Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of primary lateral sclerosis usually take years to progress and generally begin in the legs. Rarely, PLS begins in your tongue or hands and then progresses down your spinal cord to your legs. However, the disease has highly variable effects from person to person. Signs and symptoms may include:

• Stiffness, weakness and muscle spasms (spasticity) in your legs, rarely starting in one leg, and eventually progressing to your arms, hands, tongue and jaw
• Slowed movement
• Tripping, clumsiness and difficulty with balance
• Hand clumsiness
• Hoarseness, as well as slowed, slurred speech and drooling
• Difficulties with chewing and swallowing
• Sometimes, frequent, rapid and intense shifts in emotions (mood lability)
• Rarely, breathing problems and bladder problems late in the disease

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have persistent problems with stiffness or weakness in your legs or arms, or with swallowing or speaking.

If your child develops involuntary muscle spasms or seems to be losing balance more often than usual, make an appointment with a pediatrician for an evaluation.