Should I be worried I have MS?

That said, certain symptoms should prompt you to seek help. If you're experiencing blurred vision, numbness, weakness or dizziness at the same time and for more than a day, those symptoms could be potential early signs of MS. It's important not to let too much time slip by before seeing a doctor.

How do you cope with being diagnosed with MS?

Can you have MS and be OK?

MS can be a challenging condition to live with, but new treatments over the past 20 years have considerably improved the quality of life of people with the condition. MS itself is rarely fatal, but complications may arise from severe MS, such as chest or bladder infections, or swallowing difficulties.

What does MS feel like in the beginning?

Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.

What are early warning signs of MS?

Those symptoms include loss of vision in an eye, loss of power in an arm or leg or a rising sense of numbness in the legs. Other common symptoms associated with MS include spasms, fatigue, depression, incontinence issues, sexual dysfunction, and walking difficulties.

I am worried the strange symptoms I have might be MS

What does mild MS feel like?

Numbness or Tingling

A lack of feeling or a pins-and-needles sensation can be the first sign of the nerve damage from MS. It usually happens in the face, arms, or legs, and on one side of the body. It also tends to go away on its own.

Does MS show up in blood work?

Blood Tests: Currently, there are no definitive blood tests for diagnosing MS, but they can be used to rule out other conditions that may mimic MS symptoms, including Lyme disease, collagen-vascular diseases, rare hereditary disorders and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

What part of the body does MS affect first?

Vision problems

In around 1 in 4 cases of MS, the first noticeable symptom is a problem with one of your eyes (optic neuritis). You may experience: some temporary loss of vision in the affected eye, usually lasting for days to weeks.

How long can you have MS Before you know it?

MS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can go undetected for years. In fact, a 2021 study suggested that many people with MS experience disease symptoms several years before being officially diagnosed with the disease.

How quickly does MS progress?

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.

Can MS be mild forever?

Cognition tests showed only mild impairment in three patients. Researchers said the study suggests that “it is not uncommon for people with relapsing MS “to have only mild or no physical or cognitive dysfunction approximately three decades after clinical onset.” MS may have a bimodal progression, the team said.

What triggers MS?

Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Can you still drive with MS?

One of the first questions many people have when they're diagnosed with MS is: “Will I still be able to drive?” The good news is that most people with MS continue to drive as normal.

Can you live a normal like with MS?

You may have to adapt your daily life if you're diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), but with the right care and support many people can lead long, active and healthy lives.

What does a neurologist do to check for MS?

Neurological examination

Your neurologist will look for abnormalities, changes or weakness in your vision, eye movements, hand or leg strength, balance and co-ordination, speech and reflexes. These may show whether your nerves are damaged in a way that might suggest MS.

Can MS randomly happen?

No matter how much you exercise, how healthful your diet is or how well you take care of yourself, there is no way to prevent multiple sclerosis (MS). It affects people randomly. But it also can be manageable. If detected early, medications may slow the progress of the disease and the severity of symptoms.

Can you live without knowing you have MS?

Your journey from diagnosis to living well with MS

Diagnosis can take months. This period of 'not quite knowing' is often referred to as 'limboland'.

What autoimmune disease is similar to MS?

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain.

Does MS make you gain weight?

MS fatigue, steroid therapy, and depression can all lead to unwanted weight in people with MS. Though these factors are not your fault, you owe it to yourself to take control of your weight. Overeating can increase MS symptoms or health conditions, such as: fatigue.

Who gets multiple sclerosis?

Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although MS can occur in young children and older adults. Where is MS most commonly found? In general, MS is more common in areas farthest from the equator.

Can an eye test detect MS?

MS causes the immune system to attack nerve fibers and causes miscommunication between the brain and other parts of the body. When your optometrist detects optic nerve inflammation, that can indicate a diagnosis of MS.

Does an MRI show MS?

MRI plays a vital role in how we diagnose and monitor MS. In fact, over 90% of people have their MS diagnosis confirmed by MRI.

Is MS hard to diagnose?

The possibility of these different symptoms makes it harder for doctors to find MS right away. Some people may have symptoms of the condition and not even know it. Most people find out they have MS after they have an MRI. It's rare, but doctors sometimes do something called a lumbar puncture to confirm the condition.