Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system and can, to varying degrees, interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. MS is not contagious but it is progressive and unpredictable.
MS occurs when the protective sheath (myelin) around the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord becomes damaged, causing random patches called plaques or lesions.
These patches distort and interrupt the messages that are sent along these nerves. This can be compared to a loss of insulating material around an electrical wire, which interferes with the transmission of signals.
Sclerosis is a Greek word meaning hardened tissue or scars and multiple means many. Recurring episodes of MS can cause many scars to appear in the central nervous system as a result of the breakdown of the myelin, the insulating material that covers the nerve fibres. This can result in impairment of motor, sensory and cognitive functions to a greater or lesser extent.
Cause
The overall cause of MS is still unknown. The healthy bodys immune system normally defends the body from attack by viruses or bacteria. But in the case of MS, the bodys immune system attacks its own myelin, causing disruption to nerve transmission. It is thought that genetic and environmental factors are involved - but the actual trigger to the disease has not yet been discovered.
Symptoms
MS can damage the central nervous system in many different locations, which means no two people will share the same symptoms. Some of the more common symptoms include:
Blurred or double vision
Numbness or pins and needles
Weakness in the arms or legs
Loss of balance
Tendency to drag one foot
Loss of coordination
Extreme fatigue
Continence problems
Hand tremors
Loss of mobility
Problems with or changes in memory functioning
Speech difficulties and slurring.
Types of MS
The progression and onset of the disease varies in different individuals. There are four different types of MS. They are:
Relapsingremitting MS 85 per cent of people with MS start with this type of disease course. Acute episodes of neurological symptoms occur, which last for days, weeks or months before completely or partially resolving by itself. The intervals between attacks can vary widely but, on average, occur every one to two years.
Primary progressive MS affects around 10 per cent of people with MS from the outset. They experience no relapses, but do have a gradual onset of disability, which does not recover or reverse.
Secondary relapsingremitting MS occurs in individuals who started with relapsingremitting MS, but then the relapses diminish in frequency or cease altogether. However, disability continues to increase. About 60 per cent of people who start with relapsingremitting MS develop secondary progressive MS after 15 years.
Relapsing progressive MS this occurs in about five per cent of people from the outset, with relapses occurring and disability accumulating between relapses.
Diagnosis
Most of the symptoms of MS can also be caused by other conditions and do not automatically mean a diagnosis of MS. As yet, there is no single test to diagnose MS. A number of specialised tests may be necessary, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment
There are no drugs to cure MS, but there are treatments that can modify the course of the disease and ease some of the symptoms. Healthcare therapists can help to improve the overall wellbeing of a person with MS. n(Reprint)
Source: AsiaMed Connect
