MS affects the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. It causes different symptoms in each person, depending on where it damages nerves. It can cause tremors, or shaking; trouble walking; muscle weakness or spasticity; numbness or feelings of tingling; vision problems; and bladder and bowel problems. It can also cause problems with thinking and memory.
Some people have MS for only a short time and recover without treatment. But others have it for much longer. It’s important to get a diagnosis as early as possible, so you can start taking the right medicines to slow down the disease and prevent it getting worse. You can find out more about diagnosing MS by visiting your GP, or by asking for a referral to see a specialist called a neurologist.
Many of the symptoms of MS are caused by damage to nerves in your central nervous system. Your neurologist will check how well you are working by testing how your muscles move, what feelings you have, whether your balance is good or not, and how you respond to heat and cold. They might want to take a sample of your spinal fluid (lumbar puncture) or use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of your head and spine to look for areas of damage. They may test your blood to see if you have certain chemicals in your body that are linked with MS.
The most common early symptom of MS is fatigue, which can make it hard to carry out everyday tasks. This often gets worse towards the end of the day, in hot weather and after exercise. Some people with MS also have numbness or tingling in their hands, feet or face. Others have muscle weakness or spasticity, which can make them feel stiff and heavy and lead to a jerking movement of their muscles (spasm). Some people with MS have bladder or bowel problems, such as a frequent urge to urinate or constipation.
People with relapsing-remitting MS have attacks of symptoms that last for a few days or weeks, then stop or go away. These periods of inactivity are known as remissions. They can last for weeks, months or even years, before another attack happens. Sometimes the attacks come in groups, or ‘flare-ups’. They can be more severe than previous ones and can lead to a higher level of disability.
Other people have progressive MS, which gets gradually worse over a long period of time. Progressive MS can affect all parts of the body, and lead to more serious problems with thinking, mobility, balance and bladder or bowel control.
There are also some MS symptoms that aren’t related to any damage to the nervous system, and can be caused by a range of things, such as depression, anxiety or certain medicines. It’s important to report these changes in your GP, MS nurse or neurologist, as they can help you manage them and monitor how you are doing. Keeping active and making healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating well, getting plenty of rest, not smoking and cutting down on alcohol, can also improve your symptoms.
