What is Multiple Sclerosis – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Even though Multiple Sclerosis is not completely curable yet, there are several ways to control the symptoms of this condition. If you or your loved ones suffer from MS, take a look at its remedial measures, causes, types, and more.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a long-term debilitating ailment that affects your central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. MS is when the immune system invades myelin or the protective layer covering the nerve fibres. It causes disruption of communication amid the brain and remaining parts of the body. Consequently, the ailment results in weakening of the nerves and their permanent damage.

Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system attacks the myelin. Myelin is the protective sheath that envelops the axons of neurons, enabling them to send electrical impulses. Multiple sclerosis can be of four types as stated below:

1. Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS): When a patient shows the first stage of MS symptoms, a neurologist may classify it as a clinically isolated syndrome. Not necessarily everyone with CIS will develop multiple sclerosis.
2. Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS): It is the most widespread form of MS. People who suffers from RRMS experience relapse or a worsening phase with acute symptoms.
3. Primary progressive MS (PPMS): People who are diagnosed with PPMS may exhibit symptoms that gradually deteriorate without any stage of remission or relapse.
4. Secondary progressive MS (SPMS): Often, people initially diagnosed with RRMS develop SPMS in due course. Patients with this type of multiple sclerosis will continue to experience nerve damage and the symptoms aggravate progressively.

The symptoms of MS vary from person to person. While symptoms are comparatively less severe and require no treatment in some patients, it can be fatal for many. A few of the common symptoms include:

• Fatigue: One of the common multiple sclerosis symptoms is fatigue. In this type of problem, the person feels too exhausted and faces difficulty in carrying out daily tasks. Also, it can cause dizziness, headache, muscle weakness, etc.

• Numbness and Tingling: Having abnormal sensations is a common symptom of MS. Sometimes, it occurs as numbness or tingling in various sections of your body, like legs, arms, or trunk, which generally persists for a few days.

• Vision Problems: Among the notable multiple sclerosis symptoms, another one is vision problem. In this case, the patient may experience short-term loss of vision, eye pain, colour blindness, flashes of light while moving an eye, double vision, blurry vision and so on.

• Muscle Spasms, Stiffness and Weakness: Muscle issues are another symptom of MS. It causes abnormal contraction of muscles and painful spasms, stiffness, etc. and also resists movements (spasticity).

• Mobility Problems: Mobility problems make moving and walking difficult, specifically if you develop spasticity and muscle weakness. In this phase, patients experience ataxia, clumsiness, tremor or shaking of limbs, dizziness, as well as vertigo.

• Pain: MS can cause stabbing pains in face, aching of trunk and limbs, feeling of burning, electric-shock like sensations occurring during neck movements, etc. Also, it can cause musculoskeletal pains like joint, neck, and back pain.

• Problems in Cognition: One of the widely known multiple sclerosis symptoms is cognitive problems. This includes difficulty learning, understanding, inattentiveness, fluency disorder, and so on.

• Anxiety and Depression: Another symptom related to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is that it can cause anxiety and depression. There are several cases where people suffering from MS experience severe mood swings, burst into tears, laugh, or shout furiously without a reason.

• Sexual Problems: Suffering from multiple sclerosis may have a detrimental effect on the sexual life of both men and women. Some common problems faced by men include ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, low libido etc. If a woman has MS, it will cause difficulty reaching orgasm and reduced vaginal lubrication.

• Bladder Problems: MS can also cause bladder-related problems, which can sometimes be life-threatening. This includes incontinence, difficulty in evacuating bladder, urinary tract infections, etc. 

• Bowel Problems: Problem in bowels is a major concern among people as it can become severe in certain cases. Out of them, the most common problem is constipation and stool incontinence. It makes the stool get stuck and generates more mucus and fluid, thereby amaging the walls of the intestines.

The medical experts have not yet found the root causes that result in multiple sclerosis. While medical research continues to study this condition, certain factors, as stated below, are deemed to trigger MS:

• Pathogenic infection:  Several researchers consider that contact with certain contagious viruses, like Epstein-Barr virus, can lead to MS in due course of time.
• Environment: According to research, the environment where you live could be a reason for developing MS. It is found that people living in areas far from the equator experience MS in higher numbers. This might be one of the multiple sclerosis causes since people in these areas get less exposure to the sun, and that lower the levels of vitamin D in them. Reduced level of vitamin D is a major risk factor for developing MS.
• Functioning of immune system: MS is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune conditions cause the immune system to attack one’s own healthy cells. Consequently, this leads to several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
• Genetic reason: Having a family history of multiple sclerosis is another reason for this condition to develop.

These factors may increase your risk of developing multiple sclerosis:

• Age: There is no particular age when multiple sclerosis may occur. However, most victims of MS fall between the age group of 20 years to 40 years. 
• Sex: Usually, women are more likely to suffer from multiple sclerosis at the extent of two to three times more than men. 
• Family history: Heredity is also another factor that can lead to MS. If any of your parents or siblings had MS in the past, there is a likelihood that you will end up being diagnosed with MS. 
• Infections: Several types of viruses cause multiple sclerosis. For example, a virus known as Epstein-Barr virus is responsible for causing multiple sclerosis.
• Race: Caucasians, specifically those belonging to Northern European countries, carry a higher risk of suffering from MS in future, whereas individuals from Asian, African or Native American countries are at a lower risk.
• Climate: Multiple sclerosis is most common in those countries that experience temperate climates, which comprise the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, and south-eastern Australia.
• Vitamin D: Another notable risk factor that can lead to MS is low levels of vitamin D. So if you have less exposure to sunlight or are vitamin D deficient in some way, there may be a chance that you will develop MS.
• Smoking: Smokers who manifest the first stage of MS symptoms are more vulnerable to develop the second phase of relapsing-remitting MS than those who do not smoke.
• Autoimmune diseases: You will have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis if you are suffering from any kind of autoimmune ailments like inflammatory bowel syndrome, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anaemia, or psoriasis.

Following are some ways to diagnose this disease that your doctor can recommend:

• Blood Tests: In general, there is no particular blood test for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, blood tests are mainly performed in order to rule out other causes behind the symptoms.

• Neurological Examination: In this test, your neurologist will check you for abnormalities, like weakness or changes in your vision, limb strength, eye movements, reflexes, balance and coordination. This test will indicate how much the nerves are damaged or if it can lead to MS.

• MRI Scan: MRI scans use radio waves and powerful, strong magnetic fields to generate clear images of the inside of your body. This test exhibits whether there is any scar or damage in the myelin sheath. Determining this can confirm that the person has MS.

• Evoked Potential Test: Another test for Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis is the evoked potential test. This test has various types, out of which the most common is to evaluate the proper working of your eyes. During the test, you will be shown light patterns, and your brain waves will be checked by using electrodes. This test is totally painless, and it indicates whether your brain is taking longer than usual to receive messages.

• Lumbar Puncture: The Lumbar puncture or spinal tap is often used for diagnosing MS. In this process, a needle is injected into the lower back of the body to collect a sample of your spinal fluid. This spinal fluid surrounds your brain and spinal cord, and any changes or irregularity in it can indicate nervous system problems.

As of now, there is no cure for MS. Therefore, the multiple sclerosis treatment procedures mainly involve management of its symptoms while slowing down further worsening of the disease. Treatment procedures may include:

• Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs): The FDA has approved several medications for long-term treatment of MS. These medicines help lessen the chances of relapses and major attacks. Apart from reducing the rate of deterioration, taking these medicines can stop the formation of new lesions on a patient’s brain and spinal cord.

• Relapse Controlling Medicines: If you experience a severe MS attack, a neurologist will prescribe a higher dose of corticosteroids. These medications quickly decrease inflammation.

• Physical Rehabilitation: Multiple sclerosis may upset physical functioning. Physical rehabilitation plays a major role to gain mobility as well as prevent spasms of muscle. This multiple sclerosis treatment procedure generally involves exercises to reinforce your muscles while improving physical balance.

• Mental Health Counselling: Dealing with a chronic MS happens to be extremely emotional and frustrating. Multiple Sclerosis may affect your mental setup as well as your memory. This is why mental health counselling is also considered an integral part of managing this disease.

• Research has proved that the life expectancy after suffering from multiple sclerosis is shortened by 7.5 years on an average compared to standard population without MS.
• From studies it is found that the average survival for individuals having MS is 75.9 years than compared to 83.4 years to the population without MS.
• More than 40% of deaths have been reported due to Multiple Sclerosis.

Here are a few tips that will help you manage this condition effectively:

1. Consume a Healthy Diet: Having a balanced diet is highly recommended to manage MS. Make sure to consume plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains and lean protein. Additionally, you need to control unhealthy fats, added sugars, processed foods etc.
2. Exercise Regularly : Multiple sclerosis causes muscle weakness, difficulty in walking and loss of balance. Involving low-impact exercises, yoga and swimming in your workout routine can be highly helpful in retaining healthy muscles and physical functioning.
3. Managing Stress: The impact of stress, both physical and emotional, not only causes difficulty sleeping but is more likely to worsen MS-linked fatigue. Managing stress with regular meditation, yoga, and other similar practices can be helpful to manage MS. Before choosing the exercises, make sure to get a suggestion from a mental healthcare provider.
4. Avoid Smoking and Limit Intake of Alcohol: Smoking and consumption of alcohol have a close relation to worsening the symptoms of MS. To avoid the aggravation of the disease, you are suggested to avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake.