Can you have MS for years and not know it?

Benign MS can't be identified at the time of initial diagnosis; it can take as long as 15 years to diagnose. The course of MS is unpredictable, and having benign MS doesn't mean that it can't progress into a more severe form of MS.

Can MS go undetected for years?

“MS is diagnosed most commonly in the ages between 20 and 50. It can occur in children and teens, and those older than 50,” said Smith. “But it can go unrecognized for years.” Added Rahn, “The incidence of MS in the United States according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society is over 1 million people.

Can you have mild MS and not know it?

Some people are told they have benign MS. The term benign MS is sometimes used to describe a version of relapsing remitting MS with very mild or no attacks separated by long periods with no symptoms. 'Benign' means 'something doesn't cause any harm'.

Can you have MS for 30 years and not know it?

Only a small percentage of people with MS receive their diagnosis after age 50. In some cases, these people have late-onset MS. But for some, the diagnosis represents a delayed identification of years — or even decades — of unrecognized symptoms.

Can you live with MS and not know it?

The early stages of MS - and finding out if you have it - can be a worrying time. Diagnosis can take months. This period of 'not quite knowing' is often referred to as 'limboland'.

How we diagnose Multiple Sclerosis

When should you suspect multiple sclerosis?

People should consider the diagnosis of MS if they have one or more of these symptoms: vision loss in one or both eyes. acute paralysis in the legs or along one side of the body. acute numbness and tingling in a limb.

What other symptoms have MS but no lesions?

About 5 percent of people who are confirmed to have MS do not initially have brain lesions evidenced by MRI. However, the longer a person goes without brain or spinal cord lesions on MRI, the more important it becomes to look for other possible diagnoses.

How long can MS lay dormant?

Benign MS can't be identified at the time of initial diagnosis; it can take as long as 15 years to diagnose. The course of MS is unpredictable, and having benign MS doesn't mean that it can't progress into a more severe form of MS.

What were your first signs of MS?

What does mild MS feel like?

MS can make you feel lightheaded or off-balance, usually when you're standing up and moving around. If you're dizzy and nauseous when you're lying down, or if you stumble to one side, it could be a problem with your inner ear, which controls your balance.

What happens with undiagnosed MS?

Because the central nervous system is affected, those symptoms can be wide-ranging. Among the most common are vision problems, muscle weakness, numbness and difficulty with balance and coordination.

How long do MS lesions stay active?

Most symptoms develop abruptly, within hours or days. These attacks or relapses of MS typically reach their peak within a few days at most and then resolve slowly over the next several days or weeks so that a typical relapse will be symptomatic for about eight weeks from onset to recovery.

What are the symptoms of late onset MS?

How often is MS missed on MRI?

MRI is considered the best test to help diagnose MS. However, 5% of people with MS do not have abnormalities detected on MRI; thus, a "negative" scan does not completely rule out MS. In addition, some common changes of aging may look like MS on a MRI.

What can be mistaken for MS?

Can MS be mild forever?

After the first round of symptoms, multiple sclerosis can stay mild without causing major problems for decades, a 30-year British study indicates.

What does MS feel like in legs?

Some people with MS describe it as like having bags of sand attached to their legs. This muscle weakness combined with MS fatigue can be upsetting. Weakness in your legs can cause balance and walking difficulties and you may be more likely to fall.

Where does MS usually start?

Here's where MS (typically) starts

Although a number of MS symptoms can appear early on, two stand out as occurring more often than others: Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the optic nerve, is usually the most common, Shoemaker says. You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache.

Can you self diagnose MS?

Performing a multiple sclerosis (MS) self-assessment cannot diagnose the condition, but it may help a person understand their symptoms and know when to contact a doctor. An MS self-assessment can include paying attention to energy levels, physical sensations, vision problems, and more.

What happens with untreated MS?

Damage can happen without MS symptoms

That's not true. Under the surface, the disease can continue to destroy the nerves in your brain and spinal cord, even if you don't experience a single symptom. Any resulting damage might not be reversible.

What does a MS flare feel like?

Increased fatigue. Tingling or numbness anywhere on the body. Brain fog, or difficulty thinking. Muscle spasms.

How do you rule out MS?

Can anxiety cause MS like symptoms?

Unfortunately, anxiety causes many of the same symptoms as the early stages of MS. MS is one of the health issues that comes up most when those with anxiety search for their symptoms online, and millions of those with anxiety convince themselves that they might have MS.

Does MS hurt all the time?

A lot of people with MS experience pain at some time. It varies from person to person and over time, but drug treatments and other therapies can help you cope. Pain can be associated with stiffness or spasms in muscles, or symptoms like Lhermitte's sign, trigeminal neuralgia or optic neuritis.

What is the oldest age to be diagnosed with MS?

Most people with MS receive a diagnosis between the ages of 20 and 40 years. However, the condition can appear at a younger or older age. When a person develops symptoms of MS after reaching the age of 50 years, a doctor may refer to this as LOMS. Research suggests that LOMS is relatively rare.