Rarely heard of symptoms of multiple sclerosis that only affect women

Women in the UK are far more likley to develop MS than men. A range of factors can also mean the symptoms of the disease can affect women in a very different way

There are a number of symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) that may affect women, experts have said.

Over 130,000 people in the UK are living with the disease, which can affect the brain and spinal cord. There is no cure, but the NHS said “treatment can often help manage it”. Of the total number of people living with MS in the UK, the MS Society says 95,560 of them are women. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society said that doctors aren’t sure why MS affects women more than men, but that “The fact that so many more women than men have MS may suggest that sex hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen play a role”. So what symptoms are there?

MS symptoms in women

MS symptoms for men and women include:

• feeling extremely tired (fatigue)
• problems with your eyes or your vision, such as blurred vision or eye pain
• numbness or a tingling feeling in different parts of the body
• feeling off balance, dizzy or clumsy (uncoordinated)
• muscle cramps, spasms and stiffness
• needing to pee more often or not being able to control when you pee
• problems with memory or concentration
• sexual problems, including a dry vagina or erection problems

The UK health body explained: "Symptoms may come (called "flare-ups" or "relapses") and go (called "remissions"), and may get worse over time." The National Multiple Sclerosis Society the symptoms of MS are the same in men and women “for the most” part. But they may change at different times and this is “during times like menstruation, pregnancy and menopause when hormones fluctuate”.

The charity said: “Many women report that their MS symptoms temporarily worsen around the time of their period. A few studies have confirmed this. Others have shown that in women who take oral contraception, MS symptoms do not worsen as much before their period starts.”

More research is required to fully understand how the menstrual cycle affects symptoms of MS in women, the charity said. MS symptoms may also worsen during the menopause. Hot flashes associated with the menopause can be a problem as it can “compound with or temporarily intensify heat sensitivity issues which can lead to a worsening of symptoms”. For women living with MS, it is important they maintain a healthy lifestyle where they get regular physical activity, have a healthy diet and avoid smoking.