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March is National
MS Education & Awareness Month |
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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an illness diagnosed in over
350,000 persons in the United States today. In brief, what is known
about MS is that it is signified by more than one (multiple) area of
inflammation and scarring of the myelin in the brain and spinal cord.
Myelin is the tissue that covers and protects our nerve
fibers. When this occurs, nerve "communication" is disrupted. Thus, a
person with MS experiences varying degrees of neurological impairment
depending on the location and extent of the scarring.
April 26, 2007 -
Support the 3rd
Annual Women Against MS Luncheon at the Wardman Park Marriot
Hotel in Washington, DC at 12 noon. |
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What causes MS?
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MS is not believed to be a hereditary
disease, although having a family history of MS does make an individual
a little more likely to develop it.MS is not transmitted genetically,
but research indicates that an increased susceptibility to the disease
does appear to be genetic.
Although a specific cause of MS has not yet been determined, several
theories are considered plausible. MS is an “autoimmune” disease, in
which, for unknown reasons, the body’s immune system begins to attack
normal body tissue. In the case of MS, the body attacks the cells that
make myelin.
Recent data suggest that common viruses may play a role in the cause of
MS. If so, MS may be caused by a persistent viral infection or
alternatively, by an immune process initiated by a transient viral
infection in the central nervous system or elsewhere in the body.
Environmental studies indicating where MS exists and where it is absent,
suggest that there is a triggering factor. It appears that some
factor-most likely infectious-must be encountered before the age of 16
in order for the disease to be triggered later in life.
Higher incidence of MS is found in the Northern temperate zones of North
America and Europe, might indicate some triggering factor in the
environment, such as toxins, vitamin-deficiencies, causing MS to
manifest in those whose immune systems are genetically predisposed to
MS.
MS is not transmitted genetically but research indicates an increased
susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, appears to be at least partly
genetic. MS itself is not a hereditary disease, but the hereditary
factor may make an individual susceptible to its development. |
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Who gets MS?
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Currently, there are 350,000 to 500,000
people in the United States who have been diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis. MS is more common in women, appears more frequently in whites
than in Hispanics or African Americans and is relatively rare among
Asians and certain other groups.
Ninety percent of MS patients diagnosed are between the ages of 16 and
60; but MS can make its first appearance in early childhood or after age
60. |
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Is multiple sclerosis
contagious or fatal? |
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MS is neither contagious nor fatal. People
with MS have a life expectancy that is not really any different from the
general population. The leading causes of death in the MS community are
heart disease, cancer, and stroke. MS tends to affect quality of life,
not quantity of life. There are unusual variants of MS than can be very
aggressive and potentially shorten life, but these are not the norm. |
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What are
the most common symptoms of
MS? |
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The most common characteristics of MS
include fatigue, weakness, spasticity, balance problems, bladder and
bowel problems, numbness, vision loss, tremor and vertigo. Not all
symptoms affect all MS patients and symptoms and signs may be persistent
or may cease from time to time.
Because the signs and symptoms that define the clinical picture of MS
are the result of nerve lesions causing disturbances in electrical
conduction in one or more areas of the central nervous system, the
nature of the symptoms that occur is determined by the location of the
lesion. |
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Why do doctors feel that I
am imagining my symptoms? |
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In the beginning phases of multiple
sclerosis, diagnostic tests, such as MRI's, may be negative but the
patient may experience subjective sensory symptoms. These symptoms can
include numbness, tingling, or fatigue, and will not be seen on
diagnostic tests. This leads doctors to believe there is no illness or
that anxiety is present. You should also know that a clinical diagnosis
of MS may take years. Often a physician observes a person over a period
of time before reaching a diagnosis of MS. Neurologists are generally
consulted and
diagnostic tests such as MRI's, evoked response potential, and
others may be used to help with a diagnosis.
If you are not sure you have MS, don't be afraid to ask questions and to
find out more about feelings and symptoms. Do not let symptoms continue
without further investigation. |
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Am I going to end up in a
wheelchair? |
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The natural course of MS is highly
variable, and it is impossible to predict the nature, severity or timing
of progression in a given patient. Some people with MS will have a more
progressive disease course than others.
In some cases, the course of MS over the first five years may provide a
clue to the progression of the disease over the next 10 years. Recent
studies indicate that 90% of patients with minimal disability five years
after onset were still ambulatory at 15 years. It is estimated that at
20 years after diagnosis, about 1/3 of people who receive no treatment
may require a wheelchair or other assistive device.
With the present immunomodulatory therapies, the goal is to slow the
progression of disability. Some people with MS respond quite well and
may have no progression over years. For others, the treatment may slow,
but not stop the progression. It is important to be proactive and work
with your healthcare provider in order to obtain the most appropriate
treatment, thus obtaining the highest level of benefit. |
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What options can help me? |
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Early treatment makes a difference. The necessity for early
treatment in MS is becoming increasingly clearer. The time has passed
for the “let’s wait and see how it goes” attitude before treatment is
begun. The message is that early treatment seems to delay disability
presumably by decreasing the injury to the nervous
system by the multiple sclerosis. The drugs used for treating MS
are currently: Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, or Novantrone. Another
option is alternative healing modalities. Many people find a combination
of the two choices can achieve the best results.
For more information, visit the
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation |
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