Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder and often disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) in which the body attacks the protective covering (or myelin) of nerve cells. The result is a diminished capacity with certain essential bodily actions and functions. Early warning signs of MS include:

1. Difficulty walking
Balance and coordination are affected by MS, which results in difficulties with walking. Sufferers may also experience dizziness. This also can cause issues with walking and mobility. This vertigo can happen especially upon standing

2. Bladder and bowel dysfunction
About 80% of those that suffer from MS have issues with their bladder. These may include things such as an increasing need to urinate, the need to urinate frequently, and not being able to hold your urine. These bladder issues are fairly easy to manage. Bowel issues can also happen, but much less often. These may include things such as diarrhea, constipation, and the inability to control the bowel

3. Cognitive impairment
Multiple sclerosis can have a negative impact on cognitive abilities. It is estimated that half of those with this affliction will suffer from impairments in this area. These may include things such as problems with memory and attention span, as well as issues with language and possibly the inability to stay organized. Other problems with emotional health, such as depression, can also be found in people with MS

4. Vision problems
One of the most common issues for people that have MS is problems with vision. The optic nerve is affected by inflammation, and therefore it can impact central vision negatively. This may mean that vision can be either blurred or double vision. People can even lose their vision from MS. These vision issues can progress over time, and pain may accompany them. This pain is noticeable when looking up and to one side

5. Tingling and numbness
Numbness and tingling are common feelings that people with MS experience. This happens because the spinal cord and the brain have nerves that can be affected. These nerves send messages around the body that can result in tingling. Sometimes messages are not sent, and the result of this is numbness. These sensations or lack of sensations can happen in the arms, legs, fingers, and face. These need to be noted since this is an early warning sign of MS that is quite common

6. Pains and spasms
Pain is a common symptom of MS. About half of sufferers experience chronic pain. Muscle spasms and stiffness happen as well. Joints and muscles can be stiff, and there can also be spasms that are both uncontrollable and painful, resulting in some jerky movements from the arms and legs. Back pain is also known to happen

Patients with MS may experience relapses where their symptoms flare up (or are active). It is not always obvious what causes a relapse, but stress and multiple sclerosis symptoms and relapses are frequently connected. People that have relapses that recover in partial, full or not at all have relapsing-remitting MS. These flares can last for a while and recovery can happen either quickly or slowly. The standard relapsing MS treatment includes treatment with corticosteroids. Overall, management of the disease is very important as it is a fairly debilitating disease that is progressive in nature.