Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the nerves in your brain and spinal cord (also known as your central nervous system). These nerve fibers are responsible for transmitting messages throughout your body. They are covered with a covering called "myelin", which facilitates message transmission and protects them.
In MS, your body's immune system turns against itself and attacks the myelin layer. In such a case, the nerve Message transmission through fibers is affected - it slows down, deteriorates or stops completely. Since the central nervous system connects all body activities, many different symptoms can be seen in MS. This depends on which part of the brain or spinal cord is damaged and what the affected nerve does.
For example, if the nerves that control movement in your legs are affected, you may have difficulty walking.
Some symptoms, such as difficulty walking, are very obvious; but many are not obvious. Some of these “invisible” symptoms include pain, numbness, fatigue, and bladder and bowel problems. MS is a progressive condition, which means symptoms accumulate over time.
Because MS affects the brain and spinal cord, it can lead to a wide range of neurological symptoms. Complaints related to MS may appear during an "MS attack" and may improve later, or some may persist for a long time.
These symptoms vary in terms of severity and duration. A person with MS usually experiences one or more symptoms, but not everyone has all of these symptoms. Silent periods (remission) in which there are no complaints or symptoms are also observed in the course of the disease.
The most common of these symptoms are summarized below:
• Sensory symptoms; Sensory symptoms such as numbness, tingling, felting, pain in the face, arms or legs,
• Visual symptoms: Blurred vision, double vision,
• Weakness; Loss of strength in arms and legs, loss of skill in fine movements,
• Urinary/intestinal problems: Such as urinary incontinence, urinary discharge problem and constipation,
• Dizziness, balance problems, tremors,
• Fatigue
Less commonly, Depression, sexual dysfunction, memory problems, sleep problems, headaches, and epileptic seizures may occur.
In MS, complaints such as fatigue, weakness, and numbness may occur intermittently during the day or may last for days or weeks. It is known that complaints during the attack period last at least 24 hours. For this reason, it is important how long the complaints have been seen in terms of monitoring the disease.
The most important data for diagnosis are obtained from your disease history and examination findings. The diagnosis of MS should be made by a neurologist, preferably a specialist experienced in MS. The diagnosis is questionable in some people with MS, and even the most experienced centers in the world experience diagnostic problems. Because there are many diseases that can mimic MS, especially in the early stages. Laboratory findings such as MRI and cerebrospinal fluid examination can also give similar findings in many diseases other than MS. Since no test alone will be sufficient to diagnose MS, the diagnosis is made as a result of history, neurological examination and tests.
– The doctor listens to your health information and investigates whether symptoms of MS disease have been seen in the past.
– A detailed neurological examination is performed.
– It shows the response of the central nervous system to a certain stimulus at the appropriate time, called “evoked potentials”. tests that measure it.
– Brain – Spinal Fluid examination. In this process, the content of the fluid surrounding the spinal cord is examined.
Each patient's MS should be evaluated individually, any two It should not be forgotten that MS patients are not alike.
Signs and symptoms in MS vary depending on the location of involvement:
- Affected Area Signs and Findings
- Ocular Nerve Optic neuritis: Blurred vision
- Brain stem Double vision, mixed vision
- Imbalance
- Dizziness
- Cerebellum Balance Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Tremor
- Drunken talking and walking
- Spinal Cord Muscle contraction
- Weakness
- Numbness/numbness
- Bladder problems
- Intestinal problems
- Diffuse Brain
- Involvement Mental involvement
- Depression
- Mania
- Inability to Attach to a Specific Area
- Fatigue
- Pain
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