Why do symptoms of ms come and go

Tingling and numbness are other common early warning signs of MS. These symptoms most often occur in the:. Initially, the numbness and tingling may be mild, but they can become more severe over time.

Most of the time, these symptoms are not disabling and will come and go without the need for treatment. Up to two-thirds of people with MS worldwide report related pain.

A person may experience short- or long-term pain. Muscle spasms — sharp, jerking movements of the legs and arms — are also common. Less commonly, people with MS experience vertigo , which is the sensation that the surroundings are spinning. This occurs when lesions affect the parts of the brain that maintain balance. The majority of people with MS experience some degree of bladder dysfunction.

Bladder issues occur when lesions affect nerve signals that control the bladder and urinary function. Bowel issues are less common than bladder problems in people with MS, although some experience diarrhea , constipation , or loss of bowel control. Sexual arousal begins in the central nervous system , when the brain sends messages to the sexual organs. Damage to these nerves causes some people with MS to notice changes in their levels of sexual desire, sexual activity, and ability to orgasm.

Approximately half of all people with MS will notice cognitive changes that affect their:. Emotional health problems are also common, including depression , stress , and anxiety. These issues can arise as people manage their symptoms and other impacts of MS on their lives. MS is an autoimmune disease that damages the central nervous system. The exact cause is not clear, but genetic and environmental factors likely play a role in its onset. Anyone with early symptoms of MS should consult a doctor without delay.

Damage to the central nervous system can occur even before a person experiences symptoms. Many treatments can help slow the progression of MS and alleviate symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and bladder problems. The signs of MS can vary widely. A pesky dark or cloudy spot in the field of vision is a pain in the arse. But when that eye is lost to optic neuritis for good, we lose a level of independence. MS symptoms come, and MS symptoms go, but sometimes they come and they stay.

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By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Since this disease affects people so differently, it is impossible to predict how it will affect you. It is important to remember that most people with MS do not end up in a wheelchair, and life expectancy is normal or near normal. For information and support on coping with multiple sclerosis, please see the recommended organizations, books and Spanish-language resources listed below.

Bowling, Md. The most lead-contaminated neighborhoods in cities are often the poorest and home to the highest percentage of nonwhite children. Your Health. Your Wellness. Your Care. Real Women, Real Stories. Home multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis. Medically Reviewed. Overview What Is It?

Symptoms Most commonly, MS starts with a vague symptom that disappears completely within a few days or weeks. Specific symptoms associated with MS can include: Fatigue: Fatigue that is significant and unpredictable and out of proportion to the activity; fatigue is one of the most common and one of the most troubling symptoms of MS. Cognitive function: Short-term memory problems and difficulty concentrating and thinking, typically not severe enough to seriously interfere with daily functioning, although sometimes they do.

Judgment and reasoning may also be affected. Visual disturbances: Blurring of vision, double vision, pain on eye movement and rarely total loss of sight.

Balance and coordination problems: Loss of balance, tremor, unstable walking, dizziness vertigo , clumsiness and lack of coordination. Weakness: Usually in the legs. Spasticity: Altered muscle tone can produce spasms or muscle stiffness, which can affect mobility and walking. Altered sensation: Tingling, numbness, a burning feeling in the face, arms, legs or other areas of the body.

Abnormal speech: Slowing of speech, slurring of words and changes in rhythm of speech. Difficulty in swallowing dysphagia. Sexuality and intimacy: Impotence, diminished arousal and loss of sensation. Pain: Facial pain and muscle pains. Diagnosis Diagnosing MS involves several tests and a lot of discussions with several types of health care professionals. The specific tests that help make an MS diagnosis include the following: MRI: Health care professionals may use MRI to scan the brain for lesions indicating early evidence of damages.

An MRI is painless and noninvasive. Visual evoked potential tests VEPs : VEPs measure how quickly a person's nervous system responds to certain stimulation. The time it takes for your brain to receive and interpret messages is a clue to your condition. Spinal tap: A spinal tap tests cerebrospinal fluid fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord for substances that indicate strong immune activity in the central nervous system.

A spinal tap helps rule out viral infections and other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of MS. It cannot confirm MS, but it can help support an MS diagnosis. Blood tests: These may help rule out other potential causes of symptoms, such as Lyme disease, lupus, vitamin deficiencies or other infections. Optical coherence tomography OCT : A relatively new test, OCT is a painless, noninvasive procedure that looks at the structures at the back of the eye.

Doctors use OCT to assess the condition of the retinal nerve. People with MS have a different retinal nerve fiber layer than people without MS. If you are diagnosed with MS, it will most likely follow one of four patterns: Clinically isolated syndrome: This is when a person has their first episode of symptoms suggesting the onset of MS. People with this pattern of MS experience clearly defined attacks, called exacerbations or relapses, followed by periods of partial or complete recovery, called remissions.

During remission, all symptoms may disappear or some symptoms may continue while others stop. During remission, the disease stops progressing. There's no way to know how long a remission will last after an attack — it could be a month or it could be several years or it could be indefinite. SPMS can be active or not active, as well as with progression or without progression.

When SPMS is not active, there is no activity. SPMS with progression means there is worsening of symptoms. When the disease is without progression, the disease is not changing over time.

Primary progressive MS: This pattern of MS is characterized from the onset by a nearly continuous worsening of the disease, with no distinct relapses or remissions. There may be temporary periods with minor relief from symptoms but no long-lasting relief. This process may also be active or not active and progressive or not progressive stable over time. Treatment There is no cure for MS, but some strategies can change or slow the course of the disease, manage symptoms, treat flare-ups, improve function and address mental health issues.

Other ways to cope with MS An MS diagnosis doesn't have to stop your life, but you will have to learn — and practice — strategies for managing fatigue and dealing with other temporary or long-term disabilities. Check your health plan for coverage. Not all cover physical and occupational therapy.

Things you can do at home to manage fatigue or limited mobility include: Declutter your living areas. Share household tasks with family members. Simplify tasks like cooking so they are less stressful. For example, cook more frozen vegetables or freeze meals, so you can give yourself time off from meal preparation.

Make tasks less tiring. For example, put a table and chair in the kitchen so you can sit while cutting or stirring. Identify your priorities. Find shortcuts with tasks that are important to you and eliminate the tasks that are not essential. Cut back on tiring activities, or make changes to your activities that will save energy such as planting a smaller garden. Minimize or combine errands if it's easier to make one trip instead of multiple trips. At work, you may want to try the following: Manage your workload to accommodate fatigue.

For example, if you feel good in the morning but tire rapidly in the afternoon, do your most demanding work in the morning. Ask your employer about flex time. Consider multiple short breaks instead of an hour-long lunch — perhaps a minute lunch and two minute breaks. When you're having trouble concentrating, close your office door or take your work to a quiet area, if possible.

Journaling can also be a helpful coping strategy. A written or recorded account can help you keep track of when symptoms occur, the management tools that work best for specific symptoms, your medication schedule and many other issues related to your condition.

Recording your thoughts and feelings may also be helpful to you. However, it is important to not get carried away and obsess over each little feeling or sensation.