The occurrence of MS in men is nearly half that of the number of women diagnosed with MS each year, yet Multiple Sclerosis in men is more likely to pass this disease to offspring. Men are taught at a young age to be the provider of the family and to be strong. Receiving a diagnosis that Multiple Sclerosis is present can be a blow to any man’s self-esteem.
This disease progresses at different rates in each person. Some might experience limited mobility within a few months, while this characteristic of MS is delayed for years in others. Men who can no longer be as independent as they once were tend to take it rather hard. Some even become depressed about their condition and seek medical help to combat this feeling.
Multiple Sclerosis generally strikes a person between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. For most men, these are the most active decades of their life and being diagnosed with MS causes them to think differently about the future.
Men go through the same type of testing as women do when being diagnosed for MS. Blood tests, a spinal tap, and an MRI are the most common tests performed on someone suspected of having Multiple Sclerosis. These tests aren’t actually testing only for MS, instead they are ruling out other infections diseases and viruses. Many illnesses have symptoms that mimic those of MS.
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis in Men
Inflammation of the optic nerves can lead to various eye problems, such as blurred vision or a decrease in eyesight. This is one of the most common symptoms of MS men can experience. Numbness and tingling of the hands, arms, feet, or legs can range from slight to severe. Some men have reported feeling a sensation similar to being shock by a weak electrical current when making sudden moves of the head or arm.
Paralysis of the limbs isn’t a common early warning sign of MS, but it can still surface in some men. Temporary paralysis can start slowly or come on suddenly. As the disease progresses, paralysis might be more prevalent in some men, as is memory loss. Erectile dysfunction is another symptom men with MS have reported experiencing.
Each of these signs or symptoms of MS in men is associated with the nerves being attacked by the immune system. As the immune system attacks the nerve cells, the outer coating is stripped away from each cell. A lack of coating causes the electrical signals within the nerves to be less effective at getting a signal to the brain. The diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in men enables them to seek the proper treatment as quickly as possible and begin management of these symptoms.
Related articles: Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis in Women | MS Episodes | Side effects of MS | MS Prognosis | Multiple Sclerosis Trials |
