Yes, you can get MSA (Multiple System Atrophy) in your 20s, though it's very rare, as it typically starts in people over 30, often between 50-60, but some cases (Young-Onset MSA or YOMSA) begin before age 40, with mean onset around 38, showing it's possible, albeit uncommon, in younger adults.
The main symptom of multiple system atrophy (MSA) is losing control of muscles in the body. This happens gradually in some people and quickly in others. MSA affects people in different ways, depending on which muscles are affected.
At present, there are no therapies that can reverse or slow the progression of MSA.
Everyone with MSA will experience different symptoms. Symptoms often start between the ages of 50 and 60, but they can begin anytime from the age of 30. You're likely to experience muscle control or balance problems, like those of Parkinson's disease or Ataxia.
Multiple sclerosis can appear at any age but is most frequently diagnosed in individuals between 20 and 40 years old.
The exact cause of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is unknown, but it's triggered by a combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental factors (like low Vitamin D, infections, smoking, and stress), and immune system dysfunction that leads the body to attack its own nervous system. Triggers that can worsen existing MS include heat, infections, stress, lack of sleep, and childbirth, while factors like smoking, obesity, and low sun exposure increase risk or severity.
It's a common misconception that MS only affects older people. Actually, it commonly begins between age 20 and 40, and it's the most common neurological condition that young adults face.
Three key warning signs of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) often involve vision problems (like blurred vision or pain with eye movement), numbness or tingling sensations, and fatigue, along with balance issues, weakness, and coordination difficulties, though symptoms vary widely and can include cognitive or bladder problems too.
The cause of MSA is unknown. The vast majority of cases are sporadic, meaning they occur at random. One distinguishing feature of MSA is the buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein in glia, specialized cells that support nerve cells in the brain.
While Parkinson's disease is usually age-related, it can happen in adults as young as 20 (though this is extremely rare, and often people have a parent, full sibling or child with the same condition).
OTHER DISORDERS
We found that pain is a frequent, but still under-recognized and undertreated feature of MSA. Further research is needed to improve pain detection and treatment in MSA.
Risk factors
Most people who have MSA have a history of REM sleep behavior disorder. Another risk factor is having a condition caused by the autonomic nervous system not working properly.
Those people with MSA-C present with balance, co-ordination and speech problems. Both men and women often experience problems with their bladders including urgency, frequency, nocturia, incomplete bladder emptying, or retention. Erectile dysfunction is an early symptom in male patients and is almost always present.
Symptoms and Causes
Parkinsonism symptoms with MSA-P often start on one side of your body and then spread to both sides. These symptoms usually involve the following: Slowed movements (bradykinesia). Stiffness and rigidity when moving, causing a hunched-over posture.
The first symptoms of MSA are frequently autonomic and may predate recognition of motor manifestations. Orthostatic hypotension and, in men, erectile failure are among the first symptoms that, when evaluated in the context of associated clinical findings, may facilitate accurate and earlier diagnosis.
Your healthcare professional gives you a physical exam, reviews your medical history and tests your autonomic functions such as blood pressure. You also may need blood tests and imaging tests, such as an MRI. These tests can help diagnose MSA or point to another causes of your symptoms.
Most commonly people with MSA experience increasing sluggishness of the bowel and risk a build-up of chronic constipation. You should aim to keep your bowel movements at least as regular as they were before you had MSA.
Invisible symptoms of MS – fatigue, pain, blurred vision, numbness, and brain fog – which often go unnoticed by other people, can also interfere with daily functioning and be just as debilitating.
The 'MS hug' is symptom of MS that feels like an uncomfortable, sometimes painful feeling of tightness or pressure, usually around your stomach or chest. The pain or tightness can feel like a tight band stretching under your breasts, around the ribs and back or stomach, or it can be just on one side.
Early signs and symptoms of MS include: Changes to your vision (optic neuritis, double vision, vision loss) Muscle weakness (usually affecting one side of your face or body, or below your waist) Numbness or abnormal sensations (usually affecting one side of your face or body, or below your waist)
Some of the most common symptoms include:
Stress does not directly cause multiple sclerosis (MS), but it may trigger symptoms or relapses in people who already have the condition. Many people with MS report that their first symptoms appeared during or after a period of significant stress or trauma, which has led to ongoing discussion about a possible link.
Recent changes in disease incidence and prevalence are likely to be the result of environmental factors that could have been operative in the past few decades. There is evidence to support the view that MS is a complex trait determined by both genetic and environmental factors.