How Do I Know If I'm Having a Relapse?

What if you wake up and have numbness in a place you haven’t had it before, or suddenly you are experiencing balance problems. Should you call the doctor or should you assume it is your MS and just cope with it?

When you have symptoms, it isn’t always easy to know if you’re experiencing a relapse. A relapse is often defined as:

1. A new MS symptom that lasts for more than 24 hours and is preceded by a period of stability of at least a month
2. A recurrence of a previous MS symptom that lasts more than 48 hours
3. A significant worsening of any present symptoms that continues for more than 48 hours.
4. A relapse is NOT associated with a fever or illness.

A relapse ends when the person recovers. The disease “remits” and there are weeks, months, or even years when symptoms quiet down. Sometimes remission is complete. The weakness, incoordination, loss of vision—whatever has happened—all go away. Some people feel completely normal during their remissions. But others deal with odd sensations of prickling or heaviness, fatigue, pain, vertigo, difficulty concentrating, and other symptoms.

There are many MS symptoms that may (or may not!) come and go as part of everyday life. Even so, remission means the big stuff has gone away and the person’s abilities return, though sometimes the abilities are not quite as good as they were. The general rule is, if you experience a sudden worsening in symptoms or a brand new symptom you should notify your doctor.

*From: Living with Multiple Sclerosis: Getting The Help You Need When You Need It
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