Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can present itself in several different ways, but there's one symptom of the auto-immune condition which may have flown under your radar.
Awareness around MS seems to have accelerated in recent years, mainly down to celebs such as Christina Applegate and Selma Blair talking about their diagnosis and symptoms leading up to it.
While some of the symptoms of the condition can include tiredness and loss of balance, there's one that's on the more awkward side, as medics explain exactly what cause it.
What is MS?
According to the NHS, MS is a disease which affects both the brain and spinal cord, and causes a wide range of potential symptoms, including tingling, numbness or feeling off balance, and having vision problems.
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Now that MS is being recognised more and more, thanks to celebrities lifting the lid on their own experience, what many involved in the discussion may not realise, however, is that the lifelong condition - which can be brought on suddenly at any age - can also prompt a pretty bizarre side effect.
Laughing uncontrollably due to MS
One of the most unheard-of side effects of MS sees the patient bursting into fits of laughing, despite not having found anything particularly amusing.
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In fact, the bizarre sensation can emerge so abruptly and to such an extent that they're unable to control themselves.
Known professionally as the pseudobulbar affect, some circumstances could also see patients bursting into tears, alternatively.
As such, this symptom can understandably be awkward for some MS sufferers, who could be branded inappropriate for releasing laughter that is beyond their control.
But why does MS cause uncontrollable laughter?
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, the patient's laughter in these cases is caused by MS lesions affecting the areas of the brain which control emotions.
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"This type of emotional behaviour is difficult to control voluntarily and can be extremely distressing to those who experience it," experts at the charity explain.
"Although there may be a minor trigger for the laughing or crying, the response is exaggerated and is disproportionate to the apparent trigger."
The healthcare professionals add, however, that sadly, the symptom can be managed but not eradicated.
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"PBA is equally common among men and women and occurs in other chronic, neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injuries and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)," they continue.
"This type of emotional behaviour is difficult to control voluntarily. It can be extremely distressing as well as embarrassing to those who experience it.
"With more education, people with MS will know to consult their neurologist if they experience any of its symptoms."
Other symptoms of MS
UK-based charity Multiple Sclerosis Trust has spent recent years raising awareness of five common early signs of the condition - emphasising that these can vary person-to-person, and the list is not exhaustive. These include:
- Fatigue - differing from regular tiredness, the trust describes this fatigue as ‘a complete mental and physical exhaustion that’s completely out of sync with what’s going on in your life’.
- Slowed thinking - it is believed that about half of those with MS are impacted by this, with many people often struggling to stay focused or making plans and decisions.
- Stumbling - walking difficulties are common in MS cases, and balance and coordination may be affected.
- Strange skin sensations - many sufferers of this symptom have compared it to the feeling of crawling insects, though it may also feel like numbness, a painful ‘electric shock’ sensation, pins and needles, buzzing or burning.
- Issues with vision - eyesight problems - such as optic neuritis, a condition that can cause pain and vision loss - is common with MS.
Britt Jones