World MS Day: Learn More About MS
In the spirit of raising awareness of multiple sclerosis in honor of World MS Day, May 30, I wanted to share some facts about MS. I hope this helps answer some questions you may have about the condition, and you leave this blog post feeling more informed and educated!
MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. With MS, a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin, or protective coating, that surrounds nerves. Myelin helps to move messages from your brain to the rest of your body to control things like vision, sensations, and movement.
MS disrupts the way information flows throughout the body. When damage occurs to the myelin sheath, the messages, or signals, that are sent throughout the body from the brain through the nerves are interrupted. This damage is called demyelination.
MS symptoms are unpredictable and variable. Common symptoms of MS include fatigue, vision changes, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling, pain and itching, loss of balance, cognitive and emotional changes, muscle stiffness and spasms, bladder dysfunction, and gait (walking) changes. The severity of symptoms can fluctuate daily.
MS is unique. Symptoms vary from person to person and depend on where damage has been done or where inflammation has occurred in a person’s body. No two people have exactly the same symptoms, and each person’s MS experience can change over time.
Some symptoms of MS are invisible. While we usually think of disability as being very visible (like seeing someone in a wheelchair), symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, abnormal sensations, and blurred vision are invisible to others. A person with MS might “look” fine, but they could be dealing with challenging and uncomfortable invisible symptoms.
Heat and temperature sensitivity can be an issue for people with MS. Some people with MS experience worsening symptoms when they get too hot, whether from hot and humid conditions or from a fever. This can occur because high body temperatures can make it difficult for demyelinated nerves to conduct electrical impulses, and in turn, make it hard for a person’s body to function. Cooling down usually helps the symptoms to improve.
There is no cure for MS but there are many treatments available that help to minimize the damage done and to improve symptoms. These include medications like disease modifying therapies (DMTs), and physical, speech, or occupational therapy. A person’s treatment plan could also include alternative therapies like yoga or acupuncture, using a mobility aid, or other medications that can help manage symptoms.
Almost one million adults in the U.S. live with MS. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20-50, and women are three times more likely than men to have MS. It is not an inherited disease. MS is more common in areas farthest from the equator, and some research indicates that having a previous infection with Epstein-Barr virus can contribute to the risk of developing MS.
Did you learn something you didn’t know about MS? Share below in the comments!
Sources:
https://www.nationalmssociety.org
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17248-multiple-sclerosis
