How does ms typically present

This often takes the form of numbness or tingling in different parts of your body, such as the arms, legs or trunk, which typically spreads out over a few days. MS can make walking and moving around difficult, particularly if you also have muscle weakness and spasticity. Back, neck and joint pain can be indirectly caused by MS, particularly for people who have problems walking or moving around that puts pressure on their lower back or hips.

Some people with MS have problems with thinking, learning and planning, known as cognitive dysfunction. But many of these problems aren't specific to MS and can be caused by a wide range of other conditions, including depression and anxiety, or even some medicines. Many people with MS experience periods of depression. It's unclear whether this is directly caused by MS or the result of the stress of having to live with a long-term condition, or both.

Anxiety can also be a problem for people with MS, possibly because of the unpredictable nature of the condition. In rare cases, people with MS can experience rapid and severe mood swings, suddenly bursting into tears, laughing, or shouting angrily for no apparent reason. Men with MS often find it hard to obtain or maintain an erection erectile dysfunction. They may also find it takes a lot longer to ejaculate when having sex or masturbating, and may even lose the ability to ejaculate altogether.

For women, problems include difficulty reaching orgasm, as well as decreased vaginal lubrication and sensation. Constipation is the most common problem. You may not notice the vision problems immediately. With optic neuritis, pain when you look up or to one side also can accompany vision loss.

There are a variety of ways to cope with MS-related vision changes. The sensory nerves in the spinal cord can be affected by demyelination, causing diminished sensation when you touch something, which can affect your ability to walk or do things with your hands. You can also have paresthesias sensations like numbness, tingling, or burning. Tingling sensations and numbness are one of the most common warning signs of MS.

Common sites of numbness include the face, arms, legs, and fingers. Chronic pain and involuntary muscle spasms are also common with MS. Pain can be a direct result of the demyelination or by the symptoms themselves causing secondary pain. Types of MS pain could include neuropathic pain. This acute pain is caused by nerves miscommunicating signals to the brain. Examples include:. MS can also cause chronic neuropathic pain, where the acute pain mentioned above can also be experienced on a more ongoing basis.

This may include dysesthesias painful sensations in the limbs or pruritis , which causes itching, tingling, and similar sensations. Muscle stiffness or spasms spasticity are also common. You might experience stiff muscles or joints as well as uncontrollable, painful jerking movements of the extremities. The legs are most often affected, but back pain is also common.

Slurred speech and trouble swallowing, particularly in later stages of the condition, can also occur due to motor issues. Unexplained fatigue and weakness affect many people living with MS. Fatigue is often related to the number of lesions in the brain and to inflammation.

Weakness can develop due to muscle atrophy muscles shrinking from lack or use or due to demyelination of the nerves. Chronic fatigue occurs when nerves deteriorate in the spinal column. Usually, the fatigue appears suddenly and lasts for weeks before improving. The weakness is most noticeable in the legs at first. People who have MS can have intermittent fatigue, recurrent fatigue, or constant chronic fatigue. Dizziness and problems with coordination and balance can decrease the mobility of someone with MS.

This can contribute to problems with your gait. People with MS often feel lightheaded, dizzy, or as if their surroundings are spinning vertigo. This symptom often occurs when you stand up.

What are the typical symptoms of MS? What causes the symptoms? Does MS always cause paralysis? Is MS fatal? Is MS contagious or inherited? Can MS be cured?

What can be done about MS now? Why is early treatment important? Why is MS so difficult to diagnose? You're already registered - Thanks! Sign in here to manage your preferences. In addition, the timing of symptoms — how quickly they appear — can help your doctor determine whether MS or something else is the cause. Only a small percentage of the many people who see doctors for numbness, tingling and musculoskeletal issues will actually have MS, notes Dr. Thus, doctors must weigh the need to screen for MS against concerns about unnecessarily alarming the patient.

Emerging research shows that people use more medical care in the months leading up to an MS diagnosis. But researchers need to learn more before they can conclusively link these non-specific symptoms to MS.

Multiple sclerosis is often difficult to diagnose; symptoms can be different in everyone.