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March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Understanding 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. Some conditions are classified as stages, but multiple sclerosis is classified as types. MS types depend on the progression of symptoms and frequency of relapses. Types of MS include:
- Relapsing-remitting MS
- Secondary-progressive MS
- Primary-progressive MS
- Clinically isolated syndrome
- Radiologically isolated syndrome
Multiple sclerosis symptoms vary depending on the person. Symptoms may change over the course of the disease depending on which nerve fibers are affected. Common symptoms include:
- Numbness or tingling
- Electric-shock sensations that happen with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward. This sensation is called Lhermitte sign
- Lack of coordination
- Trouble with walking or not being able to walk at all
- Weakness
- Double vision, and more
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.
Factors that increase the risk of multiple sclerosis include:
- Age
- Sex
- Family history
- Certain Infections
- Race
- Climate
- Vitamin D
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Gut Microbiome
There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatment typically focuses on speeding recovery from attacks, reducing relapses, slowing the progression of the disease and managing MS symptoms. Some people have such mild symptoms that no treatment is necessary.
For more information about Multiple Sclerosis, read here.
