Doctor: Chills in the extremities may indicate multiple sclerosis

Neurologist Dr. Anna Butina said that multiple sclerosis often manifests itself in the form of visual disturbances, numbness and tingling in the extremities.

“In MS, immune cells attack the myelin sheath that covers nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord,” she says. “Symptoms are linked to the location of the myelin damage. They are initially quite non-specific – general weakness, fatigue, gait disturbance, difficulty remembering and dizziness.”

According to her, optic nerve damage occupies a fundamental place in the symptoms of the disease, which appear in one eye - severe visual impairment from blurring to blindness, double vision or loss of half of the field of vision.

“The person often feels numbness, tingling, or a tingling sensation in the extremities, as well as decreased or lost sensitivity in the legs, arms, or trunk. This may occur in one or more extremities, along with poor coordination, imbalance, and difficulty making fine movements,” she says.

The doctor points out that if such symptoms appear, a doctor should be consulted, as multiple sclerosis is not diagnosed based on symptoms alone, because its manifestations are diverse and may be due to other diseases. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a lumbar puncture must be performed.