MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Highlights

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Highlights:

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

It is a disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). MS disrupts the brain's ability to control some functions such as vision, speech, and walking.

- The word multiple denotes that many different regions of the brain and spinal cord are affected. Symptoms may be mild-to-severe. It may develop acutely or resolve spontaneously.

- The word sclerosis denotes that the disease causes the formation of scleral plaques, i.e. hardened tissues, in the affected parts of the brain and spinal cord.

MS is not a mental disorder.

MS is not contagious.

MS is not a preventable disease yet.

MS is not a hopeless disease. MS is a manageable disease.

Majority of people with MS can go on with their lives and work.

Who may develop MS?

Although there is no clear answer to this question, it may be summarised as follows who has a higher chance of developing MS:

• Young adults aged 20 to 40.
• Women have a higher likelihood of developing MS than men.
• MS is not associated with pregnancy. Women with MS can have children.
• People living in temperate climates.

What are the symptoms of MS?

• They vary from person to person.
• They may change for the same person from time to time.

What are the common symptoms of MS?

• Impaired Vision: Double vision or involuntary eye movements
• Partial or complete paralysis of a particular part of the body
• Hand tremor
• Loss of control over the bladder and colon.
• Staggering gait and loss of balance
• Slurred speech
• Fatigue or unusual tiredness
• Lack of coordination
• Numbness and tingling sensation
• Foot drop

*** Attention! Each one of these symptoms may be caused by other diseases as well. You should certainly consult your neurologist.

Treatment?

There is still no definitive cure for MS. However, much can be done to enable the patients to be independent, comfortable, and productive.

Medication: Drug treatment of MS has two main objectives. First objective is to take under control the inflammatory response going uninterruptedly most of the time within the nerve tissue, causing myelin degradation and axonal (nerve fibre) degeneration, and exacerbating from time to time.

The second objective is to eliminate the patient's complaints. For instance, muscle relaxants are used for muscle spasms and stiffness, drugs regulating bladder functions for urinary problems, and Modafinil and similar medications for tiredness.

Continuous follow-up is critical for treatment. That is because prognosis of MS is unpredictable, and thus the patient's needs may change.

Modern research: Studies on causes, treatment, and prevention of MS are carried out with the support of the universities. There are currently studies aiming to develop early diagnosis methods for MS. Furthermore, experimental studies are investigating the causes of MS and effective drug treatments for it.

What to do, then?

If the MS patients and the neurologists following them up begin the treatment process together, it will make this process, which seems to be hard to continue, go comfortably and consonantly.

Frequent follow-up visits play a crucial role in the treatment process of MS.

Follow-up and treatment of MS is personalized for each individual patient.

In MS there is no disease, but the patient!

Stay healthy.