5 Things You Need to Know About Multiple Sclerosis

1. Unpredictable Disease

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable neurological disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). Current thinking is that MS is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body's immune system attacks itself. In the case of MS, fatty tissue called myelin comes under attack. Myelin wraps around nerves in the CNS helping to protect and insulate them. In addition, this tissue allows electrical nerve messages to travel more efficiently throughout the CNS. In MS, myelin is lost, leaving scar tissue (called sclerosis or lesions) to form. This disrupts the ability of the brain to send and receive nerve impulses leading to the symptoms of MS.

2. Symptoms Run the Gambit

MS usually strikes between the ages of 20 and 40. People experience variable and unpredictable symptoms, including bowel and bladder problems, blurred or double vision, muscle weakness and fatigue, tremors and difficulty with balance and coordination. Dizziness and vertigo, sensory disturbances such as numbness, prickly sensations or pain, speech and swallowing disorders and/or cognitive impairments such as problems with concentration, attention, memory and problem solving might also occur.

3. Slow Down the Progression With Treatment

Drug treatments for MS focus on modifying the disease process, managing symptoms and assisting with the recovery from exacerbations. Drug therapy can slow the progression of MS and includes beta interferon, copolymer I, mitoxantrone and natalizumab. While these agents delay physical disability and lesson the number of exacerbations, they carry the risk of side effects. Other forms of treatment include rehabilitation and alternative medicine. Such treatments focus on increasing function and safety in daily living skills through exercise, adaptive equipment, energy conservation techniques, meditation, relaxation techniques, reflexology and vitamin/herbs supplements.

4. The Search for Better Treatments

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) states that there are more potential therapies for MS than at any other time in history. Current (NMSS) studies include restoring function in persons with MS, comparing brain lesion patterns for clues to better treatments and tracking how the disease affects all aspects of a person's life. One promising research area includes antiviral proteins called interferons, which can reduce the number of exacerbations and may slow the progression of physical disability.

5. Diagnosis Comes in Stages

Currently there is no single test to diagnose MS. Usually those who are diagnosed with the disease go through several diagnostic stages that include a thorough medical history, neurological assessment, MRI, Spinal Tap, Evoked Potential tests and CT scans. Two signs that are required to confirm MS include evidence of the disease in different parts of the nervous system and the occurrence of several exacerbation periods (or flare-ups) of the disease.