Multiple sclerosis is a complex disease to understand because symptoms may vary from person to person. Multiple sclerosis or MS is a disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord. The disease can cause problems with balance, vision, and muscle control. Doctors aren’t quite sure what causes MS, but the autoimmune disease begins to attack the protective sheath (or myelin) that covers nerve fibers and enables communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

Below you will find early common symptoms of MS;

1. Numbness and tingling
Numbness and tingling may be experienced in the early stages of MS. Usually, it is felt in the legs, although numbness can also be felt in the face. You may also feel a shock when you move your neck or head. This feeling may travel down to your spine.

2. Muscle spasms and pain
Most people who have MS experience muscle spasms. Often the spasms occur in the legs. The spasms can range from mild to strong and painful. You may also experience tearing pain, burning, or stabbing. Or a tightness around your ribs.

3. Fatigue or weakness
Fatigue is another common symptom of MS. The sudden tiredness usually happens in the afternoon. Weak muscles and sleepiness are also something that you may experience. The sudden fatigue has nothing to do with how much sleep you get or working too hard.

4. Balance and dizziness
MS can cause balance problems and dizziness. With MS you may experience gait changes, balance difficulty, and walking difficulty. Tremors, muscle spasms, and muscle weakness can make it difficult to walk.

5. Bladder issues
Multiple sclerosis can affect your bladder and bowel issues. MS can cause you to either urinate frequently or you may not be able to empty your bladder. You also may experience constipation.

6. Cognitive problems
MS can impair your thinking. This symptom can be very subtle. It can be so subtle you may not even notice it is happening until someone points it out to you. You may experience forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty planning, difficulty multitasking, and difficulty speaking or saying your intended words.

7. Vision problems
A common early symptom is vision problems. These problems come and go. With MS you may experience blurry vision, vision graying, blindness, and pain when you move your eyes. The vision problems usually happen in one eye but it can happen in both. Although this is rare. If vision problems or optic neuritis is happening to you it will most likely get worse for a few days before it gets better. These symptoms can last from 4 to 12 weeks.

While doctors still don’t know what causes MS some things can be done to treat your symptoms. There is no cure, but several disease-modifying drugs and lifestyle changes may help in managing your disease.