Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Changes in visual acuity. Pain on moving the eyes, followed by gradual loss of vision and changes in colours (optic neuritis due to damage of the optic nerve).

Double vision (diplopia). It leads to the patient having to cover one eye or who has the sensation that the environment is moving (oscillopsia) due to brain stem involvement.

Sensory disorders. Pins and needles or weakness in one or more parts of the body that may be accompanied by an oppressive sensation (sensation of a band or girdle) in the trunk due to a brain lesion. Occasionally, it is a feeling of an electrical discharge in the back and limbs on flexing the neck (Lhermitte syndrome) produced by a lesion at spinal cord level, or painful electrical discharges located in any part of the face (trigeminal neuralgia), due to a brain stem lesion.

Motor disorders. Weakness in one or more parts of the body that may be isolated or associated with sensory changes due to brain or spinal cord involvement.

Lack of coordination or unstable gait (ataxia). Due to cerebellum and/or brain stem involvement. Occasionally, there is a feeling of vertigo and difficulty in articulating words.

Changes in sphincters. They are common during the course of the disease. They are associated with micturition urgency that gives rise to urine leaks or difficulty in starting micturition.

Weakness in both legs disorder (paraparesis). It is often an asymmetric weakness and is usually accompanied by sensory changes. With time, there are sphincter changes (mainly urinary).

Weakness in the arm and leg of the same side (hemiparesis). Although one limb is more affected than the other. This can also be accompanied by sensory changes.

Lack of coordination or unstable gait (ataxia). Due to cerebellum and/or brain stem involvement. Occasionally, there is a feeling of vertigo and difficulty in articulating words.

Cognitive changes. When it comes to maintaining attention or in those abilities that involve planning. These present during the course of the disease.

Involvement of various neurological functional systems. Despite the fact that different neurological functional systems (motor, sensory, cerebellar, brain stem, visual, sphincters, and mental) may be affected during the course of the disease, only in the most advanced cases are there changes that involve a combination of several of these functional systems.

Fatigue. Of unknown cause, it is not associated with the inflammatory activity of the disease. The affective disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep problems have a negative impact on fatigue.