What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis may be single or multiple and may range from mild to severe in intensity and short to long in duration. Complete or partial remission from symptoms occurs early in about 70% of multiple sclerosis patients.
- Visual disturbances may be the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis, but they usually subside. A patient may notice blurred vision, red-green distortion (color desaturation), or sudden monocular blindness (blindness in one eye).
- Muscle weakness with or without difficulties with coordination and balance may occur early.
- Muscle spasms, fatigue, numbness, and prickling pain are common symptoms.
- There may be a loss of sensation, speech impediment (typically a problem articulating words), tremors, or dizziness.
Fifty-percent of patients experience mental changes such as:
- decreased concentration,
- attention deficits,
- some degree of memory loss,
- inability to perform sequential tasks, or
- impairment in judgment.
Other symptoms may include
- depression,
- manic depression,
- paranoia, or
- an uncontrollable urge to laugh and weep.
As the disease worsens, patients may experience sexual dysfunction or reduced bowel and bladder control. Heat appears to intensify multiple sclerosis symptoms for about 60% of patients. Pregancy seems to reduce the number of attacks.