What You Should Know About MS Complications Everyday Health
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Problems directly associated with multiple sclerosis are usually referred to as "symptoms." This category includes issues with movement or walking, balance difficulties, and sensations related to nerve damage like numbness or tingling. But another term, "complications," is used to describe problems indirectly related to MS, or to direct effects of the disease that are less common or cause substantial disability or distress. Here is what defines a complication of MS, as well as an overview of some of the more common MS complications.
Other symptoms include losing feeling on the skin completely (hypoesthesia) and dysesthesias (painful sensations that can affect the legs, feet, arms, and hands), which feel like burning, prickling, stabbing, ice cold, or electrical sensations, notes the NMSS. Itching (pruritis) is another form of dysesthesia. Other abnormal sensations that may be experienced by people with MS include insects crawling, water dripping, wetness, pressure, and vibration in particular areas of the body. Some people, like this blogger, have described these feelings as "phantom" sensations, because nothing is actually happening to the skin (the sensations are caused by damage to the central nervous system). Various treatments may help relieve MS-related skin symptoms, including anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, lidocaine patches, and topical creams. RELATED: When Multiple Sclerosis Causes Skin Symptoms
What You Need to Know About Multiple Sclerosis Complications
MS can lead to a number of medical problems, from bladder dysfunction to pressure sores. By Quinn PhillipsMedically Reviewed by Jason Paul Chua, MD, PhDReviewed: March 10, 2021Medically ReviewedMS complications due to long-standing disease can affect many parts of the body, from your eyes to your bladder to your feet.Everyday HealthMultiple sclerosis (MS) is known to cause many and various potential difficulties, from common issues like fatigue and vision problems to less common ones like breathing problems and hearing loss, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS).Problems directly associated with multiple sclerosis are usually referred to as "symptoms." This category includes issues with movement or walking, balance difficulties, and sensations related to nerve damage like numbness or tingling. But another term, "complications," is used to describe problems indirectly related to MS, or to direct effects of the disease that are less common or cause substantial disability or distress. Here is what defines a complication of MS, as well as an overview of some of the more common MS complications.
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What Is an MS Complication
There’s no universal standard to define a complication of MS, as opposed to a symptom, according to Jaime Imitola, MD, director of the division of multiple sclerosis and translational neuroimmunology at UConn Health in Farmington, Connecticut. In most health conditions, says Dr. Imitola, the word "complications" refers to issues that develop outside the normal scope of the disease or as a result of sustained damage. But there’s more than one way to define the scope of a disease. One way to view MS, says Imitola, is as “damage that occurs in the cerebrum, the top of the brain, or the spinal cord. And that defines what the complications might be.” In other words, any noticeable symptom that occurs as a result of this internal damage could be considered a complication. In practice, though, the most common symptoms of MS are usually considered to be within the normal scope of the disease, so “complications” is reserved for issues that arise from ongoing or long-standing disease, or those that aren’t directly due to nerve damage. The range of complications you may develop because of ongoing damage is largely based on where your lesions are, says Imitola. If you have extensive damage in your cortex, he notes, you can develop cognitive issues: memory, calculation, or attention problems. If you have extensive brain stem damage, you can develop facial paralysis or complications in your motor and sensory pathways, including issues with walking and speech. And if you have damage in your spinal cord, you can develop gait instability or other issues with walking. RELATED: When MS Attacks the Spinal Cord When it comes to problems that indirectly result from nerve damage, the most common complication is injury caused by falls, says Imitola. Other common indirect problems include urinary tract infections — which bladder dysfunction makes more likely — and pressure sores in people who use wheelchairs or are otherwise immobile for long periods of time. While it’s important for doctors to emphasize that a major goal of multiple sclerosis treatment is to prevent or delay complications, says Imitola, people recently diagnosed with the disease should also be prepared for what their future might hold. “Your life is going to change, and we have to address that issue,” he notes. “You try to diagnose early, treat aggressively, and tell the patient what to expect.”Editor s Picks in Multiple Sclerosis
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Common MS Complications
Here are some of the more common issues that can occur because of ongoing damage from MS.Vision Problems
Eye problems in MS often happen early in the course of the disease but can develop later as well. Some types of MS-related vision problems include optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve), diplopia (double vision), nystagmus (uncontrolled movement of the eyes), and internuclear ophthalmoplegia (impaired horizontal eye movement). Vision problems often improve over time, but your vision may not return fully to its previous state. RELATED: Eye Complications Associated With Multiple SclerosisFoot Drop
This common issue involves muscle weakness that makes it difficult to lift your foot at your ankle. As a result, it can be more difficult to walk. Foot drop is caused by damage to the nerve that sends signals to the muscles that flex your ankle. If an MS relapse causes sudden foot drop, the issue will likely improve over time, but foot drop in progressive MS is likely to stay the same or get worse. A number of treatments for foot drop exist, including physical therapy, braces, and electrical stimulation devices. RELATED: How to Keep Walking With MS-Related Foot DropBladder Dysfunction
Bladder problems are very common in MS and can include overactive or underactive bladder — or both at different times in the same person. People with MS may also lack the ability to hold in their urine (incontinence), have difficulty starting to urinate (hesitance), or not fully empty their bladder (retention). People with untreated bladder dysfunction are more likely to experience bladder or urinary tract infections (UTIs). It’s important to treat UTIs and take steps to help prevent them. RELATED: 8 Ways to Take Back Control When MS Causes Bladder Dysfunction500 Ways to Manage MS
Real people, real advice: The best strategies for managing multiple sclerosis — from doctors, caregivers, and — most importantly — you. Get a tip, and tip it forward!TippiSwallowing Problems
Known as dysphagia, problems with swallowing can be scary and sometimes dangerous. A number of steps may help people with MS avoid swallowing difficulties, including posture changes and physical maneuvers, changing the consistency of food and beverages, and exercises to strengthen muscles.RELATED: How to Deal With Dysphagia When You Have MSBreathing Problems
MS may reduce your ability to exhale fully or cough effectively, which can increase your risk for lung infections like pneumonia. Certain exercises and lifestyle measures may help your breathing. It’s important to see your doctor whenever you experience a change in your breathing or symptoms of an infection. RELATED: Gasping for Breath: When MS Attacks Your LungsEmotional Difficulties
MS can lead to depression and anxiety, both directly through the disease process and because of the stress of living with the condition. People with MS can also experience sudden changes in their emotions, such as laughing or crying for no apparent reason (pseudobulbar affect). And sometimes, people with MS may find it difficult to recognize facial expressions in other people. RELATED: Depression, Anxiety, and MS: What’s the Connection?Sexual Difficulties
MS can cause sexual dysfunction in a number of ways, including reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, reduced vaginal lubrication, fatigue, and emotional difficulties. It’s usually possible to take steps to improve your sex life when you have MS, which will vary depending on what’s causing your difficulties. Useful options for many people include lubricants, medications for erectile dysfunction, and psychotherapy or sex therapy. RELATED: How to Have a Healthy Sex Life When You Have Multiple SclerosisChronic Pain
People with MS may develop chronic pain for a number of reasons, including directly from nerve damage, because of muscle spasticity, or because of immobility and fatigue. Certain drugs may help you manage your pain, and which you take will depend on the cause of your symptoms. It’s important to see your doctor to get your pain accurately diagnosed and treated effectively. Exercise and physical therapy may be effective treatments for pain, as can lifestyle measures and alternative remedies like good nutrition, meditation, and acupuncture. RELATED: Treating Chronic Pain in Multiple SclerosisSkin or Phantom Symptoms
Most people with MS experience paresthesias, which are abnormal, temporary sensations including numbness, prickling, or pins and needles, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Other symptoms include losing feeling on the skin completely (hypoesthesia) and dysesthesias (painful sensations that can affect the legs, feet, arms, and hands), which feel like burning, prickling, stabbing, ice cold, or electrical sensations, notes the NMSS. Itching (pruritis) is another form of dysesthesia. Other abnormal sensations that may be experienced by people with MS include insects crawling, water dripping, wetness, pressure, and vibration in particular areas of the body. Some people, like this blogger, have described these feelings as "phantom" sensations, because nothing is actually happening to the skin (the sensations are caused by damage to the central nervous system). Various treatments may help relieve MS-related skin symptoms, including anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, lidocaine patches, and topical creams. RELATED: When Multiple Sclerosis Causes Skin Symptoms