Understanding Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms: Causes, Effects, and Treatment Options

Multiple sclerosis is a disease where inflammation can occur in the brain or spine and can cause symptoms that can come and go for years. According to Patient UK, multiple sclerosis is characterized by the immune system attacking the body instead of the germs. So when multiple sclerosis is activated, parts of the immune system attack certain areas near the nerve fibers of the brain and spine, causing inflammation.

Thus, the affected nerve fibers stop working and lead to symptoms that repeatedly lead to sclerosis, which permanently damages the nerve fibers.

Most of the time you may associate multiple sclerosis with tremors and muscle spasms, but the disease can manifest itself in many other ways, including symptoms appearing when you go to the toilet. Many people experience only a few symptoms specific to the disease, but these are unpredictable, writes Patient UK. Symptoms can appear at any time of the day, and the time between them can be different, especially since they can be triggered by infections, physical exercise or even high temperatures.

Multiple Sclerosis: Signs and Symptoms

Here are some of the signs and symptoms you may experience if you have multiple sclerosis.

Vision problems

1 in 4 patients with multiple sclerosis experience vision problems as the first symptom due to inflammation of the optic nerve. This can cause pain behind the eyeball and loss of vision in some situations, most often in one eye. Other vision symptoms include double vision or blurred vision.

Muscle spasms

Damage to the nerves that maintain the muscles can lead to tremors and spasms.

Muscle pain

Patients with multiple sclerosis can experience two types of pain: a stinging pain and a burning sensation in certain parts of the skin due to damage to the nervous system. This is called neuropathic pain. The second type of pain is musculoskeletal, which targets any muscle affected by spasms.

Fatigue

Extreme fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis and can affect balance and concentration.

Tingling and numbness

Another symptom that can occur if you have multiple sclerosis is tingling or numbness in your limbs.

Paralysis

You will most likely also experience limb weakness or paralysis, which makes your mobility impaired.

Problems urinating

Patients with multiple sclerosis experience difficulty urinating, and this is because the bladder muscles no longer work properly and urine flows interruptedly, writes the MS Society. If your bladder is not completely empty it will be hard for you to feel it. It is best to go to the toilet one more time to check if you have emptied your bladder.

Speech difficulties

Multiple sclerosis affects certain parts of the brain that control the muscles involved in speech. It also affects the message in the brain that controls the voice and thus changes the sound of the voice. You will notice that you also start to have problems with memory and thinking, note MS Society.