Urologists attuned to the possible diagnosis of MS in patients who present with symptoms of voiding dysfunction can facilitate the proper diagnosis with a basic office evaluation.
However, if we are not able to help with your bladder symptoms or if you continue to experience frequent bladder infections you may be referred to a urologist (a specialist in the urinary system). The urologist can help evaluate the cause of the problem through evaluation of the upper and lower urinary tracts.
Bladder problems in MS
Hesitancy in starting urination. Frequent nighttime urination (nocturia) Incontinence (the inability to hold in urine) Inability to empty the bladder completely.
Patients with MS most frequently report difficulty holding or storing urine, a.k.a. overactive bladder. These patients can experience a strong urge to urinate (urinary urgency), frequent urination (urinary frequency), and urinary leakage with the urge to void (urge urinary incontinence).
Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
As a result of MS, the detrusor muscle in the wall of the bladder involuntarily contracts, increasing the pressure in the bladder and decreasing the volume of urine the bladder can hold. This causes symptoms of going frequently, urgently, leaking urine, or interfering with a good night's sleep.
People should consider the diagnosis of MS if they have one or more of these symptoms: vision loss in one or both eyes. acute paralysis in the legs or along one side of the body. acute numbness and tingling in a limb.
Up to 90% of people with MS experience bladder issues. The symptoms usually start 6–8 years after the initial diagnosis, but in 10% of cases, they are present at the time of diagnosis. Keep reading to learn more about MS bladder issues, including diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Some people with MS will never experience bowel problems, but up to 7 in 10 people with MS will get a bowel problem at some stage, either constipation or incontinence (leakage). Bowel problems can be embarrassing and distressing. But discussing the issue and getting the right support and advice can help.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the test of choice for diagnosing MS in combination with initial blood tests. MRIs use radio waves and magnetic fields to evaluate the relative water content in tissues of the body. They can detect normal and abnormal tissues and can spot irregularities.
Here's where MS (typically) starts
Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the optic nerve, is usually the most common, Shoemaker says. You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache. It often occurs on one side and can eventually lead to partial or total vision loss.
MS can be among the most difficult of all diseases to diagnose because of the bewildering number of symptoms it causes and the multiple ways in which they can present.
Mayo Clinic urologists diagnose and treat problems involving the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs. Urologists work with a team of doctors trained in many areas to determine the most appropriate treatment for your individual needs.
Physical exam: The urologist will perform a physical exam concentrated on the genitourinary system, and evaluate other systems as well. The physician will perform a genital exam plus a digital rectal exam to assess the prostate.
If your GP cannot rule out MS after the tests they have done, they can make a referral to an appropriate specialist. A neurologist specialises in nervous system disorders including MS, although not all neurologists are specialists in MS in particular.
Increased spasticity (Spasticity, or involuntary muscle stiffness or spasms, is a common symptom of MS caused by an abnormal increase in muscle tone.) Dark-colored or cloudy, foul-smelling urine.
In multiple sclerosis, damage in the central nervous system (CNS) interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord and other parts of the body. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although children and older adults may develop it.
The early signs and symptoms of MS can be the same for women and men. One of the more obvious first signs of MS is a problem with vision, known as optic neuritis. This is often because it's a more concrete symptom as opposed to vaguer neurological symptoms like numbness and tingling.
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosis, Sjogren's, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections, and rare hereditary diseases.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) - a stabbing pain in the face or jaw area that can occur as an initial symptom of MS or as a relapse. While it can be confused with dental pain, this pain is neuropathic in origin (caused by damage to the trigeminal nerve).
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a wonderful tool to help diagnose and follow people with MS. MRI is safe and relatively non-invasive yet can provide very detailed images of the brain and spinal cord that can reveal MS lesions (also known as demyelination, spots, or plaques) and changes in MS activity over time.
Symptoms of a UTI can be confused with other MS symptoms such as fatigue or existing bladder problems.