According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system)." Multiple sclerosis damages the myelin, which wraps around the axon of the neuron, resulting in a disruption of nerve activity. As a result, the nerve damage causes symptoms throughout the patient's body. According to the Mayo Clinic, "most people with multiple sclerosis, particularly in the beginning stages of the disease, experience relapses of symptoms, which are followed by periods of complete or partial remission." However, patients will not experience all of the symptoms.
Muscle Symptoms
Patients with multiple sclerosis can have recurring muscle symptoms that greatly impact their level of mobility. According to the NIH, patients can experience a loss of balance, problems moving their arms or legs, problems walking and coordination issues. In addition, multiple sclerosis patients can also have muscle spasms, tremors and weakness, which can exacerbate the other muscle symptoms. As a result, multiple sclerosis patients may require mobility devices, like a cane, to move around.
Bowel and Bladder Symptoms
According to the NIH, the nerve damage from multiple sclerosis can result in bowel and bladder symptoms. Many patients have issues with urination, such as problems with initiating urination, or strong or frequent urge to urinate. Other bowel and bladder symptoms of multiple sclerosis include constipation, stool leakage and incontinence, which can be inconvenient for the patient.
Eye Symptoms
Vision is also affected by multiple sclerosis, which also contributes to patients' mobility problems. According to the NIH, multiple sclerosis patients can have vision loss, double vision, eye discomfort and uncontrollable rapid eye movement.
Brain and Nerve Symptoms
The brain and nerves are also heavily impacted by the damage to the myelin sheath, according to the NIH. Physiological symptoms include balance problems, hearing loss and slurred speech. Patients may also experience dizziness as a symptom. Mood can also be affected by multiple sclerosis; for example, multiple sclerosis patients may suffer from depression. In addition, nerve damage from multiple sclerosis can also alter the patient's mental state and ability to think clearly. These symptoms include decreased attention span, poor judgment, memory loss, and difficulty reasoning and solving problems.
