First MS Symptoms

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder in which your body's immune system attacks myelin, the fatty sheath that protects your nerves, ultimately resulting in the deterioration of the nerves themselves. Severity and symptoms of MS varies from one sufferer to another.

Risk Factors

• Factors that may increase your risk of developing MS include age, gender and family history. People with other autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid disease or type 1 diabetes are also at higher risk.

Symptoms

• Early symptoms include vision problems such as blurred or double vision, tingling or numb sensations usually beginning at the end of the extremities and moving upward, and muscle weakness and spasms.

Diagnosis

• While no specific tests exist for diagnosing MS, doctors use various procedures such as blood tests, a spinal tap and MRI in order to rule out other conditions which may produce similar symptoms.

Treatment

• Although there is no cure for MS, there are effective medications and strategies available for managing the symptoms of the disease and improving motor function.

Prognosis

• MS is not a fatal disease, although it does negatively impact the sufferer's life. With proper medication and therapy, people with MS can live normal or near-normal life spans.