First 'subtle' MS symptom Christina Applegate noticed as she shares devastating health update

Christina Applegate previously revealed her first 'subtle' symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) following her diagnosis in 2021.

Since revealing her diagnosis later that year, the Married... With Children actor has been candid about her experience with the condition, including launching the podcast MeSsy alongside Jamie-Lynn Sigler to discuss day-to-day life with MS.

MS is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder which causes impacts a person's brain and spinal cord.

Common symptoms include fatigue, tingling in the limbs and feeling off balance. MS is incurable, however certain treatments can manage symptoms.

After going public with her diagnosis, Applegate revealed the initial symptoms she experienced.

Recalling the subtle changes she began to notice during an interview on the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, the 54-year-old recalled experiencing numbness in her toes during a stressful period in her life.

Christina Applegate was diagnosed with MS in 2021, after noticing tingling in her toes (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"It was January 2021, my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer for the third time, there was some other stuff going on in my life, it was a really stressful and traumatic time," she explained.

"My toes started to feel numb, just my toes a little bit. I was still hiking, I was still playing tennis but my toes weren't feeling right."

According to MS Society, initial symptoms of the disease include changes to the vision, optic neuritis, however numbness and tingling are also common in the early stages of the disease.

Recalling how to symptoms progressed, she continued: "Eventually, over those months, it grew from my toes, to my ankles, to my knees down is a whole other ball game. I was losing balance, the pain was extraordinary. When I say numb, it was numb but it hurts."

Applegate went on to reveal that she visited a neurologist following advice from friend and fellow actor Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2018.

The actor has since been open about her symptoms and experiences (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Revealing her response to Blair's observations, she said: "I was like 'No, there's no way the both of us from the same movie have MS."

Nearly five years on from her diagnosis and Applegate revealed that she now spends the majority of her days in bed.

Although she is not totally bed-bound, the Dead to Me actor explained in a new interview with PEOPLE that she struggles with daily tasks.

Despite the pain, Applegate revealed that she still tries to spend time with her daughter.

"I want to take her; it’s my favourite thing to do. It’s the only time we have together by ourselves," she said.

"I tell myself, 'Just get her there safely and get home so you can get back into bed.' And that’s what I do."