere with walking or standing and can be exacerbated by heat or exercise. In the most advanced stages of the disease, it can lead to disability and the need for a wheelchair.
Doctors don’t know what causes multiple sclerosis, but certain factors make it more likely to occur. These include a family history of the disease, genetics and smoking. It’s also believed that the disease is triggered by a viral infection that makes the immune system stop working normally. Some researchers believe that vitamin D deficiency is linked to MS, because those who live farther from the equator tend to have less sun exposure and are at higher risk of the condition. This is because the body needs vitamin D to keep its nerves properly functioning.
4. Changes in Vision
If you’re experiencing a change in your vision, particularly blurred or doubled vision that’s ongoing, it’s important to see your doctor. This is one of the four early signs of ms to watch for and shouldn’t be ignored. Vision problems are caused by inflammation in the optic nerve or spinal cord. These problems can cause a range of other symptoms, including patchy localized numbness, bladder and bowel issues, depression, pain and difficulty walking.
The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person. For example, some people experience a single episode that quickly improves (known as relapsing-remitting MS) while others gradually worsen over time (known as progressive MS).
Many of the symptoms are difficult to understand and can be mistaken for other conditions. In fact, there is no single blood test to confirm a diagnosis of ms. Instead, your doctor may conduct a battery of tests to rule out other illnesses that can mimic the symptoms.
For example, an MRI scan will be done to check the speed at which electrical impulses travel through your nerve pathways. You may also undergo evoked potential tests, which are tests that measure how your nervous system responds to different stimuli. You will be asked to sit in front of a computer screen as electrodes are placed on your arm or legs. You will then be asked to follow a moving visual pattern as short electrical impulses are applied.
You may also be asked to walk on a treadmill or perform repetitive tasks while your legs are in a brace to see how your muscles react. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a brain imaging test to look for damage to the myelin sheath.
The good news is that you can do a lot to prevent the progression of multiple sclerosis. Research is underway to find ways to diagnose the disease earlier and develop more effective treatments. In the meantime, it’s important to be aware of the early signs so you can catch them before they become more serious. This way, you can seek medical attention sooner and get started on treatment as soon as possible.
