Living With Multiple Scoliosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an autoimmune process that develops when a previous viral insult to the nervous system has occurred in a genetically susceptible individual. B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and activated T cells, along with proinflammatory cytokines, cause inflammation, oligodendrocyte injury and demyelination. Early inflammation and demyelination lead to irreversible axonal

Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable, potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Multiple Sclerosis can range from relatively benign to disabling to devastating. The disease is considered an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues causing damage to the myelin sheath, which covers the nerve fibers, and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body and ultimately cause the nerves to deteriorate or become permanently damaged. When any part of the myelin sheath is damaged or destroyed the nerve impulses that travel back and forth to the brain and spinal cord are interrupted, this produces a range of different symptoms.

I walk into the cold, white hospital, my hands are sweating and my knees are shaking. Even though I have done this every six months since I was twelve years old, it never gets easier. I find a seat in the corner of the waiting room, embarrassed by the large, plastic, butterfly printed scoliosis brace I hold tightly against my side. The door opens, a nurse dressed in plain navy blue scrubs calls out “Emma for Dr. Meyers”. She leads my mom and me down a long hallway, and into a small, brightly lit room. The curse that is scoliosis is hereditary, which means my mom has it, and each of my sisters has been touched by this cruel disease that bends the spine as well. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that occurs during the growth period just before and through puberty.

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).

The spine is one of the most important structures in the human body. The spine is located in the dorsal cavity and consists of 24 bones, called vertebrae. These vertebrae play a crucial role in protected the body’s command center, the spinal cord. But what happens when a disorder prevents the spinal column from functioning correctly? Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes abnormal lateral curvature of the spine and it effects millions of people in the US per year. I have chosen this disorder because I am aspiring to become a chiropractor and scoliosis is a typical condition that chiropractors help treat on a daily basis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. The myelinated nerve cells get attacked which results in scars and lesions that destroy the myelin sheath. The reason for the body attacking its own nerve cells is unknown. Many believe that the cause of MS is from a virus, a deficiency in Vitamin D, or genetics. Studies are being done to find out what is the real cause of MS.

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.

“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which your immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers your nerves” (Mayo Clinic). The immune system is a defensive system that protects your body from diseases and illnesses such as parasites and bacteria (Science Museum). Not only does your immune system defend the human body but also the immune system can work against the body, which is known as autoimmune disease. Since the immune system is working against your body to attack the myelin, this creates an opportunity for multiple sclerosis to invade the nerves in the central nervous system (CNS). The myelin within the body acts like insulation to protect and coat the nervous system (National Multiple Sclerosis Society). Once the myelin is eroded, the nerves become exposed which then causes signals to and from the brain to become distorted or irrupted causing a wide range of symptoms to occur (National Multiple Sclerosis Society). The effect of the myelin eroding is an irreversible process (Mayo Clinic). “The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, crippling neurological disease of the central nervous system, which affects the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The name is this disease refers to multiple areas of scarring throughout the brain and spinal cord. This scarring is a result of what happens when the body attacks itself. A substance called Myelin surrounds the nerves to help protect them (Healthline.com, 2015). Multiple Sclerosis is thought to occur in a genetically susceptible individual (although there is no evidence to show that the disease is directly inherited) influenced one or more environmental factors. MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease, however others disagree as the target of the immune

Multiple sclerosis, or MS as it is more commonly referred, is an immune mediated disease that involves the body's own defense mechanism, specialized immune cells, that ultimately attacks the central nervous system. Specifically, the myelin protein that coats axons and forms an electrically insulating layer for quicker processing of the nervous system, is attacked by cytotoxic cells that have crossed into the CNS. In a healthy patient, the blood brain barrier cannot be crossed by cytotoxic cells and it is speculated that an environmental component or outside source mediates this crossing. When the myelin is attacked, it forms scars in the CNS, as multiple sclerosis literally translates to “many scars,” which is the direct result of the disease. The scars disrupt the normal nerve impulses that travel through the central nervous system, and can cause a variety of symptoms including loss of cognition, fatigue, or numbness in the body (Evidence).

Multiple sclerosis, commonly known as MS, is an auto-immune disease. An auto-immune disease is one in which the body attacks itself. In this particular disease, the central nervous system is being attacked. Specifically, the myelin sheath, or the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord, is attacked. The attacks cause scar tissue, which makes it difficult for signals to travel between the brain and body. Eventually, the nerves may deteriorate, which is a process that is completely irreversible [5]. See the figure below for more detail.

The main cause of MS is yet to be known, researchers have suggested that MS is a demyelinating disease. Here myelin gets degenerated. Myelin is a material which is composed of fats and provides insulation for the nerves. This insulation of fat contributes in transmission of impulses with very high speed, allowing people to move almost without thinking. Therefore, when this myelin sheath is not present it cause a short circuiting like case and the person cannot move rapidly, smoothly and coordinate movements. According to researchers the immune system mistakes the myelin as a foreign body and attacks to destroy this myelin. It is not known yet what triggers the immune system but it is thought to be a combination of many factors. Among a few theories a virus that lies dormant in the body plays a major role in the causing of this disease by disturbing the immune system or indirectly contribute to the autoimmunity. Another one of the theories also says that it is not because of any specific virus but a common virus like herpes or measles which activates the

Depending on the severity of the curvature, different treatment methods are implemented to attack this abnormality of the spine. Although the effectiveness of using plastic back braces to deter the curvature is still to be determined, doctors still generally use this method for smaller curves. In recent years, doctors have been employing a minimally invasive surgical approach for larger curves, one that requires surgeons to only make a few small incisions along the spine, rather than the traditional two-foot incision along the spine. This technique is by far the most radical treatment since the first scoliosis surgery took place in the early 1900s.

Scoliosis is a complex deformity or curvature of the spine and entire torso and has been recognized clinically for centuries (Asher, Marc A.). “For a few of the patients an underlying cause can be determined, including congenital changes, secondary changes related to neuropathic or myopathic conditions, or later in life from degenerative spondylosis. However, the cause of most scoliosis is not known and since about 1922 such patients have been diagnosed as having idiopathic scoliosis (Asher, Marc A.).”