MS, also known as multiple sclerosis, is an autoimmune disease that affects more than 400,000 Americans, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple sclerosis is caused by the body's immune system attacking the protective covering, called myelin, surrounding the nerves. When the myelin is damaged, the signals between the nerves and the brain and spinal cord are interrupted, creating a variety of symptoms, some of which can be debilitating.
The first sign of multiple sclerosis is often numbness in the arms and legs that may range from a mild tingling to severe numbness that interferes with movement of that part of the body. The tingling occurs as nerve signals are interrupted, and more severe numbness occurs when the damage to the myelin is so extensive that the nerves themselves become damaged.
Movement Difficulty
Movement can be affected because the nerves cannot efficiently communicate between each other, the brain, the spinal cord and the muscles. The muscles may become weak from lack of nerve stimulation, which can cause a change in gait, such as a toe drag, a dropped foot, a hip hike or a trunk lean. Muscles may also become tight from a lack of movement and stimulation, which results in spastic movements.
Dizziness and Vertigo
Many patients suffering from MS will have problems with balance or experience feelings of spinning, known as vertigo. These feelings are caused by the buildup of scar tissue (sclerosis) in the areas of the brain that control vision and spatial input.
Vision Problems
Vision can be impaired when the myelin covering the optic nerve, the nerve that connects the eyes to the brain, is damaged. Many patients will experience double vision or blurry vision. As the damage progresses, a scotoma, which is a dark spot in the center of the vision field, may occur. Some patients may even become blind in the eye with the affected optic nerve.
Movement of the eyes is also controlled by the nerves. When these nerves are damaged, the horizontal or vertical movements of the eye may become uncontrollable, a condition known as nystagmus. This may also lead to vision impairments.
Emotional Changes
Multiple sclerosis is unpredictable, with symptoms that may come and go and become worse as time progresses. Dealing with it can be stressful and cause many emotional symptoms in addition to the physical symptoms. Patients may experience periods of depression that may initiate severe mood swings, irritability and uncontrollable laughing or crying. As patients lose some of their abilities, such as walking, they will also feel grief.
Fatigue
Many of these symptoms, including muscle weakness, the inability to move easily and depression, contribute to fatigue, which affects approximately 80 percent of all MS patients, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Patients suffering from MS, however, may also experience a new type of fatigue that doctors refer to as lassitude. This fatigue is more pronounced than normal fatigue and begins in the morning even after a good night’s rest. The exact cause of lassitude is still unknown, but the feelings are very real to patients.
