Multiple sclerosis symptoms

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating illness that effects numerous people a year. It’s known to hamper the daily activities of those that it effects, damaging the myelin sheaths that are found around the brain and the spinal cord. Unfortunately, the disease is something that has an onset in young adults, and it is mostly contracted by women. While research has shown some contributing factors, the cause of MS is yet undetermined.

There are numerous symptoms for multiple sclerosis, with some of them being quite painful, and others are downright incapacitating. MS affronts practically every part of the body, including the sensory organs, muscles, coordination and cognitive behavior. Multiple sclerosis symptoms are episodic and are known as relapses or flare-ups. During this time, any number of symptoms can attack the body.

MS on the Eyes

One of the most prevalent symptoms of MS would be the effect that the disease has on the eyes. It can cause a number of unwanted effects including blurred vision, eye pain, loss of color, and blindness. Also, jerky eye movements have become synonymous to multiple sclerosis, as well as abnormal pupil responses. Unfortunately, there’s a plethora of other ocular impacts that the disease is known for, such as lack of coordination between the eyes, including double vision or other uncomfortable eye movements.

MS Motor Symptoms
Most people who have contracted the disease have certain sensory problems. The most unnerving would be muscle weakness, which leads to temporary partial or mild paralysis, which can increase to total loss of muscle strength. Atrophy is another symptom of MS, which is the wasting away of muscles due to lack of use. Unfortunately, the muscle problems associated with MS usually have a drastic impact on a person’s life, especially considering the slurred speech and jerking and twitching of muscles. Spasticity is another motor symptom of multiple sclerosis, and is defined by the loss of muscle tone, which restricts movement of the limbs that are affected.

MS on Coordination
Coordination is another symptom that’s considered vitally important to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. One of the first things that a person would witness is the total lack of coordination. A person could expect prolonged under or overshooting limb movements, loss of ability to rapidly alternate movements, slow limb feedback, and shaking when performing movements that require concentration. As with the motor symptoms, those who are experiencing symptoms of multiple sclerosis experience speech problems, including stuttering.

Assorted Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

There are various other symptoms that effect people who may be suffering from MS, as it is a condition that it is not particularly known to be limited. Many people incur problems that are not generally exclusive to multiple sclerosis. For example, symptoms of MS could include respiratory problems, problems with swallowing their food, and even the chance of epileptic seizures. People have even noticed inappropriately cold body parts, and impaired taste and smell attributed to the ravages of multiple sclerosis.

As of yet, there is no known cure for MS. With that being said, there are various treatment options available for those who may be suffering from MS, many of which are known to be pretty effective. The aim of treatment is to bring normality back to the person after an attack, with special focus on preventing a new one. With the administration of intravenous corticosteroids, there’s the chance to end the attack sooner, without leaving some of the lasting effects MS is known for. Although some of the treatments have inherent advserse effects on the body, there have been great strides in the medical industry that allow for sufferers to live a long and substantial life.

Last updated on Feb 28th, 2010 and filed under Neurological Disorders. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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