Could I have MS?

(Multiple Sclerosis).
I am a nursing student and know the symptoms, my best friend is further in the nursing program that I and he says NO, but he has a biased view, due to my hypocondriaizum. lol
First, a couple weeks ago my vision started bluring when I tryed to focus, or my eyes will cross.
I have lower back pain (although that could be from something else)
And recently, my hand went numb for no reason, and wouldn't stop with the the pins and needles feeling for over an hour. It happened again, (the pins and needles, same hand, but only for abotu 10 minutes).
I looked up my symptoms on WEBMD, and MS came up, and it runs in my family!
Does anyone know anything? I can't go to the doctor for like another month due to insurance problems! SO just curisous!

The bluring occured when I was looking into the distance, and when I would first look at something...
The back thing, I have had a problem with for a while, never really associated it with this, but it is a symptom (localized pain is).
And the pins and needles, I did not have my elbow resting or anything, it was weird.

Hi. Yes, the typical nursing student!! lol

You COULD have MS...but all your symptoms can also be linked to something else. The bluring vision could be simple eye strain. Lower back pain ...a number of causes. And your hand being numb and the pins and needles....could be carpel tunnel syndrome. Well, I'm not a doctor, nor a nurse, I just happen to know LOTS of people that have gone through the nursing program (and my son is an x-ray tech) and it's so typical for anyone with a little medical knowledge to start to diagnose themselves. I do, however, understand your concerns especially if MS is in your family. You have every right to be concerned.

Once you have your health insurance problems figured out, go to a doctor. That is the only way you will really know for certain if all your symptoms are related or can be attributed to other causes.

I would first go to the most simple of answers - the bluring or "crossing" of your eyes might be from eye strain. Take a break and look out at the distance frequently. The low back pain could be from sitting long periods of time The hand going numb could be from the position your elbow is in an pressing on the nerve, thus giving you pins and needles. An elbow on a hard surface for a period of time without moving can compress the nerve and give these symptoms. I would go with these first. If, the symptoms keep coming back over and over and are getting worse, then I would consider having a medical evaluation.

Hello

You are naming a number of symptoms. The association with M.S. can only be made by your doctor.

Definitely see your doctor when your insurance allows.

I think it would be smart to keep a journal of things that bother you and the dates. Then take this with you and you will not be forgetting things you might want to tell him/her.

Take care.

Glady

For relapsing-remitting MS, the symptoms should be consistent over a period of 24 hours before they are considered an MS-exacerbation, so the numbness you're experiencing is most likely not MS related.

Optical neuritis is often combined with pain, especially when you try to look as far left, right, up and down as possible.

Lower back pain, while it can occur, is not typical either.

It doesn't sound to me like you have MS, but perhaps more that you're a typical nursing student. :)

I would still suggest that you go see your doctor next month just in case, and hopefully he can put your mind to rest.

MS is said to not be genetic, although both my Aunt and Uncle suffer from it. My Aunt, has the same feeling you do, she's very bad off though and needs a walker, my Uncle is fine, he has little spats now and then but nothing to bad.
Go to a doctor, he'll do a blood test and what not and give you an answer.