While some health issues are visible to the outside world, many people face chronic conditions that don’t have externally visible signs or symptoms—also known as invisible illnesses. In this mindbodygreen series, we’re giving individuals with invisible illnesses a platform to share their personal experiences. Our hope is their stories will shed light on these conditions and offer solidarity to others facing similar situations.
I’ve always been an active, independent, and competitive person. Growing up with three brothers, I played basketball, volleyball, soccer, and swam—pretty much every sport imaginable. By the time I was 25, that evolved into consistent kickboxing. So when I first noticed numbness and tingling in my arms and legs, I dismissed it as a pinched nerve and booked a chiropractor appointment.
Instead, the chiropractor said that pain and tingling crossing the mid-plane of the body indicated something much more serious. He was the first person to mention multiple sclerosis as a possible cause. I thought he was crazy. That could never happen to me. After all, I was healthy, active, and living life fully.
