Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease that leads to the destruction of nerves throughout the central nervous system. This disease can affect adults of any age but most commonly affects people between 20 and 40 years of age. The main symptoms of MS can range in severity from mild to debilitating and typically become worse over time.
Muscle Spasticity
If you have MS, you can experience frequent involuntary muscle spasms or muscle stiffness---a condition called spasticity. Symptoms can arise throughout your body, but they predominately occur within the legs. Muscle spasticity can be painful and may be triggered by environmental stimuli, such as temperature or humidity.
Fatigue
MS causes the destruction of the central nervous system nerves, which can lead to symptoms of fatigue in some patients. MS LifeLines, an informational MS website provided by the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and EMD Serono, reports that 80 percent of MS patients experience excessive fatigue or tiredness. This symptom can make it difficult for patients to remain active and attentive throughout the day, which may negatively affect work, school or social relationships.
Decreased Coordination
Nerve deterioration accompanied by muscle spasticity can lead to balance and coordination problems in patients with MS. Decreased muscle strength can make it difficult for you to walk or may cause you to limp or drag your toe while you move about. You may develop sensations of numbness, prickling or tingling within your toes, feet or legs, which may interfere with your ability to stand or walk normally. As a patient with MS, you can frequently lose your balance and may begin to sway or stumble when you walk around.
Pain
Over 50 percent of patients with MS experience pain as a symptom of this condition, reports MS LifeLines. Painful symptoms can develop throughout your body and may occur suddenly (acute) or persistently (chronic). These pain symptoms may be characterized as stabbing, burning, prickling or aching and typically occur in conjunction with muscle spasticity or decreased coordination.
Vision Difficulties
Patients with MS can experience vision changes. You may notice that your vision appears blurred or doubled (diplopia) due to inflammation of the optic nerve. Some patients experience involuntary eye movements---a condition called nystagmus. Though MS-related vision problems can be troublesome, they rarely cause blindness and may resolve in later stages of this disease.
Memory Loss
If you have MS, you may notice that you begin to have trouble remembering certain information. It can be harder for you to recall recent conversations or you may find that you frequently misplace or lose commonly used items, such as car keys. Such symptoms can begin to become worse as this disease progresses.
