The symptomatic spectrum of multiple sclerosis can be very diverse, involving different manifestations according to the affected body regions. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory neurological disease, causing dysfunctions mainly at the level of the central nervous system. Due to the fact that multiple sclerosis affects the nervous system, people with this form of neurological disease can in time experience symptoms in most innervated regions of the body.An estimated number of over 2 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis, while in the United States the disease affects around 350.000 people. For some reason, multiple sclerosis predominantly affects the female gender. Although the disease can also be developed by men, multiple sclerosis is very common in women. Another interesting characteristic of multiple sclerosis is that it commonly affects young people. The disease has the highest incidence in people with ages between 20 and 40, rarely affecting the elderly.
Multiple sclerosis involves damage of the nervous cells, destroying myelin, a substance that normally covers neurons. Myelin has a vital role in transmitting nervous impulses throughout the entire body, establishing connections between the neighboring nervous cells. When the layers of myelin are affected, nervous impulses travel at reduced speed between neurons and the body is unable to adequately respond to external stimuli.
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are diversified and they can be perceived in different regions of the body. Most patients have individualized symptoms of multiple sclerosis, and they tend to occur in episodes, or “flares”. The evolution of multiple sclerosis is unpredictable, alternating between stages of remission and stages of relapse. Most people with multiple sclerosis experience intermittent, recidivating symptoms which amplify in the stages of recurrence. Considering the fact that the symptoms of multiple sclerosis are various and at certain stages of the disease unspecific, multiple sclerosis can’t be diagnosed only upon clinical manifestations. Multiple sclerosis is usually diagnosed upon laboratory tests, blood analyses and elaborate neurological examinations.
Common, generalized symptoms of multiple sclerosis are: pronounced fatigue, body weakness, sensations of tingling, burning, pain, itching and numbness of the muscles, loss of dexterity and uncoordinated body movement. Other physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis are: decreased vision, loss of mobility, shaking, spasms, tremors, poor balance, dizziness, vertigo. In later stages of the disease, the symptoms of multiple sclerosis can include partial paralysis, renal and gastrointestinal dysfunctions.
Neuropsychological symptoms of multiple sclerosis are: mental confusion; altered, inaccurate perceptions; poor concentration; short-term memory loss; compromised judgment and unpredictable, sudden changes of mood. A symptom of multiple sclerosis that commonly occurs in people with this form of neurological disease is depression. Most people affected by multiple sclerosis eventually become depressed and avoid any kind of interaction with other people.
Although many symptoms of multiple sclerosis can be very pronounced at certain stages of the disease, they can be alleviated through the means of medical treatment. Medical treatments available today are able to ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in the periods of relapse and in time they can even help the reconstruction of myelin, thus helping patients to recover from the disease. It is important to timely discover the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in order to begin the administration of an appropriate medical treatment before the disease becomes serious.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
ReplyDeleteAn unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis (MS) can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many investigators believe MS to be an autoimmune disease -- one in which the body, through its immune system, launches a defensive attack against its own tissues. In the case of MS, it is the nerve-insulating myelin that comes under assault. Such assaults may be linked to an unknown environmental trigger, perhaps a virus.
Most people experience their first symptoms of MS between the ages of 20 and 40; the initial symptom of MS is often blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or even blindness in one eye. Most MS patients experience muscle weakness in their extremities and difficulty with coordination and balance. These symptoms may be severe enough to impair walking or even standing. In the worst cases, MS can produce partial or complete paralysis. Most people with MS also exhibit paresthesias, transitory abnormal sensory feelings such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles" sensations. Some may also experience pain. Speech impediments, tremors, and dizziness are other frequent complaints. Occasionally, people with MS have hearing loss. Approximately half of all people with MS experience cognitive impairments such as difficulties with concentration, attention, memory, and poor judgment, but such symptoms are usually mild and are frequently overlooked. Depression is another common feature of MS.
Is there any treatment?
ReplyDeleteThere is as yet no cure for MS. Many patients do well with no therapy at all, especially since many medications have serious side effects and some carry significant risks. However, three forms of beta interferon (Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebif) have now been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. Beta interferon has been shown to reduce the number of exacerbations and may slow the progression of physical disability. When attacks do occur, they tend to be shorter and less severe. The FDA also has approved a synthetic form of myelin basic protein, called copolymer I (Copaxone), for the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. Copolymer I has few side effects, and studies indicate that the agent can reduce the relapse rate by almost one third. An immunosuppressant treatment, Novantrone (mitoxantrone), is approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced or chronic MS. The FDA has also approved dalfampridine (Ampyra) to improve walking in individuals with MS.
One monoclonal antibody, natalizumab (Tysabri), was shown in clinical trials to significantly reduce the frequency of attacks in people with relapsing forms of MS and was approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004. However, in 2005 the drug’s manufacturer voluntarily suspended marketing of the drug after several reports of significant adverse events. In 2006, the FDA again approved sale of the drug for MS but under strict treatment guidelines involving infusion centers where patients can be monitored by specially trained physicians.
While steroids do not affect the course of MS over time, they can reduce the duration and severity of attacks in some patients. Spasticity, which can occur either as a sustained stiffness caused by increased muscle tone or as spasms that come and go, is usually treated with muscle relaxants and tranquilizers such as baclofen, tizanidine, diazepam, clonazepam, and dantrolene. Physical therapy and exercise can help preserve remaining function, and patients may find that various aids -- such as foot braces, canes, and walkers -- can help them remain independent and mobile. Avoiding excessive activity and avoiding heat are probably the most important measures patients can take to counter physiological fatigue. If psychological symptoms of fatigue such as depression or apathy are evident, antidepressant medications may help. Other drugs that may reduce fatigue in some, but not all, patients include amantadine (Symmetrel), pemoline (Cylert), and the still-experimental drug aminopyridine. Although improvement of optic symptoms usually occurs even without treatment, a short course of treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) followed by treatment with oral steroids is sometimes used.
Thanks for the added information :)
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