What are the symptoms of MS? People with MS experience a wide range of symptoms. Due to the nature of the disease, symptoms can vary widely from person to person. They can also change in severity from year to year, month to month, and even day to day. Two of the most common symptoms are fatigue and difficulty walking. Fatigue Around 80 percent of people with MS report having fatigue. Fatigue that occurs with MS can become debilitating, affecting your ability to work and perform everyday tasks. Difficulty walking Difficulty walking can occur with MS for a number of reasons: numbness in your legs or feet

difficulty balancing

muscle weakness

muscle spasticity

difficulty with vision Difficulty walking can also lead to injuries due to falling. Other symptoms Other fairly common symptoms of MS include: acute or chronic pain

tremor

cognitive issues involving concentration, memory, and word-finding difficulty The condition can also lead to speech disorders. Learn more about the symptoms of MS.

What are the early signs of MS? MS can develop all at once, or the symptoms can be so mild that you easily dismiss them. Three of the most common early symptoms of MS are: Numbness and tingling that affects the arms, legs, or one side of your face. These sensations are similar to the pins-and-needles feeling you get when your foot falls asleep. However, they occur for no apparent reason.

These sensations are similar to the pins-and-needles feeling you get when your foot falls asleep. However, they occur for no apparent reason. Uneven balance and weak legs. You may find yourself tripping easily while walking or doing some other type of physical activity.

You may find yourself tripping easily while walking or doing some other type of physical activity. Double vision, blurry vision in one eye, or partial vision loss. These can be an early indicator of MS. You may also have some eye pain. It isn’t uncommon for these early symptoms to go away only to return later. You may go weeks, months, or even years between flare-ups. These symptoms can have many different causes. Even if you have these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have MS. RRMS is more common in women, whereas PPMS is equally common in women and men. Most experts believe that MS in men tends to be more aggressive and recovery from relapses is often incomplete. Discover more early signs of MS.

What causes MS? If you have MS, the protective layer of myelin around your nerve fibers becomes damaged. It’s thought that the damage is the result of an immune system attack. Researchers think there could be an environmental trigger, such as a virus or toxin, that sets off the immune system attack. As your immune system attacks myelin, it causes inflammation. This leads to scar tissue, or lesions. The inflammation and scar tissue disrupt signals between your brain and other parts of your body. MS isn’t hereditary, but having a parent or sibling with MS raises your risk slightly. Scientists have identified some genes that seem to increase susceptibility to developing MS. Find out more about the possible causes of MS.

What are the types of MS? Types of MS include: Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is a pre-MS condition involving one episode of symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. These symptoms are due to demyelination in your CNS. Although this episode is characteristic of MS, it’s not enough to prompt a diagnosis. If there are more than one lesion or positive oligoclonal bands (OCB) in your spinal fluid at the time of a spinal tap, you’re more likely to receive a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). If these lesions aren’t present, or your spinal fluid doesn’t show OCBs, you’re less likely to receive an MS diagnosis. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) involves clear relapses of disease activity followed by remissions. During remission periods, symptoms are mild or absent, and there’s no disease progression. RRMS is the most common form of MS at onset and accounts for about 85 percent of all cases. Primary progressive MS (PPMS) If you have primary progressive MS (PPMS), neurological function becomes progressively worse from the onset of your symptoms. However, short periods of stability can occur. The terms “active” and “not active” are used to describe disease activity with new or enhancing brain lesions. Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) occurs when RRMS transitions into the progressive form. You may still have noticeable relapses in addition to disability or gradual worsening of function. The bottom line Your MS may change and evolve, for example, going from RRMS to SPMS. You can only have one type of MS at a time, but knowing when you transition to a progressive form of MS may be difficult to pinpoint. Find out more about the different types of MS.

What is the life expectancy for people with MS? Life expectancy for people with MS is about 7.5 years shorter than expected. The good news is, life expectancy in those with MS is increasing. It’s almost impossible to predict how MS will progress in any one person. About 10 to 15 percent of people with MS have only rare attacks and minimal disability 10 years after diagnosis. It’s generally presumed they’re not on treatment or injectables. This is sometimes called benign MS. With the development of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), studies show promising results that the progression of the disease can be slowed. MS type Progressive MS generally advances faster than RRMS. People with RRMS can be in remission for many years. A lack of disability after 5 years is usually a good indicator for the future. Age and sex The disease tends to be more severe and debilitating in men and older adults. The same prognosis is also seen in African Americans and those who have a high relapse rate. The bottom line Your quality of life with MS will depend on your symptoms and how well you respond to treatment. This rarely fatal, but unpredictable, disease can change course without warning. Most people with MS don’t become severely disabled and continue to lead full lives. Take a closer look at the prognosis for people with MS.

What are the complications of MS? The lesions MS causes can appear anywhere in your CNS and affect any part of your body. Mobility issues As you age, some disabilities MS causes may become more pronounced. If you have mobility issues, falling may put you at an increased risk for bone fractures. Having other conditions, such as arthritis and osteoporosis, can complicate matters. Other issues One of the most common symptoms of MS is fatigue, but it’s not uncommon for people with MS to also have: depression

anxiety

some degree of cognitive impairment The bottom line Mobility issues can lead to a lack of physical activity, which can cause other health problems. Fatigue and mobility issues may also have an effect on sexual function. Discover more effects of MS.