Below, you’ll find must-know information about multiple sclerosis (MS).
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting disease that gets worse over time. It affects the brain and spinal cord, which are parts of the central nervous system. It happens when the immune system attacks the myelin, which is a protective coating around nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
This disrupts the normal flow of electrical impulses along the nerves, leading to a wide range of symptoms that can include problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and sensations such as numbness and tingling.
If left untreated, multiple sclerosis can cause a range of progressive symptoms that can significantly affect a person’s quality of life. Multiple sclerosis can cause problems with movement, balance, vision, and sensation.
Over time, it can lead to muscle weakness, stiffness, and spasticity, making it difficult to walk or perform daily tasks. Multiple sclerosis can also cause fatigue, depression, and cognitive impairment, making it difficult to think, concentrate, or remember things.
Untreated multiple sclerosis can also cause complications such as bladder and bowel problems, sexual dysfunction, and respiratory difficulties. In some cases, people with untreated multiple sclerosis may become unable to work or perform daily tasks and may require assistance to live independently.
While there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, early and aggressive treatment can slow the progression of the disease and help manage symptoms, allowing people with the condition to maintain a good quality of life.
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis can vary widely. Recognizing them can lead to an earlier diagnosis and access to treatments that can help manage the disease and improve outcomes.
Below are various multiple sclerosis symptoms worth knowing.
11. Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis and is thought to be caused by a combination of factors. One factor is the physical exertion required to perform daily activities, as people with multiple sclerosis may have difficulty with mobility and muscle weakness.
Another factor is the emotional and cognitive demands of living with a chronic illness. Additionally, multiple sclerosis can cause damage to the nervous system, which can disrupt the normal sleep-wake cycle and lead to fatigue.
10. Numbness Or Tingling In The Limbs
In multiple sclerosis, numbness or tingling in the limbs can be caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord or brain. This damage can disrupt the normal flow of electrical impulses along the nerves, leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and even weakness or paralysis.
These symptoms can occur in any part of the body but are most commonly experienced in the limbs.
9. Spasticity Or Muscle Stiffness
Spasticity or muscle stiffness in multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord that control muscle tone. This damage disrupts the normal balance of inhibitory and excitatory signals to the muscles, leading to increased muscle tone and stiffness.
Additionally, the immune system’s attack on myelin in the central nervous system can cause the communication between the brain and the muscles to be disrupted, leading to spasticity.
8. Loss Of Balance Or Coordination
Loss of balance or coordination in multiple sclerosis can be caused by several factors related to the disease. One possible cause is damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord or brain, which can disrupt the normal flow of electrical impulses along the nerves, leading to problems with coordination and balance. Multiple sclerosis can also cause inflammation, demyelination, and axonal loss in the central nervous system which can lead to these symptoms.
Another possible cause of loss of balance or coordination in multiple sclerosis is spasticity, which is another symptom. This can make it difficult to control movement and maintain balance.
Additionally, multiple sclerosis can cause changes in the brain that can affect the ability to process information from the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems, which are all important for maintaining balance and coordination.
7. Weakness In One Or More Limbs
Weakness in one or more limbs in multiple sclerosis can occur as a result of damage to the nerve fibers in the spinal cord or brain. This damage can disrupt the normal flow of electrical impulses along the nerves, leading to symptoms such as weakness or paralysis in specific areas of the body.
The weakness can be in one limb or one side of the body (hemiplegia), or all four limbs (quadriplegia). This can occur as a result of muscle weakness or spasticity, which is a condition where the muscles become stiff and difficult to move. Multiple sclerosis can cause inflammation, demyelination, and axonal loss in the central nervous system, which can lead to these symptoms.
6. Dizziness Or Vertigo
Dizziness and vertigo in multiple sclerosis can be caused by several factors related to the disease. One possible cause is damage to the nerve fibers in the inner ear, which can disrupt the normal functioning of the vestibular system and lead to symptoms of dizziness and vertigo.
Another possible cause is damage to the nerve fibers in the brainstem, which can affect the brain’s ability to process information from the vestibular system and balance. Additionally, multiple sclerosis can cause changes in the brain that can lead to problems with coordination and balance, which can also contribute to symptoms of dizziness and vertigo.
5. Blurred Vision Or Double Vision
Blurred vision or double vision in multiple sclerosis can be caused by a variety of factors. One of the most common is optic neuritis, which is inflammation of the optic nerve. This can cause loss of vision or color perception in one eye, and sometimes pain when moving the eye.
Another common cause of blurred vision or double vision in multiple sclerosis is internuclear ophthalmoplegia, which is caused by damage to the nerve fibers that control eye movement. This can cause difficulty coordinating the movement of the eyes, resulting in double vision. Additionally, lesions in specific parts of the brain responsible for visual processing can also cause visual disturbances.
4. Pain Or Discomfort In The Eyes Upon Movement
Pain or discomfort in the eyes upon movement in multiple sclerosis can be caused by a condition called optic neuritis. Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, which is the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.
This inflammation can cause damage to the nerve fibers in the optic nerve, leading to symptoms such as pain or discomfort in the eyes upon movement, loss of vision or color perception in one eye, and sometimes pain when moving the eye. Optic neuritis can be caused by the immune system’s attack on the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerve fibers in the optic nerve.
3. Electric-Shock Sensations With Certain Neck Movements
Electric-shock sensations with certain neck movements in multiple sclerosis can be caused by a condition called Lhermitte’s sign. Lhermitte’s sign is a sensation of an electric shock or tingling that runs down the back and into the limbs, often triggered by flexing the neck forward.
This is caused by the compression or irritation of the nerve fibers in the spinal cord. It is due to the demyelination of the nerve fibers in the spinal cord, which leads to a disruption of the normal flow of electrical impulses along the nerve fibers.
This disruption can cause the sensation of an electric shock or tingling to be triggered by certain movements, such as flexing the neck. Lhermitte’s sign is considered a classic symptom of multiple sclerosis.
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