What Are The Early Signs Of MS?

In the beginning, symptoms can be subtle.

Multiple sclerosis can have vague, non-specific symptoms, like dizziness — especially in the early stages. Here’s what to know (and when to talk to your healthcare provider).

What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease. “It causes your body’s immune system to attack and damage the protective tissue covering nerve fibers around your brain or spinal cord,” says Divya Arya, MD, neurologist and MS specialist at Geisinger.

While it doesn’t have a known cause, a few factors are believed to contribute, including:

Genetics
Certain viral infections like Epstein-Barr virus
Head trauma
Smoking
Vitamin D deficiency
Environmental exposures

MS affects everyone with differing symptoms and levels of severity.

What are the early symptoms of MS?

MS symptoms can be vague. They can also vary from person to person.

Early in the disease, symptoms may be mild. They may also come and go. Common symptoms of multiple sclerosis include:

Numbness
Tingling
Blurry or double vision
Eye pain
Problems with coordination
Excessive fatigue
Dizziness

Other symptoms include:

Heat sensitivity
Sexual dysfunction
Mood changes
Brain fog
Bladder or bowel problems
Muscle weakness

Symptoms of MS can come on suddenly or be more gradual. They may worsen or change over time.

When to talk to your healthcare provider

Because MS symptoms can be caused by other conditions, you may not think anything of them. A little more tired than usual? It could just be that you’ve been busier lately. Dizziness? Might be dehydration. Tripping or falling may be explained by clumsiness. Numbness or tingling could be from a pinched nerve.

One crucial point to remember is that just because you have any of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have multiple sclerosis. They can be caused by other conditions, like:

Anemia
Lupus
Lyme disease
Migraines
Spinal damage, like bulging discs
Vitamin B12 deficiency

Symptoms that improve with rest or go away quickly likely don’t need a trip to the doctor. But you may want to get checked out if something doesn’t feel right.

“If you have new symptoms or they don’t go away, contact your healthcare provider,” says Dr. Arya.

What happens next

When you visit your healthcare provider with possible MS symptoms, they start evaluating your symptoms. They may order bloodwork or imaging. And they’ll likely refer you to a neurologist, who will do more testing.

“Multiple sclerosis takes time to diagnose,” says Dr. Arya. “Symptoms can start days, months or even years before an actual diagnosis.”

After a series of tests, to be diagnosed as having MS, you must meet certain diagnostic criteria, which your healthcare provider can explain.

If you are diagnosed, your care team will work with you to build a plan that helps you manage symptoms and feel your best.

Depending on the type and severity of your MS, your care team may recommend a combination of treatments, including:

Lifestyle changes, like a healthy diet or quitting smoking
Medication
Physical, occupational and/or speech therapy
Cognitive rehabilitation

Feeling like yourself again

An MS diagnosis can feel uncertain. But if you do get diagnosed, you and your healthcare provider will work together to help you reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms and keep flareups at bay. So you can spend less time worrying, and more time enjoying life.