symptoms

“Oh no, not again.” My mind races and time slows as I crumble to the floor. Every downward movement is magnified, and so too is the pain of my twisted left foot and leg. They have become the resting place for my slumping body. My fuzzy and confused mind…

Last October actress Selma Blair revealed that she’d been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). She did it by posting the announcement on her Instagram account. Back then she wrote, “I have MS and I am ok.” She described her symptoms in some detail, but her overall…

An international survey of caregivers and adults with neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), revealed that spasticity is a hidden burden, having a negative effect on the ability to perform everyday tasks, and that relieving its symptoms significantly improves patients’ quality of life. The survey was presented by…

My readers have recently brought something to my attention: They informed me that not all MS exacerbations (flare-ups, relapses, and attacks) are created equal. I have learned that along with the hardcore types, which usually require steroid treatment, there are also pseudo-exacerbations. I can always trace the causes of…

Fatigue is more prevalent among patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study that surveyed patients on fatigue and factors related to it. In addition, increased fatigue severity correlated with greater physical, cognitive, and psychological impairment, although the strength of this link was largely the same…

To grasp the connection between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis (MS), it is first important to understand this vitamin’s power. It is one of the “superhero” vitamins needed to help keep our bodies functioning properly. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D is essential for us to absorb the…

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the forum topic “Leg spasticity: How do you manage it?“, from April 30, 2018.  What…

Blood infection with the yeast Candida albicans, a type of fungus, can reach the brain and trigger an immune response, a new mouse study shows. Although the fungus can be cleared within 10 days, it affects the spatial memory of mice. These findings are the first evidence that a blood infection with a…

Immune cells in the intestine may reduce neuroimflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a pre-clinical study suggests. Moreover, the augmented number of these cells was sufficient to suppress brain inflammation in an MS mouse model. The findings were reported in the study “Recirculating Intestinal IgA-Producing Cells Regulate Neuroinflammation via…

New year, new beginnings — not a chance. Theresa May still has Brexit as her waking and sleeping nightmare, and I’m still battling urinary tract infections (UTIs). Over the last few years, I’ve probably written about this more than anything else; it’s the one thing the medical establishment…

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question was inspired by the forum topic “Do you know any natural remedies that help fight inflammation?“, from May…

A product called acrolein, which is naturally excreted by the body and possible to measure in urine and blood, may be a potential biomarker to help diagnose and evaluate disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to preliminary research in animal models and humans. Researchers are investigating whether acrolein…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who reported food allergies showed a 27 percent higher cumulative rate of flare-ups over the course of their disease, and more than twice the likelihood of having active inflammatory lesions, a new study shows. The study, “Food Allergies are Associated with Increased Disease Activity…

Treatment with Ampyra (dalfampridine) for 24 weeks leads to sustained and clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability as reported by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with gait difficulties, according to a study analyzing results from a Phase 3 trial. The study, “Assessment of Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Self-Reported…

Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients report that cannabis has beneficial effects on their symptoms with minimal side effects, according to a survey that also showed that varying effects on health may be due to differences in how users consume cannabis. Findings from the survey were reported in the…

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, were seen to change throughout the lifespan of mice in a study — and to be diverse, with distinct cell subtypes. Those with pro-inflammatory behavior may be disease-causing, as they were found to accumulate in the brains of a mouse model of…

Aspirin, administered orally at low doses, was sufficient to suppress multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in a mouse model of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and chronic MS, a study reports. The clinical benefits of aspirin were linked to an increase in the number of regulatory T-cells, those responsible for shutting…

I remember the feeling of having a terrible cold or flu before I had multiple sclerosis (MS). The stuffy nose that made breathing nearly impossible. That elusive tickle in the back of my throat combined with a hacking cough. Cold and flu season is a miserable time, and I…

So, “it” started on Monday. I have no idea what I’m dealing with. Is it a urinary tract infection, a relapse, a bird, or a plane? The superhero metaphor is warranted because, just like in “Avengers: Infinity War,” there will be no resolution by the end. Hmm, I’ve…

High levels of certain lipids, or fat, in the blood are linked to increased disability scores and high levels of pro-inflammatory markers in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, a small study reports. The study, “Lipoprotein markers associated with disability from multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal Scientific…

Assessing changes in a person’s heart rate can help to predict the degree to which lymphocyte numbers will decrease in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients using Gilenya (fingolimod), according to a small study. The research, “Fingolimod-induced decrease in heart rate may predict subsequent decreasing degree of…

I’ve never liked carnival rides (except for roller coasters) because they make me dizzy. Walking sideways, feeling nauseous, and turning green is not my idea of a fun time! So, I go out of my way to avoid anything that can make my head spin. Yet, for some reason,…

We’ve all been there. That “uh-oh” feeling hits and you know you’ll be in trouble if you can’t find a restroom, fast. You hope the clerk in the store with the “Restrooms for Customers Only” sign will make an exception if you tell her it’s about to run down…

I have always prided myself on my smarts. I excelled in college, where I realized my love for learning. I enjoy conversing with others, and I make a concerted effort to expand my horizons. I have never shied away from an opportunity to make another’s acquaintance. Be it current…

“The reason you can’t keep your shorts up,” the orthopedist said, “is because you don’t have enough butt anymore.” It was my first visit with this doctor, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. While waiting in a small, wood-paneled anteroom next…

The pro-inflammatory Th17 cells that characterize multiple sclerosis (MS) may also underlie symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), results of a mouse study show. The study, “Auto-Reactive Th17-Cells Trigger Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder Like Behavior in Mice With Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis,” was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. “For the first time,…

Venturing into the world can be overwhelming with multiple sclerosis (MS). Crowds and noise can overload my compromised nervous system, and even my home sanctuary can induce stress when kids, animals, and electronics are present. While others simply hear kids playing or dogs barking, sound becomes shockingly…

As I’m writing this, my right arm is tight and my right hand is cramped up. I was out working last night and night work always shatters me the next morning when I awaken with exacerbated MS symptoms. Luckily, I never learned to be a copy typist when I…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses can be challenging for some patients, and better engagement is needed between patients and their healthcare providers, a study focused on patient experiences has found. The study, titled “Relapse prevalence, symptoms, and health care engagement: patient insights from the Multiple Sclerosis in America 2017 survey,”…

A non-traditional exercise program that incorporates movements used in ballet was found to improve motor control and balance in women with multiple sclerosis, leading its researchers to recommend dance movements be part of such interventions for MS patients. The study, “Targeted ballet program mitigates ataxia and improves…