symptoms

Imagine this scene: There’s a rowdy crowd of nearly 40,000 people in a rugby stadium with music blaring over the Tannoy speakers. Newfound numbness spreads throughout the majority of your body, and on top of that, you can hardly see. That was the perfect myriad of factors to elicit my…

The risk of erectile dysfunction was about three times greater in men with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with healthy men, according to a recent meta-analysis of published studies. It was identified in nearly half of the 2,760 adult male patients in these studies, highlighting the importance of diagnosing…

Unusual growth in an immune cell class called myeloid cells is evident in the bone marrow of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and these cells likely contribute to the inflammation that drives the disease, according to a new study. Experiments in mice suggest that myelin-reactive T-cells can migrate to the bone…

When I turned 50 in 2013, I blew out the candles, and bam! I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I started seeing an endocrinologist and a neurologist, taking daily diabetic medications, and testing my blood sugar every day. At that point, I was not physically disabled in any…

A new tool called signal detection theory (SDT) found a relationship between subjective cognitive fatigue, often experienced by people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the activation of certain brain regions, a study reported. Although the relationship was found in both patients and healthy controls after cognitive fatigue was…

In relapsing-remitting MS, relapses and exacerbations involve a worsening of symptoms or the appearance of new ones for 24 hours or more. My disease baseline has changed many times over the years, but has never returned to how it was before my symptoms began. I’m intrigued by how…

After two days — 16 hours of it spent on the road — and 1,104 miles, I hadn’t had a single accident. My bladder control meds must’ve worked. The semiannual trip my wife and I take between Florida’s southwest coast and the suburbs of Washington, D.C. is never…

The presence of self-reactive antibodies, typically seen in autoimmune diseases like scleroderma, may be common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). That finding from a small study indicates high levels of these antinuclear antibodies were correlated with relapse status and ongoing inflammation in MS. The study, “Antinuclear…

Like watching a scale tip up and down, I’m constantly assessing how any choices I make could affect how I feel tomorrow, or even later today. Although my multiple sclerosis was as aggressive and unstable as a hurricane in my first few years with it, I’ve found a baseline…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to have lesions in three regions of the brain — the anterior temporal horn, periventricular region, and cerebellar hemisphere — compared with people with other inflammatory brain diseases, a study reports. Looking for lesions in these parts of the brain may…

People with relapsing multiple sclerosis who have disability progression, but no clinical relapses, show significantly faster brain shrinkage, or atrophy, than those with a stable disease, a study shows. There were no significant differences in the brain atrophy rate between patients with progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) and…

‘Hidden’ Disabilities Fairly Common at RRMS Diagnosis, Study Finds This headline doesn’t report the full nature of this story. In addition to being “fairly common,” the research concludes that disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have little effect on these so-called “hidden disabilities.”  I don’t agree with that conclusion. Most of…

Many people newly diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) experience substantial “hidden disabilities,” such as depression or fatigue, a study highlights. Findings indicate that treatment with disease-modifying therapies generally does not affect the severity of these problems, at least in the short term. “Considering the substantial impact that hidden…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with fatigue have significantly lower levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) — a molecule involved in nerve cell function — in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) relative both to those without this common symptom and healthy people, a study shows. The CSF is the liquid…

Cannabis ‘Highly Effective’ Against MS Symptoms, Some Users Report I would’ve expected many users to report that cannabis has been highly effective at treating MS symptoms, not just some. But comments about this study on the MS News Today Facebook page indicate that people have mixed results. Even…

“Well, this an idea for your next column, John,” my wife, Jane, said, a tad sardonically. At least I thought it was probably sardonic, as there was just a wisp of a razor-thin smirk glimmering at the corners of her eyes. This was because she was wearing a face…

Researchers have identified four new brain proteins that are targeted by inflammatory T-cells in multiple sclerosis (MS), which could aid in the development of more specific and safer treatments for people with the condition. The study, “Identification of four novel T cell autoantigens and personal autoreactive profiles in…

Administering the maresin-1 molecule — a natural anti-inflammatory in the body — in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) led to lower levels of inflammation and improved neurological function, a recent study showed. Maresin-1 and other molecules in its family are called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and are…

Without hesitation, I would say that my bladder and bowel issues have been the hardest symptoms to manage and overcome following my MS diagnosis. It comes down to one thing: the fear of having an accident in public.

More than half of Canadians with multiple sclerosis (MS) report using cannabis to help manage their symptoms, according to a new study. The study, “Medical cannabis use in Canadians with multiple sclerosis,” was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Humans have used the cannabis plant for millennia,…

What was your first MS symptom? Mine — the one that made me realize something was really wrong — was my inability to squeeze the toothpaste tube with my left hand one morning. Of course, there were earlier hints of trouble. I was unusually tired while attending a business…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects all aspects of life, from physical and mental health to relationships, and from work and finances to hobbies and holidays, according to results from an online survey conducted by the U.K.’s MS Trust. Most respondents said they wanted more support to manage their fatigue, improve…

Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) who in their first year after disease onset experience pyramidal symptoms, such as spasticity or weakness, visual problems, or show signs of cerebellum involvement like poorer coordination are more likely to have worse long-term disability, an analysis of registry data indicates. The analysis also…

Loss of gray matter in the spinal cord clearly associates with greater disability in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but determining the extent of its loss is limited by an inability to accurately measure gray matter in all patients, a small study in Spain reported. The true amount of…

An intervention that involves training to recognize facial expressions, and also mimicking these expressions, may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have trouble recognizing facial affect, according to data from a small clinical trial. These findings were reported in the study “Emotional processing intervention (EMOPRINT):…

Electrically stimulating certain regions of the brain may help to ease tremors in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but the specific brain regions needed for stimulation may be unique in MS compared to other tremor-causing diseases, a new study suggests. The study, “Connectomic analysis of unilateral dual-lead…

Symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome, including dry eyes and mouth, were observed among 16 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), three of whom met the diagnostic criteria for Sjögren’s in a recent study. Given this low number, however, it’s unclear if there is a true association between the two diseases,…

While sexual problems are relatively common in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), it can still be difficult to openly discuss their experiences with their doctor. A questionnaire especially tailored for women with MS called the Sexual Dysfunction Management and Expectations Assessment in Multiple sclerosis – Female (SEA-MS-F) may…

Photo courtesy of Lance Schultz Day 30 of 31 This is Lance Schultz’s (@drlschultz) story: My first symptoms began in 2006, the year I turned 50. At first, a cold breeze on my legs would cause severe spasticity. I would walk like Frankenstein’s monster. Shortly thereafter,…

Photo courtesy of Roy Padilla Day 28 of 31 This is Roy Padilla’s (@royale_padilla) story: My journey with MS began around fall 2008 (allegedly). One morning, I woke up with a small headache, that day by day got worse. It became so bad I couldn’t keep my balance.