MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults.

MS is thought to be an auto-immune disease, where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath covering nerves. The damaged sheath/nerve affects the transmission of signals along that nerve.

Symptoms may be mild (eg. limb numbness) or severe (eg. paralysis, loss of vision). The progress, severity, and type of symptoms vary from person to person and can not be predicted.

Individuals with MS have near-normal life expectancies.

Multiple sclerosis affects women more than men.

There is no evidence that MS is an inherited disease.

What are the symptoms of MS?

The most common symptom is numbness or tingling in one or more of your limbs. Slurred speech, and blurred or double vision can also occur.

Others may experience muscle weakness, tremors or paralysis.

The symptoms typically do not affect both sides of the body at the same time.

Symptoms are unpredictable, may be mild to severe, and can be relapsing-remitting or progressive.

How is MS diagnosed?

Diagnosis of MS is not easy and is based on a combination of tests:

- history
- neurological examination
- MRI
- Lumbar puncture

There is no single test that is diagnostic for MS. A definitive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can take months.

Is there a cure for MS?

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis at present.

What is the treatment of MS?

Disease-modifiers - most effective if taken early in the disease. These drugs modify the natural course of relapsing MS.

There is also drug treatment available that can be used to slow down MS that is rapidly worsening or becoming progressive.

Steroids can shorten the duration of an attack.