Since no two people experience MS in the same way, the progression of MS symptoms may look very different from one person to another. However, even when there are no symptoms, there is progression of damage to the central nervous system over time.
In addition, the brain can compensate for some level of damage, so symptoms may be hidden for quite some time. That's why it's important to begin MS treatment as soon as possible after receiving a diagnosis.
Some important points about MS symptoms:
- Some symptoms may occur often, others more rarely.
- Some symptoms may appear early in the course of MS, others later.
People with MS can still feel perfectly healthy, even though their MS is causing damage. Like an iceberg, the true progression of MS can lie concealed beneath the surface.
General MS Progression
- The long-term accumulation of progression-related MS symptoms can profoundly affect the physical and mental aspects of daily living
After diagnosis, people with MS may experience sensory symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or visual loss. Early in MS progression, they may find that they recover completely from relapses, and have few relapses in their first years after diagnosis. It is also common early on in the disease to experience long intervals between relapses.
Later, as MS progresses, people may have difficulty with tremors, coordination, and walking. They may find that their relapses become more frequent, and that they are less able to recover from them.
Changes in Mobility
Since MS causes fatigue, balance problems, and weakness, many people find it difficult at some point to walk on their own. However, most people with MS remain able to walk, even if it's with a cane or crutches. Although some people with MS may frequently use a scooter or wheelchair, others may use them at times to help conserve their energy.
MS Progression and Disability
The natural course of MS can result in a condition known as brain shrinkage (brain atrophy). It is a condition in which you actually lose brain tissue. Treatment may protect you against brain shrinkage.
To figure out if disease is progressing, doctors use a scale called the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The EDSS is a way of measuring physical disability. Two-thirds of people with MS do not progress past level 6.
MS and Your Future
This chart shows the data from a study that followed people with MS for 12 years. The number of flare-ups a person had in the first 2 years of their disease affected the number of years before a person would need a cane to walk. Those with fewer flare-ups enjoyed more years of greater independence.
In fact, even 1 additional relapse in the first 2 years of MS may put a patient at risk for faster progression to an EDSS score of 6.0. That's one of the reasons it's so important to take the most effective MS therapy for you as soon as possible.
