Month: August 2015

Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

I already have a page about my multiple sclerosis symptoms on this site but it is a personal account and somewhat anecdotal, so I thought it might be more useful to have a more concise and formal page on the subject. Multiple Sclerosis can, by it’s very nature, have many different symptoms each of which can vary in severity, a great deal, from one person to the next. I have some experience of most of the symptoms listed below but I didn’t know the medical names or terminology, so thanks to Paul Jones for his ‘All about Multiple Sclerosis‘ site which is a gold-mine of information on the subject, so much so that he is forming (may have formed already) The Multiple Sclerosis Information Trust. It should be noted that all of the symptoms below are, or can be, brought about by MS but having one of the symptoms is not indicative, in itself, of having MS.

• Ataxia, lack of coordination
• Brain Fog, loss of mental acuity
• Optic Neuritis, Blurred Vision
• Diplopia, Double Vision
• Movement & Sound Phosphenes, Flashing Lights
• Paresis, Muscle Weakness
• Spasticity, Involuntary muscle contractions
• Dysarthria, Slurred Speech
• Dysphasia, Aphasia, Impairment of Communication (see Dysarthria)
• Dysphagia, Difficulty Swallowing
• Muscle Atrophy, Muscle wastage
• Myoclonus, Myokymia, Twitching muscles
• Fasciculation, Muscle Twitching
• Equinovarus Spasticity – Footdrop, Foot drags when walking
• Paresthesia, Numbness and tingling
• Frequent Micturition, Bladder Spasticity, Urinary Urgency
• Erectile Dysfunction A problem few men will admit.
• Anorgasmy, Inability to achieve orgasm
• Retrograde Ejaculation, Ejaculating into the bladder
• Constipation, Difficulty with bowel movements
• Fecal Urgency, Bowel urgency
• Uhthoff’s Symptom, Increase in symptom severity with heat
• Romberg’s Sign, Falling when eyes closed
• Gastroesophagael Reflux, Heartburn or Acid Indigestion
• Impaired Taste or Smell, Loss or distorted taste or smell senses
• Sleeping Disorders, Problems regulating body temperature
• Lhermitte’s Sign, An electrical sensation running down the spine
• Hoffman’s Sign, muscular response to tapping fingernails
• Holmes’ Sign, Slow reaction to suddenly removed resistance
• Vertigo, Dizziness
• Concentration Lapses, Difficulty with problem solving (see Brain Fog)
• Trigeminal Neuralgia, Also called Tic Douloureux, Intense pain to areas of the face
• Temperature Sense Reversal, Hot feels cold and cold feels hot

This list of symptoms is not exhaustive, they are merely conditions I can relate to, and many of them I have experienced first-hand. See the Symptom Details page for a more detailed discussion on each of the above MS manifestations.

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