Maybe you’ve felt exhausted or weak lately. Or your foot is starting to tingle. So you do a quick Internet search and come up with an alarming result: Your symptom is one of the signs of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease of the brain and spinal cord.
Before you start to worry, know that many signs of the condition are the same as symptoms of other health problems. So it’s easy to mistake another issue for MS, which affects less than 1% of Americans.
How can you tell if what you’re feeling is caused by MS or something else? First, keep in mind that most people have the first signs of the disease between the ages of 20 and 40. You can also keep track of your problems: MS symptoms tend to come and go or get worse over time.
It helps to know what else can explain some of the signs you might be feeling.
Numbness or Tingling
A lack of feeling or a pins-and-needles sensation can be the first sign of the nerve damage from MS. It usually happens in the face, arms, or legs, and on one side of the body. It also tends to go away on its own.
Numbness and tingling can also come from a lack of blood flow or apinched nerve, so think first if you slept in a funny position or sat without moving for a long time. Other conditions can lead to nerve damage, too: Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the wrist, while diabetic neuropathy can trigger numbness, tingling, or pain in the feet or hands.
Sudden numbness on one side of the body may signal a stroke. If that happens to you, call 911 ASAP.
Dizziness
Is the room spinning? MS can make you feel lightheaded or off-balance, usually when you’re standing up and moving around.
If you’re dizzy and nauseous when you’re lying down, or if you stumble to one side, chances are it’s a problem with your inner ear, which controls your balance. Medications, such as those for depression and seizure disorders, can cause similar problems, too.
Did a quick wave of lightheadedness hit? That’s often a sign of low blood sugar, dehydration, or a sudden drop in blood pressure you get when you stand up quickly. You may need to slowly rise instead of hopping to your feet.
Click below to continue from WebMD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MS Views and News
Providing educational information and resources for those affected by MS
Keep current with Multiple Sclerosis news and information
To opt-in (sign-up) at our website: click here – thank you
.===================================
Visit our MS Learning Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/msviewsandnews