Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the central nervous system, affecting the brain and the spinal cord. It causes the immune system to attack the myelin, which protects the nerves. While you may be familiar with what MS is, you may be unaware that this disease is three times more common in female patients than male patients, which is why many leading health organizations have taken up the task of spreading facts about how MS affects women.

Common early signs of MS in women include the following:

1. Pain

Research suggests that 48% of people with multiple sclerosis experience clinically significant discomfort, while 55% live with chronic aches and pains. Females living with MS are likely to experience more pain compared to male patients. MS pain can take two forms: neuropathic aches and musculoskeletal aches. Neuropathic discomfort results from damage to the nervous system and may include stabbing pains in the face, prickling sensations, and pins and needles. Musculoskeletal discomfort causes aches in the joints, back, and neck.

2. Depression

Many females with MS experience periods of depression. It remains unclear whether this can be directly linked to MS, or rather caused by the stress of living with a chronic condition. Anxiety can also be an issue for people with multiple sclerosis, possibly due to the unpredictable nature of the disease.

3. Vision problems

The National Institute of Neurological disorders reports that vision problems are the most common early signs of MS in women. Inflammation of the optic nerve disrupts vision, resulting in blurred vision or loss of sight. In other cases, the cranial nerves can be involved causing eye movement problems and sometimes double vision. The most common vision changes related to MS include:

• Red or green color distortion
• Blurred vision
• Double vision

Although sight problems associated with MS can sometimes be scary, most resolve without medications or are highly treatable.

4. Numbness

Numbness, tingling, electric shocks, and burning sensations are some of the most common signs of multiple sclerosis in both male and female patients. These symptoms commonly occur in the fingers, neck, face, arms, and legs. The feelings can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe enough to disrupt daily activities like walking and holding objects.

5. Bladder problems

The majority of women patients with MS experience some degree of bladder dysfunction. Bladder problems occur when wear and tear progressively disrupt nerve signals that control the urinary function and the bladder. Women can experience urinary issues such as:

• Urinary urgency
• Increased urinary frequency
• Difficulty emptying the bladder completely
• Difficulty starting urination
• Nighttime urination

6. Bowel problems

Many female patients experience bowel issues at some stages. The most common problem related to MS is constipation, where passing stools is difficult. Women can also experience bowel incontinence, although less frequently compared to constipation. If a stool becomes stuck, it can cause discomfort and irritate the bowel walls, causing them to produce more fluid and cause rectal leakage. However, some of these bowel-related issues are unrelated to MS parssay, and can be traced to MS medications.

7. Cognitive changes

More than 50% of females with MS experience cognitive changes, which means that they have difficulties learning and recalling or processing new information. This may lead to further issues in these areas in mild to moderate ways:

• Inability to multitask
• Difficulties understanding and interpreting language
• Performing math and number calculations
• Focusing and maintaining attention