Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Answer 1

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the body’s nervous system. There are a variety of symptoms associated with this disease, so if you have a few of the symptoms, it does not necessarily mean you have MS, but you should still see a doctor nonetheless. The most common symptoms of MS are numbness, tingling, weak limbs, loss of balance and blurred or double vision. However, there are many other symptoms associated with the disease.

MS symptoms are divided into seven categories:

Visual - Blindness, jerking eye movements, flashing lights and blurred or double vision.

Sensory - Numbness, tingling, itching, burning, facial pain and loss of sensation.

Motor - Muscle weakness, stiffness, pain, paralysis, speech problems, tics and involuntary limb movements.

Cognitive - Memory problems and impaired comprehension.

Balance/coordination - Shaking, stuttering, loss of coordination and motion sickness.

Bladder/bowel/sexual - Incontinence, constipation and impotence.

Others - Seizures, swallowing and breathing problems, acid reflux and impaired senses.

As the disease progresses, other symptoms become apparent. Fatigue is very common and usually occurs in the midafternoon. Many MS patients note extreme fatigue even after a good night’s sleep. Other common symptoms include:

Muscle spasms - Muscle spasms are very common and debilitating and usually affect arm and legs muscles.

Heat sensitivity - Heat can worsen MS symptoms.

Dizziness - Many MS patients complain of spinning, lightheadedness and the feeling of being off balance.

Vision problems - 55% of MS patients have optic neuritis, which can lead to blurred or gray vision or even blindness, although that is rare.

Abnormal sensations - Sensations of numbness, burning, itching, stabbing, or pins and needles are common complaints from MS patients, but luckily, they are easily treated.

Speech/swallowing problems - Damaged nerves can cause MS patients to have diffculty swallowing or speech problems such as slurring.

Tremors - Tremors are common among MS patients and are difficult to treat.

Difficulty walking - Due to muscle weakness and spasms, if it often difficult for MS patients to walk.

Although there is no cure for MS, patients can manage their symptoms and live a better quality of life through exercise and diet, stress management and medications.

Answer 2

The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) vary from person to person, depending on the particular nerve fibers that have been affected by the disease. Some common symptoms include numbness or tingling in the arms or legs. This typically occurs on one side of the body at a time, most often in the legs. Weakness, dizziness, and excessive fatigue are typical. Blurred or double vision is not uncommon as well as partial or complete vision loss. As MS progresses, many people lose coordination and may develop a tremor.