Over half of all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience some form of cognitive impairment as one of their symptoms. Problems that involve cognition and cognitive impairment affect the way that you think, reason, and pay attention. The symptoms are sometimes referred to as “foggy brain” because they make it difficult to think, as if a fog has descended in your brain.
The way that you manage these symptoms will depend on exactly which ones you have and how frequently they impact your life. Often, simple memory tricks and consistent organization are the best techniques that you can use to combat foggy brain symptoms.
The impairments only become severe enough in 5% to 10% of patients to truly get in the way of their daily routines. Instead, most people feel only mild impairment. The fog will come and go over the course of the day or days.
Foggy Brain Symptoms
These cognitive symptoms are more common when you have already had the disease for a long time, but they can also occur early on. Sometimes, they can even be the first symptom of MS that you notice.
Most people will only experience one or two cognitive issues, not all of the ones listed below. Before you decide how to treat your foggy brain issues, though, you need to determine which of these symptoms you have, including:
- Slower thought processes
- Decreased reasoning and problem-solving skills
- Shorter attention span
- Worse memory
- Inability to find the right word
- Decreased visuospatial abilities, like telling how far away something is
- Decreased ability to understand new information
Foggy Brain Treatment Techniques
There are ways to help you deal with cognitive impairment and keep your symptoms from getting worse. These methods include:
- Keeping a notebook with all of your important information
- Setting reminders and alarms on your phone
- Verbal memory tricks, like rhymes and pneumonic devices
- Sticking to a fixed schedule
- Creating a centralized hub with all of your important items
- Brain training with puzzles, crosswords, and memory games
- Cognitive Rehab involves intensive brain training; your doctor will recommend this technique if it’s needed
Currently, there aren't any FDA-approved drugs to treat the cognitive symptoms of MS. The results of one study, though, imply that Ginko Biloba supplements may help with memory and concentration—further research is needed to confirm this evidence.
Be sure to report any foggy brain issues to your doctor as soon as you notice them. Once you have determined exactly what your impairments are, be sure to consistently check in with your doctor. This way, you can both monitor the way that these symptoms change throughout the course of your illness. If the symptoms progress faster or get worse than expected, there are more detailed neuropsychological exams that your doctor might recommend.
