Multiple Sclerosis Maria Volkova
Date Due: 8 Jan. 2015
Date In: 8 Jan. 2015
Mrs. Crang
Slot 1
Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system in which the lining of neurons
(myelin) is attacked. This can cause a multitude of symptoms ranging from mild dizziness to severe speech and coordination disturbances. There is medication capable of managing those symptoms to assure the highest possible quality of life. What It Is Multiple Sclerosis is largely accepted as an autoimmune disease although this is still under discussion in the scientific community. The exact antigen that would trigger the immune response is unknown, making many experts label the disease as immunemediated rather than autoimmune. There is also much debate on its causes. Currently MS is not believed to be hereditary, however genetics certainly affect one’s predisposition along with some environmental and lifestyle factors. For example, vitamin D deficiency in early years has been linked to developing MS later in life.
MS targets myelin the fatty covering of nerve fibers that helps nerve impulses to travel. When that layer becomes damaged, signals from the brain can no longer reach their intended targets.
The damaged myelin is replaced with harder scar tissue, disrupting or preventing the travelling signals and giving the disease its name (hardened tissue=sclerosis). While myelin is present in both central and peripheral nervous systems, only the first one is affected by MS. Types of Multiple Sclerosis There are four types of MS : Relapsing Remitting (RRMS), Primary Progressive (PPMS),
Secondary Progressive (SPMS), and Progressive Relapsing (PRMS).
During RRMS there are defined and unpredictable episodes which may show new symptoms or worsen the existing ones. These episodes or attacks can last anywhere from 48 hours to several months. RRMS is also known for partial or complete recovery from all symptoms for the time between attacks. PPMS is defined by a condition in which one steadily “accumulates” symptoms. Existing symptoms worsen and new ones appear regularly with little to no remission or defined attacks.
This type of multiple sclerosis is the only one to affect men as often as women, and is typically diagnosed after 40. SPMS starts out similar to RRMS with defined attacks, however with time it will become closer to PPMS where the disease gets progressively worse. Occasional recovery is possible, but overall the disease is progressing. About 50% of patients will develop SPMS after being diagnosed with RRMS. During PRMS the disease shows both steady accumulation and defined attacks. However, the attacks are not followed with a recovery, instead the previous or worse condition is reached.
MS accounts for about 432 deaths in Canada annually.
Symptoms and Diagnosis MS is one of the most often misdiagnosed diseases due to the vast variety of symptoms among different patients and even in individuals. These symptoms include fatigue, bladder control problems, numbness or tingling of any body part, dizziness, muscle spasms, difficulty walking, and cognitive changes among a range of others. The symptoms are often scattered over periods of time as long as several years, and individually are misdiagnosed as a variety of nervous disorders. It is not uncommon for patients to be misdiagnosed several times before
MS is a possibility. Many of those symptoms can be mistaken for copper or B12 deficiencies, blood or brain cancer, a number of STI’s, genetic disorders or structural damage of the central nervous system.
Multiple sclerosis does not target any specific age group, although it is more likely to occur in women and in people with Northern European background. MS can be diagnosed best between the ages of 15 and 40. Currently almost three Canadians are diagnosed with MS every day and
