MS symptoms

Navigating the stigma that accompanies invisible MS symptoms

In the world of chronic illness, people tend to be perceived differently depending on the visibility of their condition. Some illnesses are easily noticeable while others aren’t, but both pose significant challenges to day-to-day life. I’ve been living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis since 2016, and for the most part,…

The road to my MS diagnosis started through the eyes

I was sitting in an introductory biology class during the second semester of my freshman year in high school when things started going downhill. The teacher was presenting a lesson about the functions of plants, or something in that realm that I donā€™t remember. I sat in the back row,…

Are my new symptoms signs of MS progression?

My last magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was on May 1, just ahead of an appointment with my multiple sclerosis (MS) healthcare provider six days later. The MRI showed that my MS was stable, meaning I had no new or active lesions. I was pleasantly surprised by these…

How good surveillance can help detect the early signs of MS

About four years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), someone else inadvertently ā€œdiagnosedā€ me. This person wasn’t medically trained, probably had no personal knowledge of MS, and didn’t actually use the words ā€œmultiple sclerosis.ā€ Still, they gave me one of the best clues in my quest…

Top 10 MS stories of 2023

Throughout 2023, Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought consistent coverage to our readers of the latest scientific research, developments in treatment, and clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here is a list of the top 10 most-read stories we published last year, along with a brief description. We look…

A quiet MS week that’s just too darned loud to think

Big breath, for my travails below necessitate a catch-up on my story so far. For once, my multiple sclerosis and the myriad joyous comorbidities itā€™s conferred on me ā€”Ā trigeminal neuralgia, lymphedema, diplopia, spasticity ā€” have given me a break. So have the fellow travelers who’ve…

Anti-inflammatory diet, synbiotics ease progressive MS symptoms

An anti-inflammatory diet combined with synbiotic supplements eased fatigue, pain, sexual dysfunction, and bladder and bowel problems in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a small clinical trial. Synbiotics contain probiotics, healthy bacteria for the gut, and prebiotics, or plant fibers that feed probiotics and help…

Periods of oxygen deprivation improve symptoms of MS in mice

A non-invasive treatment called acute intermittent hypoxia, or AIH, involving periods of oxygen deprivation, was found to ease signs and symptoms of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mouse model of the disease. Given during the peak of disease activity, AIH treatment ā€” basically, periods of reduced oxygen exposure…

Itaconate, a common metabolite, shows promise in MS mouse model

Itaconate, a metabolite produced during cellular energy production activities, was found to restore the balance of immune T cells and reduce multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in a mouse model of the disease, a study reported. The common metabolite specifically suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory T cells while promoting the…

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Can Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review

Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may be able to reduce fatigue, spasticity, and pain, and improve quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new meta-analysis reports. The review assessed several NIBS interventions targeting different brain regions. The results suggest that these techniques can have immediate effects…

Climate Change Risk to MS Patients: Worse Symptoms, More Relapses

Temperature variability and increasing exposure to airborne pollutants ā€” both consequences of climate change ā€” can worsen disease symptomsĀ and risk relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. Unwanted effects of environmental change were also linked to a number of other neurological conditions,…

My Wife Says I Should Follow My Own (MS) Advice

I have to be honest: I havenā€™t always been honest. I donā€™t always practice what I preach. My wife called me out on that as we watched an interview I did recently about multiple sclerosis on Montel Williams’ podcast. ā€œYou should follow your own advice,ā€ she told me.

Do You Cry and Don’t Know Why? It Might Be PBA

I often see posts on social media from people with multiple sclerosis asking if crying for no reason is an MS symptom. It can be. Laughing for no reason can be, too. Both can be severe, persistent, unremitting, and unpredictable. The medical name for this is…