Multiple Sclerosis
What is Multiple Sclerosis ?
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that causes breakdown of the protective covering of nerves. Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms. It’s also known as MS. In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers, known as myelin. This interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage of the nerve fibers.
Symptoms of MS depend on the person, the location of damage in the nervous system and how bad the damage is to the nerve fibers. Some people lose the ability to walk on their own or move at all. Others may have long periods between attacks without any new symptoms, called remission. The course of the disease varies depending on the type of MS. There’s no cure for multiple sclerosis. However, there are treatments to help speed the recovery from attacks, modify the course of the disease and manage symptoms.
Symptoms
- Numbness or tingling
- Electric-shock sensations that happen with certain neck movements
- Lack of coordination
- Trouble with walking or not being able to walk at all
- Weakness
- Partial or complete loss of vision
- Mood changes
- Double vision
- Blurry vision
- Vertigo
- Trouble with sexual, bowel and bladder function
- Fatigue
- Slurred speech
- Troubles with memory, thinking and understanding information
Cause
The cause of multiple sclerosis is not known. It’s considered an immune-mediated disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. In MS, the immune system attacks and destroys the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This fatty substance is called myelin. Myelin can be compared to the insulation coating on electrical wires. When the protective myelin is damaged and the nerve fiber is exposed, the messages traveling along that nerve fiber may be slowed or blocked. It isn’t clear why MS develops in some people and not others. A combination of genetics and environmental factors may increase the risk of MS.
Risk Factors
You may be more at risk of MS if you:
- Are between ages 20 and 40.
- Are of Northern European descent.
- Are female.
MS can affect anyone. Rarer cases can affect children.
When to see a Doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor or other healthcare professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.