A neurologist diagnoses Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using a combination of a thorough neurological exam, MRI scans to find brain/spinal cord lesions, lumbar puncture (spinal tap) for cerebrospinal fluid analysis, evoked potential tests to check nerve signals, and blood tests to rule out other conditions, aiming to find evidence of damage in different areas of the central nervous system at different times, according to Better Health Channel, Mayo Clinic, and MS Australia.
An MRI scanner uses a strong magnetic field to create a detailed image of inside your brain and spinal cord. It's very accurate and can pinpoint the exact location and size of inflammation, damage or scarring (lesions). MRI scans confirm a diagnosis in over 90 per cent of people with MS.
Tests used to diagnose MS may include: MRI, which can reveal areas of MS on the brain and spinal cord. These areas are called lesions. A contrast dye may be given through an IV to highlight lesions that show the disease is in an active phase.
Some of the most common symptoms include:
Depending on the location of the damage in the central nervous system, symptoms may happen, including numbness, tingling, weakness, visual changes, bladder and bowel troubles, memory troubles, or mood changes, for example.
Clinical Assessment for MS Relapses
Even at their peak, symptoms rarely cause complete loss of function. Thus, blindness, complete gaze palsy, paraplegia are red flags for MS diagnosis. Symptoms can usually be localized to specific white matter tracts (Table).
These “invisible” symptoms can include fatigue, pain, cognitive challenges, mood changes, numbness or tingling, heat sensitivity, vision changes, balance and coordination problems, and bladder and bowel control issues.
Other more advanced symptoms include hand weakness, wrist drop (difficulty raising hand), curling fingers, poor sensation. You may notice that you drop items or have difficulty gauging how to pick up an item.
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.
MS Flare-up Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis flare-up symptoms are the same as the general symptoms of MS: Difficulty or urgency using the bathroom. Cognitive difficulties like trouble concentrating, memory problems, brain fog, and difficulty learning new things. Eye pain.
So in certain cases, your provider may do a mental health screening before or after a neurological exam. A neurological examination typically assesses movement, sensation, hearing and speech, vision, coordination, and balance. It may also test mental status, mood, and behavior.
The person may describe partial or total unilateral visual loss developing over a few days, pain behind the eye (in particular on eye movement) and/or loss of colour discrimination (particularly reds). Fundoscopy is often normal but the disc may appear pale or swollen.
Heavy Legs & Multiple Sclerosis
They may also ache and hurt. Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs. This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting. Weakness in your legs can cause balance and walking difficulties and you may be more likely to fall.
Biomarkers are molecules and signs, often in spinal fluid, blood or imaging. They signal disease and are used in diagnosis because they can be measured accurately and repeatedly. At this time, no symptoms, physical findings or laboratory tests can, by themselves, prove that you have multiple sclerosis.
Fatigue in MS is not just an ordinary tiredness, like you might get at the end of a hard day's work. People describe it as an overwhelming sense of tiredness with no obvious cause.
Multiple sclerosis can appear at any age but is most frequently diagnosed in individuals between 20 and 40 years old.
Some people with MS lose sensation in their tongue. Some health care providers refer to MS-related tongue issues as “MS tongue.” Loss of sensation or numbness can make it difficult to move your tongue when you speak, chew, or swallow. Tongue numbness may also diminish sense of taste.
The cause of MS is unknown and its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Patients are not born with MS, but rather some environmental factor apparently acts on genetically susceptible individuals to produce the disease; but the nature of that factor (such as whether or not it is a virus) remains elusive.
Having a parent with MS gives you about a 1.5% risk, and having a brother or sister with MS increases it to around 2.7%. The exact cause of MS is unknown but there are some things that could increase your risk of getting MS. Age, genetics, biological sex, obesity and smoking play a role.
Some people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) feel like their arms are very heavy. Members of MyMSTeam often talk about feelings of weakness and heaviness in their arms. This may not be one of the first symptoms associated with MS, but heaviness in the arms is one of many possible MS symptoms.
Balance and walking problems vary considerably depending on the person and may include: Tripping, stumbling or falling. Unsteadiness when walking or turning. Needing support from walls, furniture or other people.
What are the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Numbness and tingling can occur in your feet, legs, hands, arms or face. In my example, it started in my feet and then spread to my legs.
What are some of the common symptoms of MS?