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Multiple Sclerosis: What is Multiple Sclerosis, Symptom, Cause, Diagnosis and Treatment

Introduction

One of the important constituents of central nervous system is nerve fibers (or axons) and thick fatty tissues called myelin protect these fibres. These nerve fibers are necessary to conduct electrical impulses as directed by brain. In multiple sclerosis, in some of the areas due to damage in myelin tissue and consequently damage in axons or nerve fibers, the electrical impulse communication between brain and nerve fibers is disrupted causing the symptoms.

The damage of myelin may be caused by one of the immune attack. The immune system of our body fights against attacks of various viruses, bacteria or parasites. Sometimes, the immune system may attack to the own body tissues and in MS the immune system causes the damage to own myelin tissues.

Symptoms

The symptoms of multiple sclerosis changes from person to person and the symptoms of multiple sclerosis as reported by two different persons may be different and may also change from time to time.

• Some common symptoms may include sensation in arms, legs or face, vision loss partial or complete, weakness, double vision and walking problem.
• Other symptoms reported by patients of multiple sclerosis are flickering eye movement (mystagmus), speech difficulties, clumsiness of the hands, bowl or bladder movement difficulties, abnormal muscle spasm and tremors.
• Emotional instability such as anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, hopelessness are most common symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis.
• People may have multiple symptoms and people may also have infection or trauma.

Diagnosis

• In initial stage multiple sclerosis is difficult to diagnose. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is easy when the patient has suffered at least two anatomically separate demyelinating lesions or myelin loss at least at an interval of thirty days and all other diseases that may cause similar episodes have been ruled out. Internationally scientists are standardizing diagnosis of multiple sclerosis on the basis of clinical, laboratory and radiological evaluation.
• Brain of a person having multiple sclerosis will respond less for stimulation to optic nerve and sensory nerves. The response of brain can be examined using visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). If either of the two shows a decreased response, which confirms demyelination has occurred.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect areas of demyelination on T-2 weighted images as bright lesions.
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), if tested for oligoclonal bands, immunoglobulins found in 90 to 95% people suffering with MS. In some of other diseases these bands may also be found.
• So the presence of oligoclonal bands alone can not be positive proof of multiple sclerosis, however these in conjunction with other diagnostic results can help in diagnosing MS.

Treatment of Multiple sclerosis

• There is no specific treatment and cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), however a few therapies are helpful especially if there is an occurrence of acute attacks or patients have progressive subtype of the disease or patients suffer with demyelinating episodes.
• Treatment of multiple sclerosis patients is aimed to prevent new attacks and prevent disability and patient returning to normal function of the CNS (Central Nervous System) after the attack.
• If the patient suffers an attack should be hospitalized and should be given treatment of intravenous corticosteroids. In some of the countries oral treatment with steroid is offered and both the treatment methods are equally effective if high dose of steroid is administered for a short duration.
• For managing remitting multiple sclerosis, interferons medications (interferon beta-1a or 1b) which is derived from human cytokines and help regulating the immune system, should be prescribed. The other medicines glatiramer acetate and mitoxantrone are also effective, but the later is found to have cardiac toxicity.
• For slowing down the progressive multiple sclerosis, various medicines have been in use and have some effect in slowing down the disease, however most of these medicines have various side effects. The small benefits of the medicine and long term side effect makes the management and treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis more difficult. 

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