From fatigue to sexual dysfunction, multiple sclerosis can come with a debilitating set of symptoms. You may know someone living with multiple sclerosis, but do you know how they are affected by MS?
9 Common MS Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis symptoms and complications often relate to where myelin and nerve damage occurs in the body. Many organs and systems in the body can be affected. Common issues include:
Fatigue: According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, many people living with multiple sclerosis suffer from fatigue. MS-based fatigue can be difficult to diagnose at first as many diseases also cause fatigue, but in MS, heat is known to make the problem worse. According to Dr. Chitnis, "fatigue is a chronic symptom of MS that can be disabling, but it can be treated with medication."
Loss of Mobility and Spasticity: Multiple sclerosis can attack the part of the brain that regulates motor function. This problem is what Rick Sommers, diagnosed with MS in 1994, calls "a predisposition to being clumsy" — meaning that it causes frequent stumbles and missteps and may eventually cause a more severe disability. "Will I end up in a wheelchair?" is still a question frequently asked by people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and though many people living with MS will need assistance from adaptive technologies at some point in their lives, doctors are now reporting that the outlook is better than ever. Chitnis says that currently "the goal of treatment is to prevent disability."
Bowel and Urinary Dysfunction: "Urinary symptoms are common in people living with MS and usually involve urgency or frequency issues," Chitnis says. Incontinence, or an involuntary loss of urine, can also appear in MS patients, not necessarily due to the direct action of multiple sclerosis but due to a combination of MS complications such as a less-active lifestyle and the side effects of medications, says Chitnis.
Cognitive Issues: Problems with processing thoughts, concentration, memory, or other issues related to mental awareness or judgment are widespread among people living with MS and have been gaining more attention recently. Jeffrey Gingold, diagnosed in 1996, suffers from cognitive issues as a result of his MS. "Because it's a mental condition," he says, of the cognitive effects of MS, "there's more of a stigma attached. People are reluctant to talk about it." Still, Gingold believes this perception is gradually changing. In the past, he says, "even health care providers sometimes had a tendency to write such issues off as stress or a menopause-related problem, for women." Now, people are taking the common cognitive symptoms of multiple sclerosis more seriously.
Depression: Depression can be caused by a number of factors in people with multiple sclerosis. Chitnis says the relationship between depression and MS is complex: For people predisposed to depression, some of the medications that are used to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis can make symptoms of depression worse; for other people, the shock of being diagnosed with a chronic illness can lead to depression. In addition, she says, depression can develop as a direct result of multiple sclerosis, occurring when the part of the brain that regulates emotions is attacked and damaged.
Sexual Dysfunction: Sexual dysfunction is a common complaint among people living with MS. Sexual problems in people with MS can result from a multiple sclerosis attack on the part of the brain that controls sexual function or the nerves that send impulses to the sex organs. Or, they can come as a result of a combination of other MS complications. Depression and fatigue, for instance, are often linked to lessened sexual desire. And spasticity and loss of mobility, which are common in MS, can cause discomfort during sexual activity.
Speech Problems: Speech issues can appear in people living with MS if multiple sclerosis attacks the part of the brain that controls verbal communication or the nerves that send communication between the mouth and brain. Speech problems take the form of slurred or nasal-sounding speech, and changes in cadence, such as additional pauses between words and syllables where none are usually found.
Lung Issues: Your brain automatically regulates certain essential bodily functions such as breathing and your heart beat, even while you're sleep. If multiple sclerosis damages the part of the brain that controls such automatic functions, serious problems can result. If you have MS and you're having difficulty breathing, don't delay seeing a doctor or even going to the emergency room.
Osteoporosis: People with MS are at increased risk for osteoporosis, a disease that causes thinning of the bones. Because the condition also creates mobility and spacticity problems, some people with MS are more prone to falling, which also increases their chances of breaking a bone. In addition, steroid drugs are frequently prescribed to treat flare-ups of MS symptoms and, while they do an effective job of bringing MS symptoms under control, they can also increase the risk for osteoporosis.
While multiple sclerosis complications will vary from person to person, understanding these common risk factors can help you and your doctor in creating a disease management plan that works best for your individualized needs.
9 Common MS Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis symptoms and complications often relate to where myelin and nerve damage occurs in the body. Many organs and systems in the body can be affected. Common issues include:
Fatigue: According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, many people living with multiple sclerosis suffer from fatigue. MS-based fatigue can be difficult to diagnose at first as many diseases also cause fatigue, but in MS, heat is known to make the problem worse. According to Dr. Chitnis, "fatigue is a chronic symptom of MS that can be disabling, but it can be treated with medication."
Loss of Mobility and Spasticity: Multiple sclerosis can attack the part of the brain that regulates motor function. This problem is what Rick Sommers, diagnosed with MS in 1994, calls "a predisposition to being clumsy" — meaning that it causes frequent stumbles and missteps and may eventually cause a more severe disability. "Will I end up in a wheelchair?" is still a question frequently asked by people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and though many people living with MS will need assistance from adaptive technologies at some point in their lives, doctors are now reporting that the outlook is better than ever. Chitnis says that currently "the goal of treatment is to prevent disability."
Bowel and Urinary Dysfunction: "Urinary symptoms are common in people living with MS and usually involve urgency or frequency issues," Chitnis says. Incontinence, or an involuntary loss of urine, can also appear in MS patients, not necessarily due to the direct action of multiple sclerosis but due to a combination of MS complications such as a less-active lifestyle and the side effects of medications, says Chitnis.
Cognitive Issues: Problems with processing thoughts, concentration, memory, or other issues related to mental awareness or judgment are widespread among people living with MS and have been gaining more attention recently. Jeffrey Gingold, diagnosed in 1996, suffers from cognitive issues as a result of his MS. "Because it's a mental condition," he says, of the cognitive effects of MS, "there's more of a stigma attached. People are reluctant to talk about it." Still, Gingold believes this perception is gradually changing. In the past, he says, "even health care providers sometimes had a tendency to write such issues off as stress or a menopause-related problem, for women." Now, people are taking the common cognitive symptoms of multiple sclerosis more seriously.
Depression: Depression can be caused by a number of factors in people with multiple sclerosis. Chitnis says the relationship between depression and MS is complex: For people predisposed to depression, some of the medications that are used to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis can make symptoms of depression worse; for other people, the shock of being diagnosed with a chronic illness can lead to depression. In addition, she says, depression can develop as a direct result of multiple sclerosis, occurring when the part of the brain that regulates emotions is attacked and damaged.
Sexual Dysfunction: Sexual dysfunction is a common complaint among people living with MS. Sexual problems in people with MS can result from a multiple sclerosis attack on the part of the brain that controls sexual function or the nerves that send impulses to the sex organs. Or, they can come as a result of a combination of other MS complications. Depression and fatigue, for instance, are often linked to lessened sexual desire. And spasticity and loss of mobility, which are common in MS, can cause discomfort during sexual activity.
Speech Problems: Speech issues can appear in people living with MS if multiple sclerosis attacks the part of the brain that controls verbal communication or the nerves that send communication between the mouth and brain. Speech problems take the form of slurred or nasal-sounding speech, and changes in cadence, such as additional pauses between words and syllables where none are usually found.
Lung Issues: Your brain automatically regulates certain essential bodily functions such as breathing and your heart beat, even while you're sleep. If multiple sclerosis damages the part of the brain that controls such automatic functions, serious problems can result. If you have MS and you're having difficulty breathing, don't delay seeing a doctor or even going to the emergency room.
Osteoporosis: People with MS are at increased risk for osteoporosis, a disease that causes thinning of the bones. Because the condition also creates mobility and spacticity problems, some people with MS are more prone to falling, which also increases their chances of breaking a bone. In addition, steroid drugs are frequently prescribed to treat flare-ups of MS symptoms and, while they do an effective job of bringing MS symptoms under control, they can also increase the risk for osteoporosis.
While multiple sclerosis complications will vary from person to person, understanding these common risk factors can help you and your doctor in creating a disease management plan that works best for your individualized needs.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment