You should see a doctor about potential Multiple Sclerosis (MS) symptoms like sudden vision loss/blurriness, persistent numbness/tingling, balance issues, weakness, or overwhelming fatigue, especially if they appear suddenly and last more than a day or two. It's crucial to see your GP or a neurologist for new or worsening symptoms, as early diagnosis helps manage the condition better, even if other conditions share similar signs.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause a wide range of symptoms and there's no exact list of early signs. A first symptom of MS for one person may never be experienced by someone else. That's why it's best to make an appointment with your GP about any symptom that worries you.
Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms. It's also known as MS. In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers, known as myelin. This interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
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.
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.
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)
Some of the most common symptoms include: feeling extremely tired (fatigue) problems with your eyes or your vision, such as blurred vision or eye pain. numbness or a tingling feeling in different parts of the body.
A neurological examination typically assesses movement, sensation, hearing and speech, vision, coordination, and balance. It may also test mental status, mood, and behavior. The exam is usually done in a provider's office.
Babinski Reflex. The Babinski Reflex is often used to test MS. Normally when stimulated with a blunt instrument, the toes naturally respond by pointing downwards. In newborns and some people with nerve damage, the big toe points up and the toes splay outwards.
What are the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
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.
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.
A wide range of conditions can be mistaken for MS, including: migraine, cerebral small vessel disease, fibromyalgia, functional neurological disorders, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, along with uncommon inflammatory, infectious and metabolic conditions (1, 3).
Most people will notice symptoms and first speak to their GP. It can take many weeks or months from that point to investigate possible causes. Different tests and specialists can be involved to get to the right answer. If the diagnosis is MS, that can only be made by a neurologist.
Five significant signs your brain might be in trouble include memory loss (especially recent events), difficulty with familiar tasks or language, confusion about time/place, significant personality/behavior changes, and problems with judgment, focus, or coordinating movement, often indicating conditions like dementia, brain injury, or other neurological issues, requiring a doctor's visit.
Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis
Only a consultant neurologist can diagnose MS, after carefully assessing your symptoms or circumstances. Even if you have had an MRI scan that suggests you have MS, you still need to see a consultant neurologist who will look at the results of all of your tests before making a diagnosis.
Some of the more common symptoms for which you may want to see a neurologist (or be referred to one) include:
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.
These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
The exact trigger for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is unknown, but it's believed to be a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors, including certain infections (like Epstein-Barr Virus), low Vitamin D levels (linked to less sunlight), smoking, obesity, stress, and potentially genetic susceptibility. These factors can trigger an autoimmune attack where the immune system mistakenly damages myelin in the central nervous system.
Strength testing. Ask the patient to walk a few steps on his toes and then on his heels (Figure 2). Inability to toe walk indicates S1 root nerve damage; inability to heel walk may indicate L4 or L5 involvement. If the patient cannot heel walk, ask him to squat-inability to do so indicates L4 problems.
The T25-FW is a quantitative mobility and leg function performance test based on a timed 25-foot walk. It is the first component of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) to be administered at each visit.
The First Appointment
Medical Records are reviewed and any labs or diagnostic testing are ordered. The second visit is in person. Labs and diagnostics are reviewed and a thorough general and neurological examination are performed. Cognitive, motor testing, and physical therapy evaluations are ordered at this time.
How quickly should I seek medical care for sudden neurological symptoms? For symptoms like sudden severe headache, one-sided weakness, vision loss, or slurred speech, seek emergency care immediately. These could indicate life-threatening conditions like stroke where every minute matters for treatment outcomes.
A neurologist can help confirm or rule out the potential causes so you can get the proper care. “As neurologists, we may not always find the ultimate cause of your symptoms, but often we're able to eliminate the more serious conditions,” Zacharias says.