Multiple Sclerosis

What is Multiple Sclerosis? It is a condition a chronic autoimmune affecting movement ensation and bodily functions. This condition is caused by the destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers of the central nervous system meaning the brain and spinal cord. Multiple Sclerosis affects  more than a quarter of a million people of in United States with most having their first symptoms between the ages of 20 and 40. Women are almost twice as likely to get MS over a man especially in their early years. The way MS progresses can be unpredictable. Despite the massive amount research it is still unknown what causes the unset of this condition some things have pointed to genes, others have pointed to environmental factors, viruses or a combination of both. The risk of developing MS is higher if a family member has it. This prevalence is higher in people with northern European descent. In the first stages you may have a symptom here and there you may go months to years in the first phase of MS. In the second phase the symptoms become more frequent. In the final phases you will have more frequent symptoms. Only 10 to 20 percent of people have a slow progressing form of MS and may never show symptoms. The following phases will show the following symptoms.

• Muscle weakness, causing difficulty walking
• Loss of coordination or balance
• Numbness, "pins and needles," or other abnormal sensations
• Visual disturbances, including blurred or double vision.

Later symptoms may include:

• Fatigue
• Muscle spasticity and stiffness
• Tremors
• Paralysis
• Pain
• Vertigo
• Speech or swallowing difficulty
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Incontinence, constipation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Cognitive changes.

 Some medications that treat symptoms of MS are Copaxone, Gilenya, Ampyra, Tecfidera, Aubagio, Rebif, Avonex, Betaseron, Natalizumab, Prednisone just to name a few.