Multiple sclerosis is not so common disease which affects the central nervous system. It is also known as unpredictable disease with unknown symptoms. It affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
While signs and symptoms mostly depend on the damage of nerve cells, some people in severe condition may lose the ability to walk independently while others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition which basically affects the central nervous systems. This system includes brain and spinal cord. One in thousand people are affected with this disease that usually appear between the ages of 20 to 40, even though it can occur at any age.
It is a disease where body’s immune system damages its own central nervous system. Brain is merged with millions of nerve cells and sends signals throughout the body to control movement, sensation, memory, cognition and speech. Myelin is a layer which covers the sheath of the nerve cells and protects the fibers given to it. It also helps to ensure that each nerve cell properly reaches its target.
If the protective coverings of nerve cells are damaged, it leads to diminished function of the brain and spinal cord. This disease also leads to permanent damage of nerve cells in the brain.
Types of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
1. Relapsing Remitting MS
This type of MS affects more than 85 percent of people and are referred as a common form of MS. This type of MS is associated with “flare ups” where symptoms get worsen every week.
2. Primary Progressive MS
This type of MS affects 10 percent of people, and is associated to slow pain but mostly continuous.
3. Secondary Progressive MS
This type of MS is initiated with the occurrence of relapsing remitting disease followed by steady worsening and minor remissions.
4. Progressive Relapsing MS
This type of MS is mostly associated with steady worsening of the disease along with occasional Flare ups. Only 5 percent of people are affected with this.
Symptoms of MS
Most of the symptoms of MS disease are unknown, for most of the patients symptoms are very mild that they do not notice anything until the occurrence of disease.
The symptoms of MS are as follows:
- Muscle weakness
- Visual disturbances
- Numbness and tingling sensation in hands and legs
- Trouble in memorizing and thinking
- Difficulty in balancing
- Fatigue and Dizziness
- Cognitive Problems
1. Muscle Weakness
MS weaken the muscles and causes extreme pain when we move the muscles.
2. Visual Disturbances
Visual problems are one of the most common symptoms of MS. Inflammation affect optic nerve and disrupt central nervous system.
This problem even causes blurred vision, double vision or loss of vision. You will not notice the vision problems immediately, but these symptoms will occur slowly.
Occurrence of pain when you look up or at one side also leads to vision loss.
3. Tingling and Numbness
Tingling and numbness are the most common symptoms for MS disease. This disease is mostly associated with nerves in body, it will send conflicting signals around the body or sometimes no signal is sent. This condition is known as numbness.
4. Difficulty in Balancing
When a person is affected with MS, the coordination and balancing of things may decrease. You may feel lightheaded, dizzy or vertigo whenever you stand up.
5. Fatigue and Dizziness
Chronic fatigue occurs when nerve deteriorate in spinal column. It occurs instantly without any intimation and lasts more than a week before improving the disease. It starts with legs, about 80 percent of people experience the feeling of fatigue, once they are affected with MS.
6. Cognitive Problems
Most of the people who are affected with MS will have cognitive problems. Such as
- Memory problems
- Language problems
- Difficulty staying organized
- Shortened attention span
- Even depression and other emotional problems are also quite common.
Causes of MS
Cause of MS is unknown; however it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. It is stated that the immune system attacks the myelin which is a covering layer of the spinal cord.
If the protective myelin is damaged and fiber is exposed, the messages travel along the nerve will slow down or completely blocked. The nerve will totally damaged by itself.
The combination of environmental factors and genetics also play a major role for the cause of MS.
Risk Factors
The below factors may increase the risk of developing MS.
- Age: it mostly occurs between the age group of 15-60
- Climate: it also occurs due to change in climate
- Family history: genetics play a major role in increasing this disease.
- Sex: more women will develop MS compared to men
- Certain auto immune diseases: you can also increase the risk of MS by thyroid, type 2 diabetes or inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Smoking: people who smoke more will experience the symptoms of one of the type of MS called relapsing remitting MS.
- Infections: variety of viruses has been included in developing the risk of MS disease.
Treatment
There is no cure for MS, only the medications will lead you to a better life. But do concern your doctor before using the medications in your regular diet.
Medications
Several medicines and drugs are used to cure or reduce the symptoms of MS.
Corticosteroids: it reduces the inflammation and suppresses the immune system; this is the prescribed drug to treat MS.
Interferon Beta 1A or 1B: this drug will slow down the symptoms of MS. `but make sure to use with care, because heavy dose may lead to liver damage and cause for increasing many other symptoms of the disease.
Copaxone: this drug helps the immune system to stop attacking myelin when it is injected once in a day.
Note: do not take the above medications without consulting a doctor.