"What Is Multiple Sclerosis? Key Facts A Neurologist Wants You To Know"
The initial symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be subtle and wide-ranging. You may experience a “pins and needles” feeling in your fingers even though your arm hasn’t fallen asleep. Your wrists might feel weak after a long day of typing at work, almost like carpal tunnel, or you might struggle to text as fast as you used to. You might notice a change in how often you need to run to the bathroom. Because the symptoms of MS can vary widely and easily be mistaken for other health issues, it can take some patients a long time to seek medical care or get the right diagnosis when they do. Michelle Fabian, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said, “Because the central nervous system can impact many different parts of your body, MS can cause a number of different symptoms, like blurry or double vision, numbness, weakness, dizziness, and trouble walking.” She added that treatment for MS has come a long way, and many patients can now expect a life that isn’t much different than what they had before diagnosis.
- Michelle Fabian, MD, Assistant Professor, Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai