What symptoms should I be looking for?

Question:
I have been diagnosed with MS after years of complaints of back pain, etc. and then finally had numbness of my hand and then after numbness of my leg. Both symptoms have subsided now but but how do I know what further symptoms to watch for so I can contact my doctor right away?

Answer:
All people with MS go through a period of learning about the disease and its management. There is really no rush and you should try to take in small bits of information repeatedly over an extended period of time. I would begin with some of my earlier blogs on this website that discuss establishing a diagnosis of MS, the course of the disease, what to look for and how to interact with your neurologist. Shortly after receiving the diagnosis it is good to have regular visits and contact your MS specialist about any new or worsening symptoms. While these symptoms or problems may not be due to MS, notifying your MS specialist will help both of you in the management of your disease. To directly answer your question, MS can be somewhat unpredictable in that new problems can affect virtually any part of your brain or spinal cord. Despite this variability in MS symptoms, certain symptoms (such as those you’ve already experienced) are very common. Interestingly, recurrences of the disease more often involve the reemergence or worsening of previously experienced symptoms than the development of new symptoms.

Good luck and I hope the website helps you with many of your questions

Revere Kinkel MD