Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system. It happens when the immune system attacks the nerve fibers and can cause communication issues within your body from the brain. There are many MS treatment options, such as prescription medications like ocrevus, or there are more natural treatments such as physiotherapy and exercise. However, MS is irreversible so you should know what early warning signs to look out for:

1. Numbness and spasms
Numbness and spasms are to be expected in a patient with MS, but if you are undiagnosed and are experiencing these symptoms it might be time to go to a doctor to get it checked out. Numbness and tingling tend to occur in the arms, legs, and torso as do spasms. These symptoms also usually come with spasticity wherein you become stiff and resistant to movement as well as weakness and fatigue.

2. Balance and movement issues
Difficulties with balance and coordination, otherwise known as ataxia, is another warning sign you should look out for. This symptom is often accompanied by clumsiness, dizziness, and vertigo. These symptoms are often worsened by spasms, spasticity, and weakness. Balance issues can often make moving around more difficult which can affect the life of the patient negatively. This symptom is often counteracted with regular exercise and physiotherapy.

3. Vision problems
In approximately 1 in 4 patients with MS vision problems are the first noticeable symptom, typically with optic neuritis occuring in one eye and occasionally both eyes. Vision issues can encompass a temporary loss of vision that lasts from days to weeks, color blindness, pain in the eye worsened by eye movement, light flashes when moving the eye, double vision, and involuntary eye movements.

4. Cognitive problems
Many people with MS suffer from difficulties with cognition. More specifically, patients can suffer from issues with thinking, learning and planning. These issues can manifest as issues with problem solving and short term memory loss, attention span, visuospatial information, and with reasoning and logic. Examples include, not being able to solve a puzzle, often being forgetful as to where they last placed their keys or other important items, and not being able to focus on a show.

5. Bladder issues
While there are many different causes of bladder issues, patients with MS typically have these issues and so you should see a doctor if you experience any of the following: the urge to urinate very frequently, unintentionally passing urine, difficulties emptying the bladder completely, having to wake up throughout the night to urinate often, and/or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). These issues can often be frustrating and even embarrassing and can really affect a patient’s quality of life.