MS symptoms are triggered by the immune system attacking the central nervous system, but flare-ups are often provoked by factors like stress, heat, infections, poor sleep, and vitamin D deficiency, while lifestyle choices such as smoking, unhealthy diets, and extreme exertion can worsen symptoms or increase relapse risk, causing new or worsening neurological signs.
FAQs about MS Flare-ups
Increased weakness or stiffness. Vision changes. More intense pain or discomfort. Numbness or tingling in areas of your body that had previously been unaffected.
Flare-ups can't always be prevented. But treatment may reduce their likelihood. Staying on the right disease-modifying therapy (DMT) is one of the most effective ways to control MS. DMTs are medications that can reduce the number of relapses a person has and slow the progression of their disease.
People with MS might deal with fatigue, problems with balance, weakness, sensory changes like tingling or numbness, vision problems, bladder and bowel problems, and cognitive and mood changes. It's unlikely that people will experience all the symptoms listed above.
What are the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system).
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.
For those with MS, avoiding too much exercise is a big concern. Too much activity can cause fatigue and worsen symptoms. It's important to listen to your body and know when you've done too much. Pacing activities and taking breaks helps manage energy.
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 can damage the nerves in your spinal cord or brain that control your muscles. That can cause painful muscle spasms. Nerve pain can also cause painful or unusual sensations on the skin. These types of pain can happen anywhere but are usually in the face, arms and legs.
The hot bath test reflects the effect of heat that many people with MS notice. Hot weather, hot baths or showers, exercising or an infection can all raise your internal body temperature. The raised temperature can cause your MS symptoms to appear or worsen. This is known as Uhthoff's phenomenon.
In an MS relapse, symptoms typically have a gradual onset that may worsen over hours or days. If you think you are experiencing a true relapse or stroke, seek emergency care immediately. Because MS and a stroke both impact the brain and have similar symptoms, telling the difference between the two can also be hard.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS that results from the interplay between heritable and environmental factors. Mounting evidence from different fields of research supports the pivotal role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the development of multiple sclerosis.
Relapses last from a few days to several weeks or even months. A multiple sclerosis relapse (also known as an exacerbation, attack or flare-up) is the occurrence of new MS symptoms or the worsening of old ones. Relapses are caused by inflammation in the central nervous system.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Supplements that boost your immune response — for instance, selenium, copper, and manganese — may worsen autoimmune attacks in MS. Large doses of vitamin E and vitamin C can thin your blood, which may lead to MS complications. Single supplements can contain high doses, making them potentially more dangerous.
Essential Nutrients for Myelin Growth
For many, fatigue is considered to be the single most debilitating symptom, surpassing pain and even physical disability. Fatigue also imposes significant socioeconomic consequences, including loss of work hours and in some instances, loss of employment.
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.
You cannot test yourself for MS at home. Medical professionals and equipment are needed for an accurate diagnosis. However, tracking and recording your symptoms can help doctors understand what you are experiencing and the conditions that may be linked.
Fatigue. Fatigue - an overwhelming tiredness - is one of the most common invisible symptoms of MS. Some people find that it's the symptom that affects them most, but there are ways to manage it and minimise its effects on your life.
Your primary care physician can perform an initial evaluation and preliminary testing. However, if their findings suggest MS, they'll refer you to a neurologist for further assessment. A neurologist specializes in diagnosing and treating nervous system conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the protective covering of the nerve cells in the brain, optic nerve and spinal cord, called the myelin sheath.