Basics of Multiple Sclerosis

Basics of Multiple Sclerosis

 Multiple sclerosis, also commonly known as MS, is a chronic, long-term, and usually progressive disease affecting the central nervous system.

 MS progresses by causing permanent damage to nerve cell sheaths in the spinal cord, brain, and optic nerves. In MS, immune cells attack myelin. Myelin is a fat-type substance that protects and insulates nerve fibers and nerve sheaths. Damage to myelin results in the growth of scar tissue.

 Scar tissue and other damage to the nerve sheath and nerve fibers disrupts and sometimes distorts the nerve impulses traveling back and forth between the brain and spinal cord. This distortion and disruption can cause many different symptoms throughout the body that include the known effects of MS.

 The resulting symptoms associated with MS include, but are not limited to • poor muscle coordination • blurred vision • speech difficulties • endangered basic bodily functions There are 4 known types of MS, called "courses". There are 4 MS courses: Relapse Remitting The most common course of MS is relapsing-remitting MS, which occurs in approximately 90% of MS patients.

 Patients with this course of MS typically experience symptoms in their 20s; attacks are periodic and then the disease goes into remission.

 Most patients with relapsing-remitting MS eventually progress to a secondary progressive phase of the disease. Primary progressive In MS patients with primary progressive MS, their symptoms generally increase (worse) after the diagnosis of the disease. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 10 MS patients is diagnosed with primary progressive MS.

 Secondary progressive Most patients with MS develop secondary progressive MS after relapsing-remitting MS. During this course of MS, symptoms, and attacks begin to occur continuously without remission. The time frame associated with secondary progressive MS is between 10 and 20 years after a patient is diagnosed with a relapsing-remitting course of the disease.

 Progressive relapse Progressive relapsing is the least common form of MS. During this course, the symptoms do not subside and become progressive between each attack or relapse. Progressive relapse is sometimes considered a more acute course of primary progressive MS. Studies suggest that only 5% of MS patients have this course of the disease. How is MS treated? There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatment for MS usually focuses on helping the patient recover quickly from attacks or relapses and slow the progression of the disease while managing other symptoms that result from the disease.

 The cause of MS has not been discovered. So far, there is no known cure for this disease. MS is not known to be hereditary; however, the presence of a direct relative with MS is a significant risk factor for the development of the disease. Medical scientists also widely believe that there are unknown environmental variables that trigger MS in people who have an innate genetic predisposition to develop the disease.

For example, the incidence of MS is significantly lower near the equator. The underlying theory is that vitamin D plays an important role in the occurrence of MS.

 Populations living near the Earth's equator are exposed to significant amounts of sunlight produced by natural vitamin D. Vitamin D is thought to enhance immune system function and may strengthen the immune system against immune-mediated diseases such as MS.