Your immune system’s attack on myelin changes how nerve signals are transmitted in the body.
So are vision changes.
Symptoms can emerge in hours to days when vision is involved.
peakSTOCK / Getty Images
As an example, a person diagnosed with CIS may experience numbness and tingling in their legs.
This would be evaluated bymagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)findings that reveal damage to the CNS.
CIS can be followed by a recovery period where the symptoms improve or completely go away.
Changes tocerebrospinal fluid(CSF) also are evaluated.
Optic Neuritis
Optic neuritisinflammation of one of your two optic nervesis a common first presentation of MS.
In fact, CIS may be diagnosed from an attack of optic neuritis.
Your optic nerve delivers messages to your brain about what your eye sees.
When the myelin covering the optic nerve is damaged, signals related to sight are interrupted.
Can You Have MS for Years and Not Know?
In fact, research suggests MS may have a prodromal (“very early”) phase.
This phase includes various nonspecific symptoms, like fatigue, depression, pain, and headache.
These symptoms may precede an MS diagnosis by several years.
About 80% of people living with MS experience muscle spasms.
This bang out of pain is associated with disability, depression, and fatigue in MS.
Weakness is also common due to damage to the nerve fibers in the CNS that normally control muscle movements.
Lack of activity due to MS-related pain, fatigue, or other symptoms can also contribute to MS weakness.
Exercise can help some people to manage symptoms.
Urinary symptoms as the first presentation of MS occur in around 3% to 10% of people.
Symptoms and signs of bladder dysfunction in MS vary from mild to severe.
It can also contribute to fecal incontinence, a loss of bowel control.
Presentation in Males vs.
Moreover, those diagnosed withprimary progressive MS (PPMS)are more likely to be male.
What Is PPMS?
PPMS is characterized by worsening symptoms from the onset of the disease.
People with PPMS do not experiencerelapsesor periods of symptom improvement (“remission”).
Who’s At Risk for Multiple Sclerosis?
Females are more likely than males to develop MS, typically between the ages of 20 and 40.
It can affect all racial and ethnic groups but is more common in White people.
However, it is likely that their lives may be a few years shorter.
Other common symptoms of MS include fatigue, muscle spasms, pain, bladder problems, and constipation.
Keep in mind that many symptoms of MS can occur with other medical conditions.
Diagnosing and treating MS as early as possible is associated with better long-term outcomes.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Multiple Sclerosis.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Clinically isolated syndrome.
2024 May;11(3):e200223.
doi:10.1212/NXI.0000000000200223
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What Is Optic Neuritis?
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
2024 Jan 9;102(1):e200805.
2017;135(3):222-225. doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2016.0200270117
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Vision disorders and multiple sclerosis.
2024 Dec;31(12):e16452.
2017;88(8):621-625. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2016-315238
