Symptoms of PPMS
The symptoms of primary progressive multiple sclerosis are different for everybody. Walking difficulties and weakness in your legs are the first signs of PPMS. In most cases, these early signs become more severe and glaring after two years.
If you have primary progressive multiple sclerosis, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Problems with balance
- Bladder or bowel dysfunction [1]
- Stiffness in the legs
- Pain
- Numbness, tingling, or both in different parts of the body
- Trouble with vision
- Depression [2]
- Fatigue [3]
- Weakness and tiredness
Due to the similarities in the symptoms of PPMS and RRMS, doctors usually find it difficult to differentiate between these two conditions. If your symptoms exacerbate after a year, it means you have primary progressive multiple sclerosis.
PPMS is usually accompanied by the following:
- High levels of antibodies and immune proteins in the spinal fluid.
- Two or more spinal cord lesions.
- Brain lesions that can be observed on an MRI scan.
Causes of PPMS
Generally, the major factor responsible for multiple sclerosis is unknown. The same thing goes for PPMS. According to experts, most types of multiple sclerosis start when the immune system attacks the central nervous system. This causes reduction or total loss of myelin, which protects the nerves in the central nervous system. PPMS may also possess a genetic constituent that passes it from one generation to another. Scientists believe that the condition is triggered when viruses and other toxic substances in the body combine with a genetic component.