Cognitive Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
The cognitive problems are one of the most common symptoms experienced by those suffering from multiple sclerosis. These cognitive difficulties may affect your daily life, such as remembering things or performing tasks.
Some people experience these symptoms for years before they get diagnosed with MS. However, some people do not have any symptoms until after many years of having MS.
Many people believe that MS is caused by a virus or bacteria. However, there is no proof that either cause the symptoms of MS.
There are several theories about what causes the cognitive problems in MS patients. One theory suggests that it’s due to damage to certain parts of the brain caused by inflammation. Another theory says that it’s due to changes in how the body processes information. A third theory states that it could be related to other diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
How Does Cog Fog Affect You?
There are various ways that cogs fog affects you. They range from mild to severe. Some of them include:
Difficulty concentrating – This occurs when you have difficulty focusing on something. For example, if you’re reading a book and you notice that your eyes start closing while trying to read the words clearly.
You might need extra time to concentrate on what’s being said in front of you.
Difficulty finding the right words – When you’re talking, you have a hard time saying what you mean to say. You might even stutter or say something that doesn’t make sense at all.
Forgetfulness – Forgetting things that you’ve done recently is common. It can also happen with long-term memory such as forgetting things you learned in high school or college.
Language comprehension problems – You have a hard time understanding what other people are saying to you even if you can hear them clearly.
Mood swings – This symptom is most common in people with depression or anxiety. You might also start feeling tired all the time no matter how much you sleep.
On the other hand, there are also severe cognitive symptoms that can be developed. They can affect you in your daily life.
They are:
Confusion – You don’t know where or who you are. In some cases, people with severe cogs fog can be placed in a mental institution.
Seizures – Some people with severe cogs fog can have sudden outbursts without any warning. These outbursts can be as simple as yelling out random words or hitting someone next to you.
In more severe cases, they can lead to having a seizure.
Understanding Written Language
One of the problems with cogs fog is that you may find it harder to deal with written information. This may cause you to do poorly in school or at work.
There are ways that you can deal with this and keep up with your schoolwork or work. First of all, ask your teachers or professors to give you all instructions in writing rather than having them tell you. Second of all, make sure you take notes or read important instructions before the lecture. If possible, have a classmate (preferably one who also has cogs fog) to help you out.
Treating Cognitive Symptoms
There are some ways that you can control your symptoms. This will make it easier for you to handle your daily life and succeed in school or work.
First of all, try to exercise regularly and eat nutritious meals. If you start feeling stressed out or depressed, try some relaxation techniques or visit a psychiatrist. If those don’t work, you may need to take anxiety or depression medication along with your other treatments. If you feel like your symptoms are out of control, go to the hospital immediately as there may be a more serious condition at hand.
The good news is that cogs fog is manageable with the right treatment. With treatment, you should be able to handle your daily life and succeed in school or work.
If you find that your memory is deteriorating rapidly, make sure to get checked by a medical professional. Also, if you find that your symptoms are getting worse, go see a psychiatrist immediately.
Getting Help
Sometimes it’s hard to know whether or not you have cogs fog. If you’re not sure whether you have this condition or think that it may be affecting you, make an appointment with a psychiatrist near you.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Cognitive Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
In addition to forgetting events that just happened and having language comprehension problems, you may experience other symptoms with your cognition. These can include:
Difficulty performing daily activities – You may have trouble doing things that were once easy for you such as driving, cooking, or remembering phone numbers.
Forgetting important information – You may forget information such as birthdays or anniversaries.
Confusion with time or place – You may not remember what day or time it is, or where you are.
Problems with planning – You may have trouble doing things in the correct order or following multi-step instructions.
Poor judgment – You may make poor financial decisions such as giving your credit card information over the phone or sending money to a fraudulent charity. You may also sign documents that you don’t intend to.
Unawareness of your condition – You may not recognize that you are having memory problems and may not realize that there is a problem at all.
Inability to handle responsibilities – You may be unable to handle your day-to-day responsibilities such as paying bills or going to work.
If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or someone you know, make an appointment with a psychiatrist near you to get a diagnosis and find out how to treat the condition. If you want to get a head start, some of the treatment methods for managing cogs fog are listed below.
Treating Cognitive Symptoms
There are several ways to treat the cognitive symptoms of cogs fog. The first is making sure you have a healthy diet and exercise on a regular basis.
Second, if you start to suffer from depression or anxiety due to your condition, you may want to try psychotherapy to help deal with the mental anguish.
Sources & references used in this article:
What is brain fog? An evaluation of the symptom in postural tachycardia syndrome by AJ Ross, MS Medow, PC Rowe, JM Stewart – Clinical Autonomic Research, 2013 – Springer
Process evaluation of a self-management cognitive program for persons with multiple sclerosis by E Shevil, M Finlayson – Patient Education and Counseling, 2009 – Elsevier
The relationship of athlete-reported concussion symptoms and objective measures of neurocognitive function and postural control by SP Broglio, JJ Sosnoff, MS Ferrara – Clinical Journal of Sport …, 2009 – journals.lww.com
