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Early Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

There are several early symptoms of multiple sclerosis you could experience as a result of developing MS. The most typical early symptoms are tingling, numbness, loss of balance, weakness in one or more limbs, and blurred or double vision. 

These usually happen in young adults, between the ages of 20 and 40. The symptoms can range from very mild to very severe. When they are mild, they may be barely noticeable. You may not even know you're having the symptoms until you look back years later.

Some of Cir's earliest symptoms were weakness, and loss of balance. He was around the age of 16. He just figured he had something like a cold or flu. Thinking back now, he believes this could have been the beginning of his MS.

These early symptoms of multiple sclerosis came and went over a period of several years. Later he also had vision problems. An episode of optic neuritis (ON), sent him to a neurologist and eventually gave him a diagnosis.

A CIS - maybe?

Many experience something called a clinical isolated syndrome or CIS. It is one symptom or a set of symptoms that happens only once.

It is only considered to be MS if it happens a second time. And even then an MRI or other test must be taken to confirm the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Relapsing-remitting is usually the diagnosis after the second attack.

If there is no second attack, a diagnosis of MS can't be given. CIS or clinically isolated syndrome is said to be the cause. This is when someone has one symptom that is typical of MS like optic neuritis, but with no other episodes or attacks.

A person with a CIS may or may not develop MS later on. About sixty to eighty percent of those who have a CIS will go on to develop multiple sclerosis. The other twenty to forty percent will not.

List of early symptoms of multiple sclerosis

The following is a list of the earliest symptoms common to MS. Of course, in and of themselves, they could be a symptom of any number of things. That's why it takes a complete examination by a neurologist to rule out everything else that it could possibly be.

So, don't automatically think that you have MS when one of these symptoms arises. Go to your doctor and talk to them about what's bothering you. He or she knows your history. And you ultimately know your body.

More than likely you will realize that something is not right long before anyone else does. Cir had a feeling of imbalance for a long time, before he went to a doctor. That feeling along with optic neuritis were what eventually sent him to find out once and for all, what was wrong.

The earlier the better

Obviously, the earlier multiple sclerosis is diagnosed, the earlier you can begin to do something about it. So if you have any of the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis listed above, and they are bothersome, get a doctors opinion.

If you choose the traditional route of MS treatments, most neurologists will advise you the earlier, the better. If you choose to use alternative treatments, the same is true. The main object is to slow the progression of the disease, by whatever means you have available to you.

Learn as much as you can about MS, so that you can manage the symptoms and maintain you quality of life for as long as you can.

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