Hey there, viewers!
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease characterized by the damage caused to your central nervous
system.
This means damage to the nerve fibers as well as the coating around them.
It results in the signals between your brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body going
haywire.
This is one of the most common MS symptoms.
In today’s video, we’ll discuss 9 surprising Multiple Sclerosis signs and symptoms.
Can it cause vertigo and speech disorders?
What about skin, and hearing problems?
From symptoms to treatment and diagnosis, we’ll discuss all of these AND more...
1.
Vertigo
The most common symptoms of MS include fatigue, walking trouble and numbness.
You also experience dizziness, bladder and bowel issues, and even depression.
Other symptoms of MS include intimacy issues and vision impairment.
There are also a few symptoms that are uncommon, yet still associated with the disease.
One of them is vertigo.
If you’re suffering with this disease, you tend to feel dizzy and light headed.
But if you also have vertigo, it will feel like the world around you is spinning.
This is due to brain lesions forming in an area that controls and coordinates your balance.
One way to treat vertigo is through the use of motion sickness drugs, but they only provide
temporary relief.
That’s not helpful for a chronic condition.
If you’ve just started experiencing vertigo, your doctor will give you special medication.
Have you ever felt dizzy while travelling?
How about motion sickness?
What did you do to find relief?
Share your experiences with the Bestie community below.
2.
Speech disorders
According to studies, 25% to 40% of patients suffering from MS report speech disorders.
This is because of lesions in different parts of your brain.
This is usually seen in advanced stages of MS.
There are different kinds of speech disorders you can look out for, like when the speech
pattern gets altered.
You could also be slurring due to a lack of coordination in your mouth muscles and tongue.
Another speech disorder you might face is stuttering.
You could also face loss in your speech volume.
3.
Difficulty swallowing
If you’re in the later stages of MS, you’re going to find it harder to swallow.
This happens because of damage to the nerves, which control the muscles in your mouth and
throat.
It could also be due to numbness in your mouth or dryness from the medication you’re taking.
If you’re having difficulty swallowing, it’s a serious problem.
You’ll need to do some exercises to safely eat and drink.
You might also have to make some changes to your diet to deal with the issue.
4.
Itching
This is caused by damage to the nerves that control the sensation in your central nervous
system.
Because of this, you will still feel itchy, even when no irritant is visible.
Normal itching solutions such as skin creams will not work, as the itchiness is not caused
by bug bites or rashes.
Instead, you may have to consult your doctor and take anti-seizure medications or anti-depressants,
along with cognitive behavioral therapy.
5.
Hearing problems
Around 6% of people that suffer from Multiple Sclerosis also face hearing issues.
It is, however, rare for hearing impairment to be one of the early symptoms.
One of the reasons you might experience hearing loss is because of nerve damage in the pathways
to the brain and the brainstem.
You don’t have to fear permanent hearing loss, as it normally gets resolved over time.
Hearing loss is really not all that common with MS.
6.
Tremors
One of the more common symptoms associated with Multiple Sclerosis is tremors.
This describes involuntary shaking in various body parts.
Tremors occur due to damaged nerves that help coordinate your movements.
Of the different kinds of tremors you might experience, the intention tremor is the most
common kind.
It happens when you're trying to hold on to an object or reach for something.
It also occurs when you’re intentionally trying to move your hands or feet to a specific
place.
Tremors make it very difficult to do your everyday tasks.
You’ll have trouble getting dressed, and even performing simple tasks like eating and
drinking.
There is no effective medication available for tremors, but you can try physical therapy
to help with the shaking.
7.
Headache and migraine
In the beginning, a headache was not seen as a symptom of Multiple Sclerosis.
But when an in-depth analysis of 16 studies was done, it was reported headaches are, in
fact, a part of this disease.
Over 3500 Multiple Sclerosis patients were involved in these studies, and more than half
of them suffered from headaches.
Along with these results, 27% of the patients had migraines, while about 10% of the participants
suffered from tension headaches.
Other studies have found the reason for MS headaches to be cortical or brainstem lesions.
8.
Breathing problems
When you have Multiple Sclerosis, one of the key concerns is damage to your chest muscles.
When you have trouble in the nerves controlling your chest muscles, you’ll find it hard
to even breathe properly.
It’s a condition that can get worse as time passes.
If you already suffer from fatigue, this particular issue will be especially exhausting.
Try doing breathing exercises to resolve the issue.
But proper diagnosis and treatment are necessary to avoid further complications.
9.
Loss of taste and smell
Another symptom of MS is a change in how your food smells or tastes.
Research has shown a considerable number of patients suffering with MS had trouble figuring
out the four basic tastes – sweet, sour, salty and bitter.
The reason for this loss of taste is linked with lesions all over the brain.
While not common, some MS patients have also reported the complete opposite reaction - a
heightened sense of taste and smell.
It’s pretty unpredictable.
MS Diagnosis
There is no definitive test for Multiple Sclerosis.
A simple MS diagnosis is done after ruling out other conditions.
Your doctor will need your complete medical history, and will likely put you through detailed
medical diagnosis.
You are likely go through the following:
Blood Test
Blood tests help rule out other diseases with similar symptoms.
These blood tests also serve as a checklist for biomarkers associated with Multiple Sclerosis.
This can be especially helpful for your diagnosis.
Spinal Tap
Also known as lumbar puncture, spinal taps are used to draw a small sample of fluid from
your spinal canal.
It’s then sent for lab analysis.
If the sample shows abnormalities in antibodies associated with this disease, you’re likely
to be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Lumbar puncture also helps rule out conditions and infections with symptoms similar to this
disease.
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used to find out if there are any lesions on your brain
or spinal cord.
In case lesions are present, they are checked to see if they’re relative to Multiple Sclerosis
areas.
Mostly, an MRI is done using an intravenous injection.
The injection has a contrast material to highlight lesions.
This is to find out if your disease is in an active phase.
Evoked potential tests
Evoked potential tests involve recording the electrical signals produced by your nervous
system in response to various stimuli.
During such tests, you might be subject to visual or electrical stimuli.
During a test, you’ll be made to watch a moving visual pattern, or short electrical
impulses will be applied to nerves in your legs or arms.
Electrodes measure how quickly the information travels down your nerve pathways.
Treatment
There is no ultimate cure for this disease.
Multiple Sclerosis treatment mostly focuses on managing your symptoms, slowing the progression
of the disease, and recovering from attacks.
Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis attacks typically involves plasma exchange.
Your doctor will likely prescribe you medications.
These are used to reduce nerve inflammation.
With plasma exchange, the liquid part of your blood is removed and separated from your blood
cells.
These blood cells are then mixed with a protein solution, and put back into your body.
Plasma exchange is used when other treatments fail to produce results.
Treatment to slow down MS progression involves medication and therapies.
There are several disease-modifying therapies available to prevent a relapse.
Multiple Sclerosis is a challenging disease.
It affects your brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
While it’s not an entirely treatable disease, you can still manage symptoms by following
your doctor's advice.
A good diet that boosts your brain’s health is the right direction to start.
Check out the 9 Best Foods To Boost Your Brain Function And Memory.
Or how about The 11 Worst Foods For Your Brain?
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both,and take good care of your brain.
Do you know someone with Multiple Sclerosis?
Let us know in the comments below!