It’s important to know that at first, multiple myeloma may not cause any symptoms. Usually, it is only suspected after a routine blood test shows an abnormality. After the disease has progressed, symptoms such as infections, extreme tiredness and bone pain can occur.
Multiple myeloma can damage parts of the body, such as the nervous system, and this can cause symptoms, too. For example, the disease weakens bones and sometimes these bones can press on nerves, causing nerve pain, numbness or muscle weakness.
People with multiple myeloma can have other issues, like kidney problems. As the disease progresses, this can cause symptoms such as leg swelling, shortness of breath, weakness and itching.
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To determine whether or not your symptoms are multiple myeloma, your physician will meet with you to discuss the symptoms you are having. They will ask questions about your health and do a physical exam. Your physician will also order tests for you, including blood tests, a bone marrow biopsy and possibly urine tests and imaging tests, such as a low-dose CT scan.
Diagnosing multiple myeloma can sometimes be difficult because the symptoms can vary from person to person. This can lead to either diagnosing someone with myeloma when they don’t have it (false positive) or missing the disease when they do have it (false negative).
A false positive can happen when conditions like monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or other bone marrow disorders are mistaken for myeloma. A false negative can delay diagnosis because symptoms like bone pain, extreme tiredness and anemia are also common in conditions like arthritis, iron deficiency or overall aging. That’s why physicians use a combination of blood tests, urine tests, bone marrow biopsies and imaging to diagnose myeloma, instead of relying on a single test.
Most people who notice symptoms are older. In the United States, the average age people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma is 69 years old. About 95% of people who are newly diagnosed are 50 years old or older.