Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complicated medical condition, and every person diagnosed with it has a different experience. However, some symptoms appear earlier than others.

These early symptoms can be warning signs. These primary symptoms can be the real red flags. Recognizing these early may help you or someone close to you get the MS diagnosis quicker.

With Multiple Sclerosis, the body’s own protective system gets out of control and starts attacking the myelin, which is the layer that protects the nerves and is present in the central nervous system (CNS).

The result can be disastrous if not treated or controlled properly. Let’s take a look at some of the early symptoms of MS and what you can do about it. 

Early warning signs of MS

Two early symptoms of MS are clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and optic neuritis. People with these may or may not develop MS.

●Clinically Isolated Syndrome

CIS is the first episode of neurological symptoms. It’s caused by inflammation and damage to myelin in the central nervous system.

For example, someone with CIS may feel numbness and tingling in their legs. An MRI will show damage to the CNS. After CIS, there’s a recovery period where symptoms improve or disappear. 

Remember, CIS and MS are two different conditions. CIS happens after one episode of sumptoms. On the other hand, MS is diagnosed after more than one episode.

●Optic neuritis

Optic neuritis refers to the inflammation of one of the optic nerves. It is frequently the initial indication of MS. At times, CIS can also occur due to an optic neuritis attack.

This optic network transmits visual data from the eyes to the brain. When the myelin surrounding it gets damaged, the vision signals get interfered. 

Some of the common symptoms of this condition include pain during movement of the eyeballs, a sense of dull vision or haziness, and dullness in colors.

Recovery of vision usually takes between three and five weeks. However, in about 10% of people, they may result in long-term vision problems. 

Most common symptoms of MS

MS symptoms vary in type, severity, and duration. However, some symptoms are more common.

●Vision problems

Vision problems can also occur without optic neuritis. How? Here are some common vision problems in MS.

Nystagmus: This is the rhythmical oscillation of the eyes, sometimes called dancing eyes. This occurs due to a lesion in the part of the brain that functions in coordinating eye movement.

Diplopia (double vision): This occurs when eye movements are not coordinated, resulting in the appearance of double images. It emanates due to damage to the nerves controlling the eye muscles surrounding the eyeballs.

●Muscle spasms

Spasms in the skeletal muscle are prevalent in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. They occur as a result of the myelin sheath in the nerves connected to the muscles being destroyed. This affects how nerve signals work, making it difficult for the muscles to go into rest mode.

The result is stiffness, tightness, cramping, or a heavy feeling in the muscles. Spasms mostly affect the legs, but they can happen anywhere. They often occur more on one side of the body.

●Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis patients occurs as a result of the damage to the nerves. This gives rise to feelings of burning or some stabbing or squeezing, tingling, or even some itching. It is associated with suffering from disability, depression, and even chronic fatigue.

Early signs of MS pain include:

●Lhermitte’s sign: A shock-like feeling down the spine when you touch your chin to your chest.

●MS hug: A tight feeling around the chest and ribs.

●Trigeminal neuralgia: sharp, electric pain in the face or jaw from nerve damage.

●Fatigue and Weakness

MS fatigue hits both body and mind like a freight train. Some say it feels like having the flu. In other words, sleep doesn't help, and it's worse with heat or humidity. This crushing exhaustion can be caused by MS itself or things like medications, sleep issues, or even depression.

Fatigue can strike anytime, and it’s not tied to other MS symptoms like walking trouble. It just shows up when it feels like it.

Weakness is another feature of MS. Nerve damage messes with muscle control. Being less active due to pain or fatigue only makes it worse.

●Bladder and Bowel Problems

Bladder issues are very common in MS. Most patients will experience them at some point. For 3% to 10% of people, urinary problems are the first sign of MS.

Bladder symptoms can be mild or severe and may include:

●Urgency: Feeling the need to pee right away.

●Hesitancy: Trouble starting or keeping a steady flow.

●Nocturia: Needing to pee often at night.

●Incontinence: loss of bladder control.

Frequent urinary tract infections can also signal bladder problems in MS. Bowel issues are common too. Constipation is the main problem. It can make other MS symptoms like muscle spasms, pain, and bladder problems worse. Constipation may also lead to loss of bowel control.

●Depression and emotional changes

Depression in MS feels like a cloud that just won’t lift. Things you once enjoyed don’t bring you joy anymore. And it can hit anytime—early on or later in the disease. Why does it happen? There are a few suspects:

●MS itself: damage to brain areas that handle emotions.

●Medications: Corticosteroids and interferon drugs can mess with your mood.

●Stress: Living with MS, new symptoms, or big life changes can pile on.

Other emotional guests? Grief, anxiety, irritability, and even anger. MS likes to throw curveballs, and dealing with its ups and downs can take an emotional toll.

Early signs of multiple sclerosis can be tricky to spot, but catching them early can make a big difference. From strange muscle spasms to unexpected fatigue, the body gives hints that something might be off.

Whether it’s sudden vision changes, bladder problems, or emotional shifts, these red flags shouldn’t be ignored. Recognizing them early can help get the right diagnosis and treatment faster.

Stay alert, and don’t hesitate to seek help if something feels wrong—your body might be trying to tell you something important.