Common Early Symptoms of Multiple SclerosisThe following are some common early symptoms of MS.Vision Loss Eye pain and loss of vision in one or, rarely, both eyes can be among the first signs of MS, says Otallah. These symptoms are typical of optic neuritis, which is caused by an inflammation of the optic nerve. Other symptoms of optic neuritis include blurred vision and diminished color vision.In most cases of optic neuritis, vision returns on its own or with steroid treatment.Dysesthesia (MS Hug) The “MS hug” is a strange squeezing sensation that can feel like a blood pressure cuff around the entire torso. This symptom usually means that MS has caused damage in the cervical spine (neck), per the NMS.Weakness or Numbness Weakness or numbness in one part of the body can be an early sign of MS. The feeling can be in the trunk, arms, legs, hands, or one side of the face, according to the Merck Manual.This isn’t the temporary, pins-and-needles numbness that accompanies resting on an arm or leg in the wrong way, which lasts for seconds or minutes and goes away within a few minutes as blood flow returns to the area. Numbness or tingling associated with MS tends to develop over days or weeks and takes days or weeks to resolve, says Otallah.Balance and Walking Difficulties Balance problems and dizziness are common early signs of MS, says Otallah. Trouble walking can be among the first indications of MS, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.MS Prodrome: Are There Symptoms That Anticipate MS Symptoms?A prodrome is a premonitory or warning phase of a medical problem yet to come. It’s an early stage of signs or symptoms that happens before the onset of the typical symptoms.“Prodrome for MS has been discussed and studied more in recent years; 10 or 15 years ago, we didn’t necessarily think of MS as having a prodrome,” says Otallah.There is now more evidence to suggest that there may be some symptoms that occur in people well before their first demyelinating event or MS diagnosis, he says.Cognitive impairment is one potential symptom of prodrome that has been identified, says Otallah, referring to a study in the Annals of Neurology. Researchers followed 20,000 Norwegian men who were about to enter military service, 900 of whom went on to develop MS. Investigators found that cognitive performance in those men was reduced up to two years before they had any clinical signs of MS.A few studies have suggested that in the 5 to 10 years or so leading up to an MS diagnosis people use more health services for a variety of reasons compared with others who don’t go on to be diagnosed, as a review of research noted.One study found a 75 percent increase in the rate of hospitalization, an 88 percent higher rate of healthcare usage, and a 49 percent increase in medication prescriptions in the five years before the first demyelinating event in people with MS compared with control groups. This included a 50 percent increase in mental health visits as well as increased rates of headache, migraine, fibromyalgia, pain, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome, and urology and dermatology referrals.“There does seem to be an increase in depression, anxiety, and migraine prior to MS diagnosis, but all three of those conditions are also very common in the general population, and most of those people never go on to develop MS,” says Otallah.These conditions, along with other suspected prodrome symptoms, aren’t being used to identify people who may be at an increased risk of MS yet, he says. “We’re not at a point where we can use these to predict if someone is going to go on to develop MS, but when we look back, we are noticing correlations.”