What is MS?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. It is believed that the immune system goes awry and attacks the myelin sheath, a fatty insulation covering the nerve fibers in the brain, spinal and optic nerves, in a process known as demyelination. The myelin becomes inflamed and is destroyed in multiple areas, leaving plaques or scars called scleroses. The destruction of this insulation essentially short-circuits the electrical impulses that travel along the nerves, leading to interference of nervous system functions such as vision, speech, mobility and memory.
What are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of MS are often mistaken for those of other illnesses. Most involve problems with sensory or motor function, and can range from mild to severe. The symptoms are diverse, depending on which area of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve is affected by the demyelination.
The initial symptoms often seen in MS are:
- difficulty in walking
- weakness and/or loss of dexterity in a leg or hand
- pain and loss of vision
- numbness or tingling
Other symptoms are:
- lack of coordination
- tremor
- slurred speech
- sudden onset of paralysis
- mild intellectual or emotional changes
- spasticity (muscle stiffness and spasms)
Who Gets It?
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that there are approximately 3 million people worldwide living with MS. Heredity and environment seem to be factors. About 5% of those with MS have a sibling who is affected, and 15% have a close relative who is affected. MS occurs more frequently in people who spend their first decade of life in temperate zones. It is less common in those who grow up in tropical regions, and is rare in people who grow up near the equator. MS is most common among Caucasians of northern European origin, and rare among Asians and Africans.
Women are affected by MS at almost double the rate of men. Although a first attack of MS is most commonly seen in individuals between the ages of 20 and 40, it is also seen in both younger and older people. In older people, the disease often takes a more swiftly disabling course.
What Can You Expect?
MS is not fatal for the majority of individuals affected. The average life expectancy for someone with MS is over 90% of that of a person without MS, or only 6 years shorter than the lifetime of a person without MS.
It is often said that the only thing that is predictable about MS is its unpredictability. The course of MS is characterized by attacks, or exacerbations, which come and go at unpredictable intervals. The disease can go into remission spontaneously and relapse for no apparent reason. In the early stages of the disease, it can be particularly difficult to predict the course of the illness.
There are four courses that MS can follow:
- Relapsing-Remitting – This course is the most common. It is characterized by complete or partial recovery from attacks. Remissions may last months or years, but are nearly always followed by new attacks eventually.
- Secondary-Progressive – About half of people with relapsing-remitting MS will eventually develop the secondary-progressive course. This course is steadily progressive, with some distinct attacks and remissions possible.
- Primary-Progressive – This is a course that is progressive from the outset, with no distinct attacks or remissions, and slowly leads to some form of disability.
- Progressive-Relapsing – A small percentage of individuals with MS follow this course, which is progressive from the outset and characterized by distinct acute attacks. This course is very rare.
These classifications should be considered general guidelines. An individual’s experience with MS might follow none of these courses exactly, or follow a combination of them.
The outlook for most people with MS is much more positive than in the past. New treatments slow the progression of the disease, and MS is being very actively researched. A diagnosis of MS does not necessarily mean a life sentence of disability.
