5 Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis Specific to Women
Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the body’s central nervous system that damages the protective cover of the body’s nerve cells. The result is scarring and/or scar tissue that interfere with the transmission of nerve signals. There are nearly one million people in the United States living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and being a woman is its own risk factor for being diagnosed with it. In fact, more women are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis than men at a ratio of approximately 4:1.
Recent studies have suggested that the different hormones in women and men—namely estrogen and testosterone—may play a role in determining susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. It has been suggested that estrogen plays a role in promoting inflammation throughout the disease and it has been discovered through various studies that men who are diagnosed with MS typically have less testosterone than men without MS. However, hormone therapies to treat this disease are still highly controversial.
Hormones aren’t the only differences between men and women when it comes to MS. The differences also come into play where symptoms of the disease are concerned. Men, it seems, have a harder time and a faster progression of MS than women. However, women have a whole different set of symptoms than men when it comes to multiple sclerosis.
Although the symptoms of MS can be similar in men, additional issues arise for women due to hormonal changes. We’ve taken the liberty of doing the research to find the top ten differences in symptoms that can relate specifically to women with MS.
Disclaimer: The information in this content is for general informational purposes only, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle.
Menstrual Changes
While estrogen plays a huge role in multiple sclerosis in women, it also plays a huge role in regulating menstrual cycles along with progesterone. PMS symptoms such as worsening fatigue, irritability, mood shifts, pain, poor concentration, and loss of interest in sex are all also stand-alone symptoms of MS so it can be hard to differentiate between the disease and your impending period.
Getting your period while having MS may mean getting a later or earlier cycle, heavier or lighter flow days, and worsening MS symptoms. One reason for the change is that your body temperature rises slightly with your period and even the lowest temperature increase can flare up MS symptoms.
Extreme Fatigue
Also known as “MS fatigue,” there are two common types of fatigue. Primary fatigue is caused by the extra energy used when sending and delivering messages between the brain and spinal cord. There are many areas of damage that those messages must navigate, and so it can cause extreme fatigue.
Secondary MS fatigue can be caused by the day to day effect of living with MS. This is caused by other symptoms of the disease such as depression, sleep interruptions, trying to stay in control of clumsy movements, and/or spasms. Both kinds of fatigue are described as a feeling of being weighted down and every movement becomes clumsy.
Emotional Changes
Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis can bring its own emotional trauma to any patient. However, 60 percent of those diagnosed with MS will experience additional emotional distress, and it can be even more severe in women.
The most common emotional changes in multiple sclerosis patients are grief and sadness (in relation to the diagnosis), worry, fear, moodiness, irritability, and anxiety due to being faced with difficult challenges.
Pregnancy Relief and/or Complications
Some good news: Having multiple sclerosis will not affect your chances or ability to get pregnant. Also, during pregnancy, women may experience a relief in MS symptoms, especially in the third trimester due to hormonal changes in the body.
There are some slight complications attributed to MS during pregnancy. Sometimes, a baby can be smaller than it’s supposed to be at the time of birth. There may be trouble during pushing as well since MS can affect your muscles and nerves in that part of the body. This may lead to a greater risk of having a c-section surgery to give birth.
Dizziness/Vertigo
This female-specific symptom of MS is also known as extreme vertigo. Vertigo is the false sensation of whirling or spinning of yourself or the world around you. This of course can make you feel lightheaded or off-balance. If symptoms persist for long, vertigo can interfere with daily tasks, increase the risk of falls, and can even become disabling if it goes on long enough.
Vertigo in MS is caused by the lesions or scars/scar tissue that make it difficult for the brain to send signals to the rest of the body. A lesion in or around the brain stem (the area of the brain that controls balance) can also cause vertigo symptoms.
