A. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is what we call a DEMYELINATING disease of the nervous system. It tends to strike young adults in their prime years, with a peak around 21-25 years of age and a second, smaller peak around 40-45 years of age. It is slightly more common in women, and it's incidence depends on where you live in the world. Places with temperate climates such as North America and Europe have an incidence of 1 in 2000 people, whereas tropical climates have a lower incidence of MS, around 1 in 10,000 people.
Although many theories exist (virus? immunologic?), no one really knows for sure what causes this disease. The best way to diagnose it today is by MRI scan.
The symptoms of MS depend on which nerves have been affected. Often the first episode of MS is a temporary change in sensation of an area on a limb. It may be a numbness, a tingling or just a decrease in feeling on the arm or leg affected. Another common first complaint is optic neuritis where the person notices a sudden loss of vision in one eye, with or without pain.
Typically, MS patients have 1 episode of symptoms a year which comes on over a few days, lasts a few weeks and then goes into remission for months or years. THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE IS HIGHLY VARIABLE and unpredictable at the onset. In fact 1/3rd of patients will go on to develop what is known as benign MS and do NOT develop progressive disability or impairment for many, many years if ever. On the other hand, 10% of patients will progress rapidly to a highly disabled state.
Treatment for MS is divided into three categories:
Treating the disease itself:
Controlling acute episodes:
Symptomatic treatments and rehabilitation:
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