What Multiple Sclerosis Is: An Overview

There is a disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It also has the ability to affect the central nervous system. This disease is known as multiple sclerosis or M.S. There is no known cure for M.S. Its victims may start out with little or no symptoms. Some may have just a mild numbness in their legs. For a while they might not even realize that they have this serious debilitating disease.

Those with multiple sclerosis are different in that there bodies own defense system attacks myelin. Myelin is a fatty substance that protects the fibers of the nerves. This is located in the central nervous system. Eventually the nerve fibers themselves are damaged. The myelin forms scar tissue. This action is what gives the disease its name, sclerosis. When the nerves are damaged the impulse from the brain and spinal cord are interrupted. This can produce many symptoms. The symptoms are fatigue, numbness, trouble with balance, trouble walking, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, vision problems, dizziness, pain, emotional changes, and many others.

There are around 400,000 people in the U.S. with multiple sclerosis. About 2.5 million are known to have it worldwide. This disease affects more women than men. There is no known reason why this happens. It cannot be inherited, but genes do play a role in how M.S. develops. People are usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50 years. However, young children and teenagers can also get multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is difficult to diagnose because the patient must go through a variety of tests. The doctor checks for damage in two separate parts of the nervous system. They must also check the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord. If evidence is found, then all other diseases or issues must be ruled out. They will also examine your family history. Some of the tests for diagnosing this disease will include mental, emotional, language, movement, and coordination obstacles. An MRI (Magnetic Resolution Imagery) may be necessary. Other tests Visual Evoked Potential (VEP), cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and blood work.

If the patient is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the doctor will treat it with medication. Medicines like avonex, betaseron, copaxone, novantrone, or tysabri. Rehabilitation programs have been known to help patients with pain or other symptoms. According to www.bloomberg.com a German drug maker by the name of Merck K Gah had come out with an oral medicine called cladribine. This M.S. pill is supposed to help prevent flare ups.

sources:

www.nationalmssociety.org

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ab5X0B3crOtE