Multiple Sclerosis: 10 Early Warning Signs To Look Out For

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease in which your immune system attacks the material that wraps around your nerve fibers.

These misdirected attacks create problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and other basic body functions, according to WebMD.

Though it is unclear exactly what causes it, some believe that people are genetically predisposed to it, or contract it after other viruses that affect the immune system.

It can be a scary sickness, but the symptoms don't have to control your life, and you can work with your doctor to manage them.

There are also plenty early warning signs of MS — check them out below, because you never know if you might need to plan accordingly.

One of the early warning signs of MS is blurring or double vision.

This can be due to inflammation of the optic nerve,  a lack of coordination in eye movement muscles, or uncontrolled horizontal or vertical eye movements. 

Though this is common for people who have MS, they very rarely result in complete blindness and can be lessoned with the proper medications.

MS sufferers usually report a loss in their balance or difficulty walking properly in its early stages.

Since your immune system is compromising your nerves, your limbs can become numb and muscles can weaken, resulting in walking difficulties.

According to Nationalmssociety.org, increased fatigue can also cause you to stumble and struggle when walking.

As mentioned before, early MS symptoms include numb, tingly limbs.

This is directly due to your nervous system, which is slowly being compromised by your immune system.

Even if you aren't experiencing any other alarming symptoms, numb limbs should be tended to right away, because they could be a sign of something else like a stroke.

The sudden changes in your body can also cause a lack of coordination.

You may notice yourself becoming a bit out of tune with your body, bumping into objects more, and suddenly spilling things.

This is another bodily response to your attacked nerves and can be managed through physical therapy or certain exercises, according to Msif.org.

Up to 80 percent of people with MS report feeling super fatigued.

Though there isn't a clear connection with the disease and fatigue, the muscle spasms that occur can keep you up at night, which would make your tired the next day, understandably so.

Fortunately, it is an incredibly treatable symptom through medication, or even some lifestyle changes.

Bladder dysfunction occurs when MS lesions block or delay transmission of nerve signals that control the bladder and urinary sphincters, according to Nationalmssociety.org.

This can mean more trips to the bathroom, or even a loss of bladder control.

This can be managed through lifestyle changes and some medications, as well as some extra planning for escape trips to the bathroom, if need be.

Just like tingly limbs, the attack on your nerves can mean that you have sudden spasms and stiff muscles.

The lack of communication between your brain and spine can cause your muscles to make these spasms, and they can worsen when you get older.

But these can also be managed through physical therapy, and even some surgeries if they are affecting your quality of life.

Dysesthesias is also an early symptom and can cause uncontrollable pins and needles, burning, stabbing, or tearing feelings in your limbs.

Just like the numbness and muscle spasms, the itching can occur in waves, seemingly without reason.

It can also be resolved with topical treatments, or more serious medications, depending on its severity.

Vertigo is another unfortunate byproduct of MS and can be infrequent or extremely steady, depending on the person.

Vertigo is the sensation that the room is spinning, tilting, or twisting around you, which can make you wobbly, dizzy, and nauseous.

As stated by Doctor John Pula, MD on Everydayhealth.com,"Acute vertigo can happen in MS and may be responsible for some of the symptoms and disability that happen in MS.”

Though vertigo can get better on its own as your brain adapts to the changes, there are also other treatments for the dizziness, depending on how bad it is.

Your cognitive abilities are brain functions that allow you to learn things and remember information.

The loss of myelin around your nerve fibers affect your brain's ability to retrieve and store memories, information, and verbal cues.

Though this sounds like a pretty severe symptom, there is cognitive rehabilitation available to strengthen brain function.

If you suspect you might have MS, be sure to speak to your doctor about it. The earlier it's caught, the better it can be managed.

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