Condition Spotlight - Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

[SaskiaHU]

Being Multiple Sclerosis (MS) awareness month, we want to shine a spotlight on the condition & give insight into what symptoms look like, types of MS, treatments & common misconceptions.

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MS is a lifelong condition that is often serious, affecting the brain and spinal cord, with 100,000 people in the UK living with the condition. Often developing in people in their 20’s and 30’s, but some people notice symptoms years before they are diagnosed, MS affects the nervous system.

A substance called myelin protects nerve fibres in the central nervous system – this allows messages to be sent between the brain and the body effectively.

For those with MS, the body mistakenly attacks myelin, confusing it as a foreign substance. This damages myelin, stripping it off the nerve fibres and leaving scars in the process. This affects the transmission of messages along the nerve fibres, causing them to slow down, become distorted, or not get through at all.

The nerve fibres can become damaged as well as myelin, and this is what causes a progressive increase in disability for those with MS over time.

What do MS symptoms look like?

MS can affect your movement, vision, balance, and emotions, however MS is different for everybody. The main symptoms include:

- Fatigue

- Trouble with walking

- Blurred vision

- Sensations such as numbness or tingling in the body

- Muscle stiffness/spasms

- Cognitive issues such as difficulty learning and planning

- Bladder issues

- Females are 3 times more likely to develop MS than males and although a life-long condition, MS is not terminal.

Two main types of MS

Relapsing MS – this is where you have times of stability in between flare ups or relapses. After a relapse, symptoms may lessen or go away completely. 8 out of 10 people have this kind of MS.

Progressive MS – this is where your symptoms progress over time without relapses, and just over 1 out of 10 people have this kind of MS.

Treating MS

There currently isn’t a cure for MS, but several things can be done to treat symptoms:

1. Steroid medication can speed up recovery during relapses

2. Using specific treatments for individual MS symptoms

3. Using disease-modifying therapies

Myths & misconceptions with MS

MS is infectious or contagious – MS cannot be passed on by meeting people with MS.

MS is a terminal illness – Many people are diagnosed with MS in their 20’s or 30’s, yet are expected to live another 40 to 50 years whilst having MS.

You will need to use a wheelchair – for the majority, a rapid worsening of symptoms is unlikely and most people with MS will not need to use a wheelchair on a regular basis.

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Have you been diagnosed with MS? Sometimes it helps talking to people about your experiences. At HealthUnlocked, we have a supportive community for people living with Multiple Sclerosis . Join the community and get tips, advice and support from people who understand

healthunlocked.com/mymsaa

[twooldcrows]

well said and will help many....thank you...

[mo2march]

My symptoms really are beyond b12 deificiency but I have no idea how to investigate that. But in my case b12 injection is also effective but my symptoms are really bad. I need help Maybe other auto immune disease are involved like, Sjogren syndrome or hypoparthyrodism but since now no alarming issue was found on my blood work but still I'm investigating

[SaskiaHU HealthUnlocked in reply to mo2march]

Hi mo2march , why not try asking your questions in our MS community - healthunlocked.com/mymsaa

[bennevisplace]

Thanks. I'm not a MS sufferer though an old friend of mine is. Another old friend is a research-consultant in MS.

Perhaps you could share this with the HU forum for MS, where I see there was a brief mention of some really exciting research establishing the link between MS and Epstein Barr virus (EBV). The topic was nicely covered by BBC Radio 4's Inside Health earlier this week bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00154bt

Scientists hope that developing an effective vaccine against EBV could prevent the majority of cases of MS - just as vaccines against precursor viruses have dramatically reduced the incidence of polio (poliovirus) and cervical cancer (human papillovirus) - and that such a vaccine might even slow disease progression in existing cases.

Here are articles about the recent research.

Establishing the epidemiological link between MS and EBV nih.gov/news-events/nih-res...

Identifying the mechanism whereby EBV triggers MS med.stanford.edu/news/all-n...

[mauschen]

Thank you for highlighting MS. Two years ago, I lost my best friend to MS. A beautiful, intelligent and strong woman who fought MS every step of the way.Diagnosis took a long while because she was dismissed by doctors as a hypochondriac and someone who was paranoid. She was ridiculed by a multidisciplinary panel of health and social care professionals because she presented as well dressed, beautifully accessorised, manicured with immaculate hair and makeup. Apparently, no one is allowed to help you to get ready for an assessment?

Only when she could no longer walk and had lost the use of an arm did she start to get help and equipment.

My friend died looking as beautiful as she did on the day of her first multi disciplinary assessment .

Not everyone will be as strong as my friend. However, self esteem is important therefore, people should not judge people negatively for trying to keep up appearances in the face of a debilitating, cruel disease.

If you are lucky enough to have the loving family support my friend did. Let them help you to look beautiful or handsome. Let them bring you a mirror for you to see that you are still the same person. Enjoy the compliments other will pay, get noticed for the beautiful person you are rather than the diagnosis you have.