Multiple sclerosis is a condition that affects the central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord. it is caused due to degeneration of myelin, a substance that forms a protective covering on the nerves. This leads to impairment in conduction of signals between the body parts, resulting in problems related to walking, writing, memory, speech, and so on, depending on the part of the brain and nervous system that is affected. there are about 350,000 cases of multiple sclerosis in Unites States alone. it is generally diagnosed in people between the age of 20 and 50; however, children and older adults are also likely to develop this disorder.
There is no established cause of multiple sclerosis, where it has been attributed to autoimmune diseases by researchers and neurologists. an autoimmune disease prompts the immune system to act against the body’s own cells or organs, thinking them to be foreign. This may lead to the immune system acting against myelin, resulting in its depletion. Though the body may produce more myelin to compensate for the loss, more often the reduction of myelin is faster than the production, resulting in multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis has been classified depending on the symptoms experienced by the patients. Some types of multiple sclerosis are mentioned below:
Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: This is the most common form of multiple sclerosis, characterized by a series of attacks, followed by partial or complete disappearance of symptoms. A person suffering from this type of multiple sclerosis has a relapse some weeks after the attack. This condition may continue for years together. This forms the initial stage of multiple sclerosis, where 70-80% patients report with the symptoms.
Primary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: This type of multiple sclerosis sets in gradually, where there is slow deterioration in the patient’s physical condition. in such cases there is no relapse, where the patient suffers from the disorder continuously from the time of its onset. Around 10-20% of multiple sclerosis cases come under this type.
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis include impairment in functioning of several parts of the body. Problems in vision such as blurred vision, sudden blindness or red-green distortion are one of the very first indicators of the disorder. Along with this a person may suffer from movement and balance problem combined with muscle weakness. The person may also feel dizzy, weak; feel tremors, have impaired speech and loss of sensation in different parts of the body. Around 50% patients suffer from mental disorders such as attention deficits, memory loss, decrease in concentration, depression, paranoia, and so on.
A neurologist diagnoses the disorders through a series of tests including MRI scan, electro-physiological test and examination of cerebro-spinal fluid. A neurologist considers many aspects while treating a patient with multiple sclerosis. The aim of the treatment is to reduce number of attacks and relapse, improving a person’s ability to recover from an attack, and slowing down further spread of the disorder. The treatment involves medication depending on the extent of the problem and medical history of the patient. Though multiple sclerosis cannot be completely treated it can be effectively managed through medication and therapy.
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