Healthy Living

Early Warning Signs of Multiple Sclerosis

Early Warning Signs of Multiple Sclerosis

Is it Multiple Sclerosis?

Although some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis are common, there is no definitive pattern that applies to everyone. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis also resemble those of many other diseases. What sets the symptoms of MS apart from other conditions is time. In many cases, multiple sclerosis symptoms will develop over the course of a few days, and can last from several days to a few weeks, depending on the person.

Early Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Vision Loss: One of the most common first signs of multiple sclerosis is eye problem, which includes vision loss. This can be a change in both or just one eye. Your regular ophthalmologist can, many times, be able to see how quickly the vision loss happened. An MRI scan is done to confirm if it is multiple sclerosis or a brain tumor, which can also lead to quick vision loss.

Balance Problems: Balance problems are one of the most commonly misdiagnosed symptoms of multiple sclerosis. In many cases, balance problems and dizziness are diagnosed as an inner ear infection. Inner ear infections are common in many cases, and are easy to treat. You may need to speak with more than one doctor if you are having balance problems and dizziness for long periods of time.

Tingling or Numbness: Tingling and numbness is the human body’s reaction to resting on an arm or leg in the wrong way. Most times, this feeling goes away within a few minutes after moving since the blood flow returns to the area. Multiple Sclerosis tingling and numbness of these extremities lasts longer than just a few minutes.  In some cases, it can last for a few days up to a week, or longer.

Heat Intolerance: One of the telltale signs of multiple sclerosis is heat intolerance. Heat intolerance is an unusually uncomfortable feeling that can leave you feeling uncomfortable, dizzy, or faint when in body-warming activities like being in a hot tub, sunbathing or exercising. Spending too much time in warm temperatures can also be a trigger of heat intolerance. This heat intolerance has also been known to make other symptoms of multiple sclerosis more prominent in many cases.

MultipleSclerosis

When You Should See a Doctor?

One of the major problems with Multiple Sclerosis is that the symptoms are so many and varied that it can’t be easily misdiagnosed. Along with the common early warning signs, some people with multiple sclerosis also have had bowel and urinary problems, chronic pain, fatigue, speech problem, and depression, just to name a few. Many of these symptoms are common to many other common diseases and disorders. Multiple sclerosis is able to have these symptoms for more than 24 hours.

If any of these symptoms interferes with your daily life, you should speak with your doctor, even if you are not suspecting that the cause of the symptoms is caused by multiple sclerosis. Right now, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but there are treatments that can slow the disease's progression, and improve the quality of life of the patient. Since multiple sclerosis shares many of its symptoms with other diseases, the earlier that you can speak with your doctor, the quicker the cause of the symptoms can be found.