Common and unusual symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)

The first symptoms of multiple sclerosis appear, usually, between the age of 20 and 40 years. In some cases they go away for a while, then they come back, and they’re not always specific, so it can be quite difficult to recognize the ailment in the initial stages.

Sometimes, the MS patients experience a single symptom for months or years, and other times the manifestations get worse quickly, so the ailment is unpredictable. You should, however, pay attention if you notice symptoms like blurred or double vision, tingling and numbness in your limbs, thinking problems or clumsiness, coordination and balance problems, or weakness in your limbs.

All these can be early signs of multiple sclerosis, but their severity can vary greatly from one person to another. Other common manifestations include a burning and itching sensation in the limbs, which is also described as “pins and needles” by some people with MS, and stabbing pain that can affect various areas of the body.

About 80% of MS patients also experience bladder problems, such as the need to urinate more often or to go to the toilet during the night. Difficult urination and constipation are common as well, and if no treatment is applied, these can lead to complications like bladder infections.

Muscle spasms are frequently experienced by MS sufferers, especially in the lower body, 40% of all patients accusing these in the early stages of the ailment. As the condition gets worse, the muscle spasms can be accompanied by mild or strong stiffness and pain. Tremor occurs in about half of multiple sclerosis patients, and fatigue affects about 80% of sufferers.

Often, people affected by MS feel more tired in the afternoon and are sleepy, cannot think clearly and accuse muscle weakness, even if they don’t do any work during the day. They also have difficulty sleeping, and experience minor shakes during regular daily tasks.

If vision problems are also present, they affect only one eye in most cases and go away on their own; such problems can include not just blurry vision but also dark spots in the center or gray sight, as well as temporary eye pain and even temporary vision loss.

Dizziness and vertigo, slurred speech, swallowing problems and sexual issues like erection problems or vaginal dryness can occur in the more advanced stages of the ailment. Poor attention and memory, slowed thinking and poor concentration, as well as breathing problems and seizures, but these ones more rarely, complete the list of potential symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

The primary symptoms result from the damage of the myelin sheaths that cover the nerves in the brain and spine. Once these sheaths get damaged, the transmission of nervous signals between the brain and body is impaired, and the symptoms of MS start manifesting.

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