There are many early health warning signs of this lifelong condition that a study has unveiled, and it could be simple things you’ve been ignoring all along. New research has revealed that easy-to-ignore ‘niggles’ when it comes to your health could in fact be early warning signs of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. More commonly known as MS, the lifelong autoimmune condition affects millions of people worldwide and currently has no cure.
The condition attacks the protective layer of the nerves in the brain as well as the spinal cord, causing damage that can lead to a diverse range of symptoms. Problems that come with it often include visual issues, muscle weakness, balance problems, fatigue and numbness.
Queen Mary University of London conducted thorough research that analysed electronic health records of over 96,000 people, 15,000 of whom suffer with MS, in what has become one of the biggest and most diverse investigations into the condition. While MS is well-documented, there is little to no knowledge about how symptoms can begin early on before diagnosis and how they can vary.
Ruth Dobson, Professor of Clinical Neurology at Queen Mary and lead author of the study said: “This is the strongest evidence yet that MS gives us clues years before diagnosis. If doctors know what to look for, they can potentially spot the disease earlier and act to start treatment before significant damage is done.”
The groundbreaking study confirms these early warning signs are consistent no matter your gender or ethnic background and therefore can help to detect the condition earlier than before.
According to the study, as early as five years before diagnosis, those with MS were noticing four key things. The first one being that they were eight times more likely to report neurologically related issues such as changes in their vision or numbness.
Another key indicator was that those who were later on diagnosed with MS experienced memory or concentration problems. In fact, the study showed that they were two and a half times more likely to notice these changes than the average person, a few years prior to their diagnosis.
Included in these early telltale signs was that they were twice as likely to report chronic pain or bladder and bowel issues. Adding to the list of signs is that it was common to experience depression or anxiety – 1.7 times more likely, to be precise.
Dr Catherine Godbold, Senior Research Communications Manager at the MS Society, explains: “Understanding more about the early signs of MS could help speed up MS diagnosis and get people onto treatments sooner. This can help to slow down disease progression and prevent disability. So, we’re really pleased to see these early symptoms being studied in a large, diverse group.
“Over 150,000 people live with MS in the UK, and the condition can affect all communities, ages, ethnic backgrounds and genders. But almost everything we know about how MS develops is based on people of White ethnicity. Research like this is crucial in helping us ensure healthcare services can benefit everyone living with MS and those at an increased risk of developing the condition, regardless of their background.”
The study used data provided by the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum, which covers roughly 20 per cent of the population in the UK and was funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). All of the research has since been published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.