Here's where MS (typically) starts Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the optic nerve, is usually the most common, Shoemaker says. You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache. It often occurs on one side and can eventually lead to partial or total vision loss.
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. And this sheath is often compared to the insulation on an electrical wire.
Most symptoms develop abruptly, within hours or days. These attacks or relapses of MS typically reach their peak within a few days at most and then resolve slowly over the next several days or weeks so that a typical relapse will be symptomatic for about eight weeks from onset to recovery. Resolution is often complete.
People should consider the diagnosis of MS if they have one or more of these symptoms: vision loss in one or both eyes. acute paralysis in the legs or along one side of the body. acute numbness and tingling in a limb.
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosis, Sjogren's, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections, and rare hereditary diseases.
Early signs and symptoms of MS
tingling and numbness. pains and spasms. weakness or fatigue. balance problems or dizziness.
MS varies from patient to patient so that each individual has their own set of symptoms, problems, and their own course. There are people who have MS so mildly that they never even know that they have it.
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 most common symptoms are: Bladder and bowel problems: You may have to pee more often, need to go at night, or have trouble emptying your bladder fully. Bowel issues like constipation are also common. Read more on bladder control problems and bowel problems with MS.
Clinically isolated syndrome describes a person's first episode of neurological symptoms caused by damaged myelin in the CNS. CIS is often referred to as the first stage of MS, even though it doesn't meet the MS criterion for dissemination in time (MS damage that occurs on different dates).
There are no specific tests for MS . Instead, a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis often relies on ruling out other conditions that might produce similar signs and symptoms, known as a differential diagnosis. Your doctor is likely to start with a thorough medical history and examination.
Lupus and Other Autoimmune Diseases
Several autoimmune diseases have symptoms that mimic those of MS. An autoimmune disease is one in which your immune system attacks your body's tissues and organs. One of the more common autoimmune conditions is lupus.
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including Lyme disease, a group of diseases known as collagen-vascular diseases, certain rare hereditary disorders and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain.
MRI scans are an important way to help health care providers figure out if a person has MS or not, but MRI scans cannot diagnose MS by themselves. While it is true that almost all people with MS will have lesions on MRI, not all people with MRI lesions have MS.
MS causes the immune system to attack nerve fibers and causes miscommunication between the brain and other parts of the body. When your optometrist detects optic nerve inflammation, that can indicate a diagnosis of MS.
Primary-progressive MS progresses gradually and is characterized with worsening symptoms, with no early remissions. There may be periods when symptoms are actively progressing or remain inactive or unchanged temporarily; however, there is usually gradual progression of the disease with periods of sudden relapse.
Cluster headaches have been linked to MS lesions in the brainstem, especially in the part where the trigeminal nerve originates. 7 This is the nerve involved with trigeminal neuralgia—one of the most painful MS symptoms.
Unlike MS, fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disease, which occurs when then body's immune system mistakenly attacks your own cells and tissues. Fibromyalgia is not related to inflammation, nor is it a joint or muscle disorder caused by physical injury.
Nail problems are common, and they are not usually serious. If a person has multiple sclerosis (MS), nail problems can cause pain or discomfort. While nail issues are not directly related to the disease, determining the cause may help prevent a person with MS from experiencing further discomfort.
Vision problems are an early sign of MS. Gait and mobility changes: MS can change the way people walk due to muscle weakness and problems with balance, dizziness, and fatigue. Emotional changes and depression: Demyelination and nerve fiber damage in the brain can trigger emotional changes.
What age is multiple sclerosis usually diagnosed? While these MS symptoms can make everyday tasks more challenging (walking, say, or using your hands for things like texting or cooking), it's not related to the aging process. In fact, the average age range of diagnosis with MS is between 20 and 40.
There are three main investigations that, because of their high specificity and sensitivity, are valuable in the diagnosis of MS: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), evoked potentials; and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination for the presence of oligoclonal bands (OCBs).