How to read the signs of ms before you see your doctor

Detecting the signs of MS is no easy task. If you were to ask any doctor or a neurologist whose education and training revolves around conditions that affect the nervous system you would learn that in the case of Multiple Sclerosis there are a multitude of symptoms of MS that mimic more than fifty other diseases.

There are certain multiple sclerosis warning signs that are almost always present at the beginning of the condition. Before showing you a list of these early symptoms of MS please try to keep in mind that a lot of these symptoms appear suddenly and without any warning and they also disappear just as quickly as they appear so a true diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis is really never performed until a more serious (and definitive) episode takes place.

All of the signs of MS listed below are in no particular order and any single symptom or a combination of them could mark the starting point of the early symptoms of MS

SIGNS OF MS MAY INCLUDE

These Multiple Sclerosis signs symptoms may appear in any order in a person with the disease, and some folks with the disease will never exhibit some of these signs of MS or symptoms.

1. Tingling or numbness in one or more limbs of your body or in specific parts of the body. Having this, by itself is not indicative of MS. There are many other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, that can be associated with much tingling or numbness also. However, many MSers do report this symptom and it should be noted that the tingling or numbness can come and go at different times so keeping a log or a diary describing the location and duration of these sensations may turn up being very helpful in the future with your doctor. It is one of the frequent and many signs of MS that we know about today.
2. Partial or total paralysis: Although a large majority of persons automatically associate a diagnosis of MS with partial or complete paralysis, the truth is that this is not the case.

While some individuals will experience problems with mobility, the majority of us do not. Multiple Sclerosis runs the gamut - from mild, barely noticeable walking difficulties to more obvious symptoms like impaired mobility – requiring the use of a cane for example - up to the need for a wheelchair.

During my second relapse, I found myself needing the help of a cane for a few months but, as in the case of most relapsing and remitting MS attacks I was able to leave the cane in my closet after a few months and only a slightly noticeable sign of having MS is perceived today.

3. Spasticity or sudden muscle cramps is not uncommon in folks living with MS. You know that perfectly healthy people experience muscle cramps for various reasons. But folks with MS sometimes report more serious problems derived or caused by their spasticity



4. Impairment of bladder or bowel function is quite a common complaint of MSers but these type of symptoms could also mean something else and infections or other serious illnesses can also manifest themselves in the bladder or bowel. However, some MSers have difficulty with incontinence, frequency, and other bladder or bowel-related difficulties.
5. Balance difficulties and dizziness: These type of problems can be a symptom of many conditions - such as an inner ear disorder - and does not by itself indicate MS. However, some MSers report problems with balancing and periods of dizziness as their first signs of MS.
6. Steady or recurrent pain in any area of the body may suddenly appear. Many illnesses and conditions produce pain in the body. Pain alone will never indicate the presence of MS. But some MSers have experienced pain generated by no other known physical injury or cause. The pain could be localized as in the case of the next sign of Multiple Sclerosis: The eyes
7. Impaired Vision: Your eye doctor might be your first line of defense for early detection of MS since Optic neuritis is one of the first signs of MS in a lot of the confirmed cases.

   When I had my first MS relapse I suffered a very painful Optic neuritis that affected both of my eyes even though it normally affects only one of them. Again, like many MS symptoms, the problem partially or totally resolve after a period of time but sometimes the problem does not disappear completely.

8. Confusion or impaired thinking: Attributed to memory problems most of the time are not uncommon in MS. For the most part, a lot of illnesses can cause somewhat impaired thinking and all sorts of problems with cognitive functions can also generate these symptoms. But again, some patients with MS do experience impairment of their thinking capacities on occasion.
9. Sensitivity to heat: Many of us (MSers) experience an increased discomfort when exposed to warm temperatures. A good way of describing this is explaining that we notice an increment in the feelings of illness, and an increase in other symptoms as well when we are exposed to heat - even normal heat that most everyone else can easily tolerate.
10. Fatigue: There are a lot of reasons that people experience fatigue and many illnesses are accompanied by fatigue too. Multiple Sclerosis is only one of these conditions. Again, no single symptom can conclusively point to a diagnosis of MS, but many MS patients report feelings of extreme fatigue of the kind that may come and go.

A couple of things I would like to remind you off are that this list is not all-conclusive. Nor is it meant to suggest that you or anyone you know who has or is experiencing one or more of these symptoms might have MS. Only a qualified doctor (preferably a Neurologist) can make such a diagnosis.

However, if you or a loved one is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it's probably time to make an appointment with your physician to determine the cause. And if three or more of these symptoms are present, it might be advisable to talk about the possibility of MS with your doctor.

SOME RELATIVELY COMMON MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS WARNING SIGNS

If you experience visual disturbances and painful eye movements, you should visit the nearest emergency or make an appointment to go see an ophthalmologist. You could have Optic neuritis which, as mentioned on the list described above, is one of the most common early signs of MS. If you can be treated with corticosteroid medication shortly after Optic neuritis develops, the course of the disease may be altered.

Another valuable piece of information is that If you have changes in personality, sudden loss of strength in the arms and legs, specifically both limbs on the same side of your body or respiratory difficulty, you should go to the emergency for evaluation. These symptoms are common with Multiple Sclerosis, but they can also be signs of other serious diseases, such as stroke, infection, or chemical imbalances.

New! Comments