Multiple sclerosis or MS refers to an autoimmune progressive disease where damage to the protective covering of nerve cells or neurons occurs. This in turn results in diminished function of the spinal column and the brain. In spite of modern medical research, little is clear about the cause of this disease. While those researching the disease understand that multiple sclerosis involves inflammation leading to nerve damage, the exact cause of inflammation still remains a mystery. However, by detecting the signs and symptoms that occur early, managing MS will become easier.
Early Signs of Multiple Sclerosis
- Vision problems: Optical neuritis or vision-related problem is one of the earliest signs of MS. Inflammation will affect the optic nerves and this in turn leads to disruption of central vision. Blurred vision, double vision, vivid colors, and contrast loss are some of the progressive issues felt by the MS patient in the early stages.
- Spasm and pain: Muscle involuntary spasm, along with chronic pain, may also be one of the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Some of the other early symptoms of MS to look for are muscle spasticity, stiffness, painful gyrating, and uncontrollable movements related to extremities.
- Numbness and tingling: With multiple sclerosis affecting your spinal column and brain, it is quite natural that conflicting signals are sent to different parts of the body. When no signs are present, numbness is felt in those affected by multiple sclerosis. This may occur in the fingers, face, legs, and arms. If you feel tingling or numbing sensations, you may be experiencing one of the telltale early warning signs of MS.
- Weakness and fatigue: Another one of the early symptoms felt by approximately 80 percent of people is a feeling of weakness and fatigue, especially during the early stages of multiple sclerosis. With deterioration of nerves in the spinal cord, they would suffer from chronic fatigue. Dizziness and balance problem are some of the other early signs and symptoms of MS.
- Speech trouble: Often, multiple sclerosis can make people pause for a long time between words or can even lead to nasal or slurred speech. During advanced stages of MS, they might even develop swallowing problems.
- Sexual problems: Multiple sclerosis can cause erection problems in men and vaginal dryness in women. They become less responsive to touch and develop lower sexual drive or face trouble in reaching an orgasm.
Unfortunately, there is a high variability when it comes to manifestations and severity of multiple sclerosis, which baffles the medical community. Through early detection, it becomes possible to prevent the quick progression of MS to a certain extent.
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