Symptoms Associated with Multiple Sclerosis

With multiple sclerosis (MS), the patient’s immune system attacks and slowly eats away at the myelin (a protective sheath) that covers their nerves. This is a slow process, but people with MS can begin showing early symptoms anywhere between the ages of 20 and 40.

(Please note: It’s not unusual for these first symptoms to subside, but then return later)

If you notice any of the following symptoms, please be sure to make a record of them and talk to a doctor as soon as possible. He or she should be able to tell you whether it is multiple sclerosis or the result of some other condition.

The early symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) can include:

  • Thinking problems
  • Blurry vision
  • Loss of balance
  • Tingling sensations
  • Unusual clumsiness or lack of coordination
  • Numbness
  • Weakness in the arms or legs

(Please note: MS clinical trials have shown that no two patients with this disease ever exhibit the exact same set of symptoms.)

Some patients experience one symptom, which then lingers for months or even years. Others may have one single event where their condition gets bad, but then the symptom never returns. Still other people have symptoms that become exacerbated over the course of several weeks or months.

Common MS Symptoms

These are the most common alterations exhibited by people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis:

  • Bladder Complications – About 80 percent of MS patients experience treatable bladder issues. These can include urinary incontinence or issues emptying the bladder. Constipation is also a common problem for MS.
  • Issues Walking – This disease can lead to spasms or general muscle weakness and loss of balance, which makes walking rather difficult.
  • Abnormal Sensations – MS sufferers often experience that “pins and needles” sensation. Just about 50 percent of patients complain of these abnormal sensations, but they can be managed and treated.
  • Fatigue – About 80 percent of patients feel significantly fatigued. This general feeling of malaise is not directly related to how much energy a person has expensed in the day. Some even feel exhausted after a great night’s sleep.
  • Dizziness – Plenty of patients feel lightheaded and dizzy frequently. This should not be confused with the feeling of vertigo.
  • Muscle Spasms – These are usually confined to the leg muscles. These are early stage symptoms for just about 40 percent of MS patients. However, muscle spasms can affect about 60 percent of people with progressive MS. The intensity of these spasms also ranges from case to case.
  • Speech Complications – MS has been known to affect the patient’s ability to talk normally. Some patients may begin to pause for long periods between words or slur their words.
  • Sexual Complications – MS produces various sexual problems in both men and women. Patients may have a reduced sex drive or issues reaching full climax.
  • Concentration Problems – Nearly half of MS patients have intermittent issues concentrating. Also their memory recall may suffer and processing ability slows down. However, it is very rare for multiple sclerosis to alter a person’s base intellect.
  • Vision Problems – Blurry vision is often one of the first red flags for MS. These problems are usually confined to one eye and can clear up on their own. Some patients can experience temporary vision loss.
  • Tremors – Nearly 50 percent of MS sufferers experience tremors. These range from very small to debilitating.

A relapse of symptoms is common amongst people living with multiple sclerosis– particularly during the early stages. Specialists often note that periods of partial or complete symptom remission tend to follow these relapses. These attacks can be addressed through a comprehensive treatment plan for MS.

Other people might only develop what is known as a benign form of MS. This means that the patient’s condition does not change much, and the disease never advances to a more serious form following the initial onset of symptoms.