Living With Multiple Sclerosis : An Autoimmune Disease

1. Main point 2: So now that I have talked about what MS is, let us continue on to what the symptoms are and how it can be diagnosed. In most cases, the symptoms generally appear between the ages of 20 and 40 and affect more than twice as many women as men. Common indicators of MS are fatigue, dizziness, numbness and tingling, weakness, blurred vision, heat sensitivity, slurred speech, problems with memory and concentration, loss of balance and more. Sometimes the symptoms disappear completely and the person regains lost functions or sometimes a change in their life causes the symptoms to resurface and return stronger than ever. In my observations, my Dads’ MS is strongest in hot weather and during times of high stress. The symptoms normally vary from person to person, which makes it hard to diagnose. There are currently no lab tests that can be done to rule out or confirm MS, but MRI’s can help reach a strong diagnosis. MS is not considered a fatal disease, but many people struggle to live as productively as they desire, often facing many limitations.

Tests that help diagnose multiple sclerosis are blood tests, lumbar puncture, evoked potential tests, and a MRI. There is no cure for this disease, but there are some treatments. Treatments that help are

There are many debilitating side effects and symptoms that accompany Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In MS, the immune system essentially fights itself and attacks its own body’s cells, causing progressive damage in the brain and spinal chord. Some key symptoms and side effects of the disease are vision problems, muscle weakness, and trouble walking or speaking. However, this is not it, There are many more side effects and symptoms that very between individuals. Some of the symptoms that haven't thoroughly been researched are the changes that occur in the brain of an MS patient, especially a pediatric MS patient. There are several existing hypothesis about Multiple Sclerosis’ debilitating effects in the brain, but no concrete research done on the

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic disease that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS) through cellular immune response and the demyelination of CNS white matter (McCance et al., 2014, pp. 630–633). The initial causes of MS are unknown however, it is believed that it could possibly be due to an immune response to an initiating infection or an autoimmune response to CNS antigens on the myelin itself (Brück, 2005) (Miljković and Spasojević, 2013). MS is a result of the degradation of the myelin sheath surrounding neurons and therefore disrupts the transmission of action potentials along these cells. MS can display itself in the form of symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to trouble with sensation and coordination (NHS, 2016). The degradation of myelin leads the body to attempt to remyelinate the neurons, a process that in turn leads to the thickening of the cell by glial cells and this causes lesions to form (Chari, 2007). It is this thickening (sclerae) from which the disease gets its name. Sufferers of MS can either have a relapsing type of MS, in which there are episodes that lead to the worsening of symptoms for a period of time, or a progressive type of MS where symptoms gradually progress and worsen (McCance et al., 2014, pp. 630–633).

Most MS patients start with the development of transient sensory loss due to the demyelination of the dorsal column, which may progress to motor symptoms including limb muscles weakness or muscle spasticity due the demyelinationg of the upper motor fibres such as corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts. Leg

No single test detects MS, which makes it difficult to diagnose. Symptoms can mimic those of a number of other conditions and they can change depending on the area of the central nervous system that

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease of the central nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Both have nerve fibers that are wrapped in a myelin sheath. In MS, the myelin sheath becomes inflamed and gradually is destroyed. With the destruction of the myelin sheath comes an array of symptoms that may include numbness or tingling, balance problems, weakness, muscle spasms, and blurred vision.

In the world of neurology, there are a vast amount of neurological disorders, conditions, and diseases. One severe disease is known as Multiple Sclerosis. In this research essay, I will be discussing what multiple sclerosis is, symptoms, causes, personal experience, and treatments.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) a disease which the immune system attacks the protective sheath also known as the myelin that covers the nerves. Damages myelin disrupts the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. The nerves itself may weaken, process that is currently irreversible.

Multiple Sclerosis, commonly known as MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Scientists have been studying MS since the 19th century. In MS, the body’s immune system produces cells and antibodies that attack myelin in your brain which is essential for the nerves in your brain and spinal cord to conduct electricity to perform its function. The attack on myelin results in vison loss, paralysis, numbness, muscle weakness, difficulty walking, stiffness, spasms, and bladder and bowel problems. MS has varying degrees of severity and affects people between the ages of 20-50, mostly women. Although there are treatments, there is no cause and cure yet.

If you know anyone with Multiple Sclerosis or MS, you would know how terrible the disease is. Multiple Sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which your immune system attacks the nerve cell covers in the brain and spine are damaged. The nerves in the body eventually deteriorate and it is fatal. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the cause of Multiple sclerosis is still unknown. There is not a cure at the moment for Multiple Sclerosis, but there are treatments that can speed recovery when attacked by the disease (Mayo Clinic). Scientists are under the impressions that there are a few factors that may come into play. They say that when they discover the exact cause of Multiple Sclerosis it will be easier to find a way to treat the disease or maybe even stop it from happening at all. (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

One reason why the disease is so hard to diagnose is because the signs and symptoms are invisible. Aliza Bitton states that, “the invisible symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include pain, depression, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction” (Ben-Zacharia 177). Ben-Zacharia also stated, “One of the approaches is the ICAP method. ICAP is an acronym for a four step approach: identification of symptoms; causation of symptoms as primary, secondary or tertiary; alleviation of symptoms; prevention of complications” (Ben-Zacharia 177). One of the main effects this disease has on patients is that their muscles slowly stop working while they grow older, and as the MS progresses. Also because of the treatment for the disease their anti-bodies are slowly getting attacked, which opens them up for all kinds of viruses due to a poor immune system. Some other symptoms that

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. MS causes many different symptoms, including vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination. Although there are symptoms some people may be symptom free most of their lives, while others can have severe chronic symptoms that never go away.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system and the disease functions by using the immune system to attack the body in the CNS targeting the nerve fibers. It focuses on the myelin sheath that covers the nerve fibers damaging them and scaring the fibers. This will cause a disruption of communication that is shared between the brain and the body and eventually will be permanent damage. This process is called demyelination. This disease is difficult to diagnose but if you start seeing signs and symptoms go to the doctor to get professional medical treatment or advice to slow down the process of

Nervous system disorders can be very debilitating diseases. One of those is Multiple Sclerosis. “Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the CNS that affects 2.5 million people worldwide, and 400,000 in North America.”(Holes Human Anatomy and Physiology 13th edition, pg. 366) The CNS or the central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. “In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause the nerves themselves to deteriorate or become permanently damaged.” (mayoclinic.org, by mayo clinic staff, Oct. 1, 2015) Knowing the symptoms of MS for early diagnoses is crucial when treating this disease.