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No 1131517
Multiple Sclerosis
It is important to remember that MS is only one part of a person and not the person.
MS does not represent them, it is not their identity, they are as normal as the next person.
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Multiple Sclerosis
A puzzling yet fascinating disease - it is one of the major neurological diseases
- a non contagious chronic disorder of the central nervous system which can present
with a variety of neurological symptoms.
To-date MS has no cure and the exact cause remains unknown despite the many years
spent by enquiring and brilliant minds within the scientific community.
MS is difficult to characterise, it is very unpredictable and variable.
Depending on which areas of the central nervous system are affected and how badly damaged it becomes, the type and severity of symptoms can vary greatly. [1.2.]
The type of MS list is not necessarily exhaustive. It may be considered that due
to the unpredictability of MS there may well be other ‘sub-
MS is generally described as a relapsing remitting disease –which means that symptoms appear (a relapse), and then fade away, either partially or completely (remission). For most this is the way their MS begins, except for a small number of people who have primary progressive MS, and an even smaller number who malignant MS etc. It is a complex chronic disease that disrupts the nerve impulse transmissions within the the human central nervous system (CNS).
Multiple Sclerosis is the most common primary neurological disorder of young adults affecting women more than men to a ratio of 2:1. This ratio is steadily increasing. In the USA it is considered to be 3:1.
The hallmark of the disease is the emergence of multiple areas of inflammation (lesions) and scarring of the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibres (axons). Lesions tend to be randomly distributed in the CNS white matter.
The neurons of the white matter are responsible for sending communication impulses within the CNS and from the CNS to the rest of the body.
Demyelinated axons do not function efficiently and it is these lesions that give rise to the symptoms in various diseases.
Although MS often evolves into, but is not always, a progressive disease, its severity varies widely. Some patients have few discernable symptoms, while others steadily lose mobility and may require wheelchair assistance to move. The direction the disease follows and its consequences varies from person to person, there is no set pattern.
- Its pathology is characterised by areas of myelin loss and a variable degree of neuronal and axonal damage.
- The principal determinant of long-
term MS disability is neuronal degeneration. - The cause of MS is unknown, as is the exact pathogenesis (The development of the disease. The origin of the disease and the chain of events leading to the disease).
- MS is clinically a heterogeneous condition, (not uniform in structure or composition), and still defies exact definition.
Some Factors:
- Its speed of progression.
- The severity of its symptoms.
- The variety of symptoms experienced.
- The areas of the body affected by the progression of the disease.
- It is important to be aware that even when the symptoms are not apparent, the disease may still be progressing or it may not.
Treatments
There is no cure yet for MS, and there is no single drug which has been shown to control MS one hundred per cent for everyone, but there are many treatments and therapies available that people find helpful. Finding what works for you can be a matter of trial and error, learning – with the support of your health care team, family and friends – will help discover what suits you best at different times.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment for MS. It should always be a case of discussion between you, your health care team and those around you – the most effective rehabilitation involves everyone, including close family.
You might also come across therapies which have not even been tested to make sure they are safe, let alone effective. You should always discuss any treatment options, whether traditional or complementary / alternative, with your clinician, neurologist or another qualified health care professional as well as your family and friends.
If a prescription medicine is offered, there should be a clear explanation of the potential risks, side effects and benefits. Disease Modifying Drugs (DMD’s) are not a cure and they do not help everyone, but they are a helpful addition to the ways that people manage relapsing types of MS.
The same discussion should also take place when other therapies are considered. Anything which might have the potential to improve symptoms might also be potent enough to cause side effects. Alternative / Complementary therapies are not a cure for disease.
- Noseworthy JH. Progress in determining the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Nature 1999; 399: A40-
7. - Steiner I and Wirguin I Multiple Sclerosis -
in need of a critical reappraisal. Med Hypotheses 2000; 54(1):99- 106. - Zhang HQ, Uchimura K, Kadomatsu K. Brain keratan sulfate and glial scar formation.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1086: 81-
90 2006. - Andrew D. Lucas and David R. Greaves (2001) Atherosclerosis: role of chemokines and macrophages. Exp. Rev. Mol. Med. 5 November
- pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1470168 Environemental Health Perspectives 150(5), Sept. 1997
- Prussin C, Metcalfe DD (2003). "IgE, mast cells, basophils, and eosinophils". J Allergy Clin Immunol 111 (2 Suppl): S486–94. doi:10.1067/mai.2003.120. PMID 12592295
- "Association between multiple sclerosis and cystic structures in cerebrospinal fluid." Brorson O, Brorson SH, Henriksen TH, Skogen PR, Schoyen R. Dept. of Microbiology, Vestfold
- home.pon.net/caat/lyme/cyst_phas e/MS_study.htm -
- pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=149400 -
"Geographical and seasonal correlation of multiple sclerosis to sporadic schizophrenia" - Markus Fritzsche, Clinic for Internal Medicine, Soodstrasse 13, 8134 Adliswil, Switzerland; December 20, 2002. - sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/02/040223075914.htm -
"New Data Challenge Theories Of Multiple Sclerosis" - John W. Prineas, - MBBS/Michael H. Barnett, MBBS; of the University of Sydney in Australia.
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