MS
How does MS affect people?
MS does different things to different people, so sometimes it takes doctors a long time to realise a person who is ill has MS.
Doctors can find out that someone has MS by
- taking a little bit of fluid from their spinal cord to test it. This is called a spinal tap. It doesn’t harm them!
- by lying them down in a machine call an “MRI scanner” that takes photos of their brain (a bit like an x-ray).
- and by considering all the health problems they have had before.
Things that show a doctor that there is something wrong with a person’s health are called “symptoms”.
Some people have these symptoms:
- Double or blurred vision.
- Pain at the back of the eye.
- Nerve pain in the face.
- Ringing in the ears or hearing problems.
- Tingling (’pins and needles’) or numbness.
Others have these symptoms:
- Giddiness or loss of balance.
- Difficulty with concentrating or forgetfulness.
- Depression or mood swings.
- Fatigue (especially in hot weather).
- Weakness or difficulty in walking.
- Problems with speech, bladder or bowel control.
MS symptoms come and go.
