Early Signs Of MS

MS or multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that causes abnormality in the immune system of the body. It is an inflammatory nervous disorder that can cause possible damage to the myelin sheath. The destruction of myelin, the fatty sheath that protects the nerves in the long run affects the successful transmission of messages between the brain and other parts of the human body. The disorder can also in the long run cause the formation of scar tissues in the brain and the spinal cord, destroying their capacity to perform their functions properly. It is because of the interference with the transmission of messages from the brain to other body parts caused due to the disease that the symptoms start showing up in the patients. However, the early signs of the disease are never the same with two individuals, and the signs in a particular person are also not continuous, rather they crop up from time to time. Mentioned below are the various signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis experienced by a person in the beginning stages of the disease.

Signs And Symptoms Of Multiple Sclerosis

Difficulty In Walking
One of the earliest signs of multiple sclerosis that a person will experience is difficulty in walking. The person will feel that his or her legs have become heavier or might experience muscle weakness. The patient might also feel numbness in the feet and legs.

Loss Of Balance
Another early symptom that an MS patient might experience is loss of balance. Due to the effect the disease has on the brain, the person does not get the right commands from the brain, thus resulting in him or her loosing balance while walking.

Numbness/Tingling
Another sign which MS shows in its initial stages is numbness of body parts and a tingling sensation in the feet and hands. The patient will slowly start feeling numbness in the legs, feet and hands. This symptom is often coupled with the patient complaining of sensations that are akin to that of needle pricks. 

Visionary Problems
Visionary predicaments are yet another common early symptom in people with multiple sclerosis. The most common vision problem faced by people with MS is ‘optic neuritis’. This can lead to blurred vision, or greying of vision and even blindness in one eye. However, most of the vision problems in MS do not lead to permanent blindness.

Spasticity
Muscle spasm is another common symptom in people with multiple sclerosis. Spasticity affects the muscles of the legs and arms of the person and might even prohibit the movement of those muscles.

Dizziness
Dizziness is one not so common early sign of MS, though there are some people who complain of feeling lightheaded or dizzy. People suffering from MS might feel that their surroundings are spinning. Dizziness is caused due to the damage that the disease causes in the complex nerve pathways that coordinates vision and other inputs to the brain needed to maintain physical balance.

Impaired Thinking
People suffering from MS might also experience difficulty in thinking, a slow thinking process, low concentration levels and also loss of memory. These symptoms can even make it difficult for few patients to carry out their day-to-day tasks.

Abnormal Sensations
People suffering from MS also feel some abnormal sensations such as piercing numbness, itching, stabbing or tearing pains. However, this is not a very common early symptom that the patient will experience.

Speech And Swallowing Problems
A person suffering from MS might also experience some speech disabilities and often suffer swallowing complications. MS causes damage to the nerves that support these tasks, leading to such symptoms.