Multiple sclerosis (MS)is a progressive, immune-mediated disorder. That means the system designed to keep your body healthy mistakenly attacks parts of your body that aren’t harmful. The protective coverings of nerve cells are damaged, which leads to diminished function in the brain and spinal cord.
MS是一种无法预测的症状的疾病，可能会有所不同。虽然有些人遇到疲劳和麻木，但严重的MS病例可能导致麻痹，，，，vision loss, and diminished brain function.
MS is a lifelong disease, but it can be managed and researchers are continually looking for more effective treatments.
Common early signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) include:
- vision problems
- tingling and numbness
- pains and spasms
- weaknessorfatigue
- balance problemsordizziness
- bladder issues
- sexual dysfunction
- cognitive problems
For some people, the earliest signs of MS might includeclinically isolated syndrome（顺式），神经系统症状至少持续24小时，无法与其他原因相关。它包括所谓的demyelination这是对髓磷脂的损伤，髓鞘有助于保护中枢神经系统中的神经细胞。
Although CIS doesn’t necessarily lead to MS, it could be an early sign. Symptoms of a CIS episode could include:
- 视神经炎。This is damage to the myelin of youroptic nervewhich may cause vision issues and eye pain.
- Lhermitte的标志。这种情况是由脊髓上的脱髓鞘病变引起的，会引起刺痛或震惊的感觉，尤其是当您弯曲脖子时。
- 横向脊髓炎。横向脊髓炎is when thespinal cordis involved and can cause muscle weakness, numbness, and other issues.
一个MRIcan sometimes be a useful tool in helping to determine if there’s only been one episode of CIS or multiple episodes, which may indicate MS.
Primary symptoms of MS stem from the damage to the protective nerve covering, the myelin. Your doctors can help you manage these symptoms usingmedication，，，，occupational therapy，，，，and物理疗法。
他re are some of the more common symptoms of MS:
Vision problems
视觉问题are one of the most common symptoms of MS. Inflammation affects the optic nerve and disrupts vision. This can causeblurred visionor loss of vision. Sometimes the cranial nerves or the brainstem can be involved, causing eye movement problems or double vision. These are three common vision symptoms of MS:
- optic neuritis- 视神经的炎症
- nystagmus-unstable movement of the eye, sometimes called “dancing eyes”
- diplopia-double vision
You may not notice the vision problems immediately. With optic neuritis, pain when you look up or to one side also can accompany vision loss. There are a variety of应对方法with MS-related vision changes.
Tingling and numbness
MS affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord (the body’s message center). The sensory nerves in the spinal cord can be affected by demyelination, causing diminished sensation when you touch something, which can affect your ability to walk or do things with your hands. You can also haveparesthesias（麻木，刺痛或燃烧之类的感觉）。
Tingling sensations and numbness are one of the most common warning signs of MS. Common sites of numbness include the face, arms, legs, and fingers.
Pain and spasms
Chronic pain and involuntary muscle spasmsare also common with MS. Pain can be a direct result of the demyelination or by the symptoms themselves causing secondary pain.
Types of MS pain could includeneuropathic pain。这种急性疼痛是由神经传播信号引起的。示例包括：
- trigeminal neuralgia
- Lhermitte的标志
- “拥抱女士”
- paroxysmal spasms
MS还可能引起慢性神经性疼痛，上面提到的急性疼痛也可以在不断的情况下经历。这可能包括dysesthesias（四肢痛苦的感觉）或pruritis，，，，which causes itching, tingling, and similar sensations.
Muscle stiffnessor spasms (spasticity）也很常见。您可能会遇到僵硬的肌肉或关节，以及肢体的不可控制，痛苦的抽搐运动。腿通常受到影响，但背痛也很常见。
Type of spasticity associated with MS include flexor spasticity, where muscles become very tight so that they bend and are unable to be straightened, and extensor spasticity, where muscles have the opposite problem — they’re so tight that the arms or legs become straightened and can’t bend.
Slurred speech and trouble swallowing, particularly in later stages of the condition, can also occur due to motor issues.
Fatigue and weakness
无法解释的疲劳和无力affect many people living with MS. Fatigue is often related to the number of lesions in the brain and to inflammation. Weakness can develop due to muscle atrophy (muscles shrinking from lack or use) or due to demyelination of the nerves.
Chronic fatigue occurs when nerves deteriorate in the spinal column. Usually, the fatigue appears suddenly and lasts for weeks before improving. The weakness is most noticeable in the legs at first.
患有MS的人可能会出现间歇性疲劳，经常性疲劳或持续的慢性疲劳。有时会增加单独诊断的机会chronic fatigue syndromefor people who have MS.
Balance problems and dizziness
头晕和协调和平衡问题可以降低MS人员的流动性。这可能会导致步态问题。患有MS的人经常感到头昏眼花，头晕，或者似乎周围的环境在旋转（vertigo). This symptom often occurs when you stand up.
Bladder and bowel dysfunction
A dysfunctional bladder is another common symptom. This can include:
与尿有关的症状通常是可以控制的。少于有MS经验的人constipation，，，，diarrhea， 或者loss of bowel control。
Sexual dysfunction
性唤醒和功能也可能是MS患者的问题，因为它始于中枢神经系统 - MS攻击。它可能源于疲劳，痉挛或继发性情绪症状的身体问题。
认知问题
Many with MS will develop some kind of issue with their cognitive功能。这可以包括：
- 内存问题
- 缩短了注意力跨度
- 麻烦集中
- difficulty staying organized
Depression其他情绪健康问题也很常见。
情绪健康的变化
Major depressionis common among people with MS. The stresses of MS can also causeirritability，，，，mood swings，，，，and, rarely, a condition calledpseudobulbar affect。This involves bouts of uncontrollable crying and laughing.
应对MS症状以及关系或家庭问题，可以使抑郁症和其他情绪障碍更具挑战性。MS支持组can be helpful in coping with these changes.
Not everyone with MS will have the same symptoms. Different symptoms can manifest during relapses or attacks. Along with the symptoms mentioned on the previous slides, MS can also cause:
Secondary symptoms of MS aren’t caused by the main driver of MS symptoms (demyelination). They’re actually complications caused by the body’s reactions to it. There are many varied symptoms that could occur, like muscle weakness from lack of use and increased stress and emotional issues.
您的医生可以帮助您缓解现有症状，并通过解决MS的主要症状来防止其发生。
性别和性别存在于频谱上。本文将使用“男人”，“女人”或两者都指定出生时分配的性别。Click here to learn more。
通常，MS很多
People who are considering怀孕with an MS diagnosis should talk with their doctors about all options for treatment and symptom management.
MS is diagnosed less often in men than women by a ratio of
MS seems to
女士的症状在女性和男性
| MS女性的更常见经历 | More common experiences for men with MS |
|---|---|
| 一个MS diagnosis is more common in women than in men. Vitamin D deficiency may be |
Men seem to have更多神经变性than women, or loss of nerve function. |
| Secondary progressive MS and relapsing remitting MS tend to be比较普遍;普遍上in women than men. | Approximately相等的数字男性和女人被诊断出患有主要进行性MS。 |
| Women tend to have more女士病变，或疤痕组织。 | 男人倾向于 |
| Pregnancy has been associated with a temporarily lowered risk of relapse, but some treatments |
|
| Menopausetends to lessen sex-related differences in later MS diagnoses. | |
A doctor — most likely a neurologist — will perform several tests to诊断MS，，，，including:
- Neurological exam:Your doctor will check for impaired brain or spine function.
- 眼科检查：This is a series of tests designed to evaluate your vision.
- MRI:这是一种使用强大的磁场和无线电波来创建大脑和脊髓的横截面图像的技术。
- Spinal tap:Also called alumbar puncture，该测试涉及一根长针，该针插入您的脊柱中，以去除围绕大脑和脊髓循环的液体样品。
Doctors use these tests to look for demyelination to the central nervous system affecting at least two separate areas. They must also determine that at least 1 month has passed between the episodes. These tests are also used to rule out other conditions.
MS often astounds doctors because of how much it can vary in both its severity and the ways that it affects people. Attacks can last a few weeks and then disappear. But relapses can get progressively worse and more unpredictable, and come with different symptoms. Early detection may help prevent MS from progressing quickly.
If you don’t already have a neurologist, the他althline FindCare tool可以帮助你找到一个医生在你的区域。
误诊
误诊is also possible. An older2012年的研究发现在过去的12个月中，近75％的受访MS专家至少有3名患者被误诊。
MS is a challenging disorder, but researchers have discovered many treatments that can slow its progression and manage symptoms.
对MS的最佳防御是经历第一个警告信号后立即去看医生。如果您的直系亲属患有这种疾病，这一点尤其重要，因为这可能是MS的关键风险因素之一。
Don’t hesitate. It could make all the difference.