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World Multiple Sclerosis Day 2020: Know a few warning signs of this disease

World Multiple Sclerosis Day 2020: Know a few warning signs of this disease
There is no cure for this disease and a doctor will only be able to treat the symptoms. But with timely treatment, a patient can live a long and happy life.

Multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system. Today, on the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, here are some of the early warning signs of this disease.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Updated : May 30, 2020 9:57 AM IST

Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating condition that affects the central nervous system. It is a chronic condition where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath or the protective layer around nerve fibers. This leads to inflammation and scar tissue or lesions. Because of this, your brain is unable to send and receive signals to and from the rest of your body. Today is World Multiple Sclerosis Day. This day was initiated in 2009 by the MS International Federation (MSIF) and its members. Today, countries across the world observe this day by striving to increase awareness about this condition.

This is a disease that may go into remission for years. But it always comes back sometimes with different symptoms. It is not a hereditary condition and experts believe that it may be caused by an environmental trigger, like a virus or toxin, that sets off the immune system attack.

Today, on the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, here are some of the early warning signs of this disease.

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Vision problems

Eye problems may set in gradually and you may not be aware of the signs immediately. Inflammation affects the optic nerve and disrupts central vision leading to blurred vision, double vision or even loss of vision. You may also experience pain when you look up or to one side.

Sensation of tingling and numbness

If you have this condition, it affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This causes disruption in the signals sent to and from the brain. At times, no signals may be sent too. This causes numbness and tingling in your face, arms, legs, and fingers.

Pain

Chronic pain and muscle spasms are common in this condition. You may also experience some muscle stiffness and joint pain. Sometimes there may be involuntary movements of the legs and pain in your back.

Weakness

Almost 80 per cent of multiple sclerosis patients experience unexplained weakness in the early stages. This happens because of degeneration of nerves in the spinal column. It can come on suddenly and last for days and weeks before improving. This weakness is first noticeable in the legs.

Balance problems

Coordination and balance problems are common and it affects mobility. If you have this condition, you may also feel lightheaded or dizzy. This too contributes to balancing problems.

Bladder problems

Almost 80 per cent of people with multiple sclerosis experience frequent urination, strong urges to urinate suddenly or incontinence problems. Some people may also face constipation, diarrhea or loss of bowel control.

Cognitive problems

This is also quite common, you may experience memory problems, shortened attention span, depression and difficulty in understanding languages. Memory loss is also possible in some cases.

Symptoms are not the same for everyone and an individual may also experience different symptoms during relapses. In addition to the above-mentioned problems, some of the more serious symptoms are hearing loss, seizures, breathing problems, difficulty in talking, and trouble swallowing. There is no cure for this disease and a doctor will only be able to treat the symptoms. But with timely treatment, a patient can live a long and happy life.