The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. It is considered an immune-mediated disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. In the case of multiple sclerosis, this malfunction of the immune system destroys the fatty substance that covers and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord (myelin). Between 8 and 9 out of 10 people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed with the relapsing-remitting type.
A person with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis will have episodes of new or worsening symptoms, known as relapses. After many years (usually decades), many people with relapsing-remitting MS develop secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, but not all. About two-thirds of people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis will develop secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Disease-modifying therapies can also help delay or reduce the overall worsening of disability in people with a type of MS called relapsing-remitting MS and in some people with types called primary and secondary progressive MS, who have relapses.
Multiple sclerosis is caused by the immune system that mistakenly attacks the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens, but it can be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Multiple sclerosis is likely to start because of a combination of factors: something in the environment and some factors related to lifestyle. No one knows for sure why people get multiple sclerosis.
We don't know for sure what causes multiple sclerosis. Scientists believe that a combination of factors triggers the disease. Studies support the view that multiple sclerosis occurs when people with the right combination of genes are exposed to a trigger in the environment. Research also suggests that ethnicity and geography play a role.
Multiple sclerosis can be a particularly debilitating disorder because the body essentially attacks itself. But you can learn to cope with attacks. So what causes multiple sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease in which the body's immune system corrodes the protective sheath that covers the nerves. The disorder interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body, meaning that nerve signals slow down or stop.
We don't know exactly why this is happening. The most common idea is that a virus or a genetic defect, or both, are to blame. Environmental factors can even influence. We know that the disorder affects more women than men, that you can have it if you have a family history of multiple sclerosis, and that you are at greater risk if you live in a part of the world where multiple sclerosis is more common.
It's usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, but we see the disorder at any age. Now you may ask yourself, how do you know you have multiple sclerosis? The symptoms of multiple sclerosis can vary widely from person to person because the location and severity of each attack can be different. Episodes can last for days, weeks, or months. You may even have long periods of time when you don't have symptoms.
Because multiple sclerosis can damage nerves anywhere in the brain or spinal cord, you may have symptoms in many parts of your body. You may have muscle problems, such as loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness, problems moving your arms or legs, even trouble walking. You may have problems with your bowels and bladder, such as constipation, difficulty urinating, or frequent urination. You may have double vision, eye pain, or uncontrolled eye movements.
You're likely to be very tired and often worse by the end of the afternoon. And those are just a few of the many possible symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Because the symptoms of multiple sclerosis may resemble other nervous system disorders, your doctor will want to rule it out. Your doctor may suspect you have multiple sclerosis if you have problems with two different parts of the central nervous system (such as abnormal reflexes) at two different times.
A neurological exam may show decreased function in one area of the body, or it may be spread over many parts of the body. You may have abnormal reflexes, decreased ability to move part of your body, loss of feeling. An eye exam may show abnormal pupil responses, changes in the visual field, or problems seeing. There's no known cure for multiple sclerosis, so your doctor will focus on therapies to delay the disorder, control symptoms, and help you maintain a normal quality of life.
Your doctor may prescribe different medications to help with this. You may need to take several medications. Life expectancy with multiple sclerosis can be normal or nearly normal. Most people with multiple sclerosis continue to walk and function at work with minimal disability for 20 years or longer.
The degree of disability and discomfort may depend on the frequency of the attacks, their severity, and the part of the central nervous system affected by each attack. Most people recover their normal or near-normal functions between attacks. However, over time, many people with multiple sclerosis will need a wheelchair. To help you maintain a normal quality of life, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and support groups, depending on your needs.
Starting an exercise program in the early stages of the disorder, eating well, and getting enough rest can also help. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term (chronic) central nervous system disease. It's thought to be an autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body attacks itself by mistake. Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease that affects people differently.
Some people with multiple sclerosis may have only mild symptoms. Others may lose the ability to see clearly, write, speak, or walk when communication between the brain and other parts of the body is interrupted. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, approximately 85 percent of people with MS receive a first diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS. In multiple sclerosis, myelin is destroyed because the immune system mistakenly tells the body to attack it, causing scarring or sclerosis and interrupting the signal.
Patients who started treatment for multiple sclerosis at an early stage of the disease tend to be less likely to reach certain disability milestones, such as needing a cane or walker, Shoemaker says. The episode may cause one or more symptoms, depending on how much scarring occurs in one place or in several places. In multiple sclerosis, the body's own immune system attacks the central nervous system and causes damage, slowing or stopping nerve transmission. Knowing the early symptoms can help you get a diagnosis and start treatment earlier, which can help you better control the disease.
Researchers in the BEAT-MS clinical trial (the best available therapy against autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis) are extracting some immune cells and then injecting some of the person's own blood-producing stem cells to restore the immune system and stop attacking the CNS. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord and cause a wide range of possible symptoms, such as problems with vision, arm or leg movement, feeling, or balance. In addition to NINDS, other NIH institutes, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), fund research on multiple sclerosis. Between 1 and 2 out of 10 people with this condition begin their multiple sclerosis with a gradual worsening of symptoms.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by decreased nerve function, with initial inflammation of the protective layer of the myelin nerve and, eventually, scarring. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). And people with CIS often develop multiple sclerosis, but not always, Shoemaker explains. Optic neuritis is often an early symptom of multiple sclerosis, although you may have problems with your eyes at any time.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological disease among young adults, and symptoms usually appear between the ages of 20 and 40. .
