symptoms

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…

Infection with the herpes simplex virus does not increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis based on genetic data. The study, “Mendelian Randomization Analysis Suggests No Associations of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections With Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in Frontiers in…

Photo courtesy of Anna Sochocky Day 31 of 31 This is Anna Sochocky’s (annasochocky.com) story: “The MRI shows lesions on your brain and the upper part of your cervical spine, which explains the numbness throughout your body and the limited function on your right side,” my new neurologist…

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,…

Reviewing an MRI of one’s brain and seeing lesions on it is a frightening prospect for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). “The lesions, the bright spots on a brain scan, that’s probably the last place in your body most of us want to see things. [It’s] such an important…

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.

Eight weeks of hormone therapy was tolerable, and its use may ease the hot flashes and greater disease-related disability this life transition can cause in menopausal women with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results of a small Phase 1b/2a trial of Duavee, an approved therapy. Public concerns over the safety of…

Photo courtesy of Julie Tovar Day 27 of 31 This is Julie Tovar’s (@theadventuresofsamandjulie) story: My journey started in December 2019, as I was planning my February 2020 wedding. I had developed a limp and was experiencing unusual symptoms along with lots of pain. I was…

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Singleton Day 26 of 31 This is Stephanie Singleton’s story: I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in August 2014 after going to the hospital for new-onset double vision. I was not surprised when the emergency room doctor came in to tell me that…

The dull throbbing always hits a crescendo “in the wee small hours,” as Mr. Sinatra — or rather his songwriters — so aptly put it. I’m referring to a wound that’s been with me for over a year now. True, it disappeared for a teeny while, when my heel…

A four-protein complex, or tetramer, of the protein STAT5 is involved in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS)-like autoimmune disease in mice, a new study shows. The findings point to this protein complex and its signaling pathway as a potential treatment in MS and other autoimmune conditions, scientists noted.

Photo courtesy of Feliciano Velazquez Day 23 of 31 This is Feliciano Velazquez’s (@felicia.no) story: I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS at the end of April 2020, right at the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic, at age 21. I remember experiencing double vision and had a pretty…

A measure of the nose’s sensitivity to smell could be used to detect whether treatments for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) are working or not, a new study indicates. The scientists noted that their results need to be validated through further study, but said the findings suggest that a smell…

A risk variant in the BDNF gene is tied to increased brain inflammation and reduced cortical thickness on MRI scans in people newly diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a recent study found. “We report for the first time an association between the BDNF [genetic variant] and central inflammation…

MS Doctors, Nurses in UK Struggle With Marking Transition to SPMS The issue highlighted in this story isn’t just a problem in the U.K.; it’s a universal MS problem. People with MS often ask how they will know when their illness has transitioned from relapsing to progressive. I respond…

Photo courtesy of Holly Stevens Day 20 of 31 This is Holly Stevens’ (@buckie_mom) story: My MS was diagnosed in November 2006, back in my native California, after I experienced numbness and tingling on the left side of my body following a 5K run that April. I…

Photo courtesy of Lissette Mares Day 19 of 31 This is Lissette Mares’ (@ms.ironman) story: There is so much in life we get to choose but there’s more that is out of our control. I find myself telling people we are all dealt with many cards in life,…

My week is never exactly easy, but it’s much harder for my family. Not only do they have to deal physically with my ever-enlarging lump of flesh, there’s also my verbal diarrhea to contend with. Then last Tuesday, it wasn’t just the verbal kind. Turns out my bowels began to…

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilcher Day 18 of 31 This is Tiffany Wilcher’s (@tmwilcher) story: My name is Dr. Tiffany Wilcher, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 22 while serving my country in the U.S. Army as a combat medic. I had no…

Among healthcare providers in the U.K., considerable variation exists in marking the transition from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), a study based on interview responses reports. Neurologists and nurses with MS specialties also expressed a reluctance to label patients as having progressed to…

Photo courtesy of Marek Klimkowski Day 17 of 31 This is Marek Klimkowski’s (@runningwithms_pl) story: My MS story began probably when I was 14 years old, but the disease wasn’t confirmed at that time. I had been bitten by a tick and diagnosed with Lyme disease. I…

“Mirrors don’t lie. They only show a part of truth.” — Lara Biyuts I’ve written about how my reality feels jagged compared with actual reality. I wrote, “The woman looking back at me isn’t whom I perceive myself to be.” I’ve been pondering this recently. The realism of reality With…

Photo courtesy of Pamela Neckameyer Day 16 of 31 This is Pamela Neckameyer’s story: My symptoms started in 2004. I would trip and fall for no reason. My mind would say “walk” but my legs wouldn’t move for a few seconds. I went to a neurologist who tested…

Six months of treatment with foralumab, an experimental nasal spray, safely and effectively improved motor and cognitive function while easing immune activation and inflammatory responses in a person with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), Tiziana Life Sciences, the therapy’s developer, announced. The patient — the first with MS to…

Ketogenic Diet Eases Symptoms, Aids Life Quality in Small RRMS Study This new report says that a ketogenic diet might help people with MS. It’s certainly helped my wife lose weight, but will it help my symptoms? I wondered about that in a recent ‘MS Wire’ column.

While people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, MS patients who are daily alcohol drinkers are more likely to show signs of faster neurodegeneration, a new study highlights. The findings suggest that quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol would be beneficial for people…

Photo courtesy of Inês Velosa Day 12 of 31 This is Inês Velosa’s (@inesdnobre) story: On June 6, 2021, after some confusing days, my husband was diagnosed with MS. I remember hearing this diagnosis for the first time and thinking that life, as we knew it, was…

It wasn’t an argument; it was a reality check. I was happy, nay, self-indulgent. Within a day, the ol’ stand-up show that I produced at London’s Comedy Store for 30 years had gotten another booking at a countryside marquee just outside the city. I mustn’t disparage, as it’s our…

For the past few months, my wife, Laura, has been following a ketogenic diet, and she’s lost a bunch of weight. But in addition to helping people slim down, the low-carb keto diet may have other benefits, including potentially for those with MS. A small study that will be…