They can be present in products such as paints , adhesives, and lacquers. These chemicals are believed to promote inflammation, potentially interacting with other MS risk factors to increase MS risk. A population study that included people with and without MS found that exposure to organic solvents increased MS risk. Others include:. The viruses above can all establish a chronic infection that lasts for a lifetime.
They can also cross the blood-brain barrier, entering the CNS. One theory suggests that bacteria or viruses that have similar components to brain and spinal cord cells go on to trigger two immune system actions:. Researchers have also identified proteins that mimic myelin basic protein, which is believed to be a target of the dysfunctional immune system in MS.
These proteins come from several pathogens, including:. EBV is the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis. As of yet, none of them have been firmly proven. Some examples include:. The nature of this interaction is unknown. According to the NMSS , MS affects people of northern European descent more frequently, which has been thought to possibly be due to their location relative to the equator. While the exact cause of MS is a mystery, researchers have identified four important risk factors for MS.
Research is ongoing to better characterize these risk factors and how they can affect MS risk. This is the result of treatment options and overall improvements in lifestyle and health choices. With continued research, strides are being made every day to help find what can stop the advancement of MS. When the protective sheath around your nerves breaks down, a slew of symptoms can occur.
Check out this interactive graphic to see how MS affects your…. Read on for answers to common questions you may have about MS. You can develop multiple sclerosis MS at any age. MS is more common in women than men.
It's also more common in certain ethnic groups than others…. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition of the central nervous system. An autoimmune disease is a condition in which your immune system attacks your body. Common autoimmune diseases include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid…. Multiple sclerosis MS can cause brain and spinal cord lesions. Treatment may be helpful in preventing new lesions and managing the condition.
Some days, sharing about my life with MS feels useful and authentic. Other times, I'd rather keep the details to myself. The results weren't permanent, but I'll cherish the memory of regaining my mobility. Myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis are immune-mediated conditions that can cause neurological symptoms. Learn about their similarities and….
Multiple sclerosis is an immune disorder. Learn more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Multiple Sclerosis. Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M. Weak muscles may contract involuntarily called spasticity , sometimes causing painful cramps.
Muscle weakness and spasticity may interfere with walking, eventually making it impossible, even with a walker or another assistive device. Some people are confined to a wheelchair. People who cannot walk may develop osteoporosis Osteoporosis read more decreased bone density. People with multiple sclerosis may become unable to control emotional responses and may laugh or cry inappropriately. Depression is common, and thinking may be mildly impaired.
Multiple sclerosis often affects the nerves that control urination or bowel movements. As a result, most people with multiple sclerosis have problems controlling their bladder Urinary Incontinence in Adults Urinary incontinence is involuntary loss of urine. Inability to empty their bladder completely urinary retention Urinary Retention Urinary retention is inability to urinate or incomplete emptying of the bladder. People who have incomplete emptying of the bladder may have urinary frequency or urinary incontinence.
If the Retained urine can be a breeding ground for bacteria, making urinary tract infections more likely to develop. People may also be constipated Constipation in Adults Constipation is difficult or infrequent bowel movements, hard stool, or a feeling that the rectum is not totally empty after a bowel movement incomplete evacuation.
See also Constipation Fecal incontinence can occur briefly during bouts of diarrhea or when hard stool becomes lodged in the rectum fecal impaction Rarely, late in the disorder, dementia Dementia Dementia is a slow, progressive decline in mental function including memory, thinking, judgment, and the ability to learn.
Typically, symptoms include memory loss, problems using language and Because symptoms vary widely, doctors may not recognize the disorder in its early stages. Doctors suspect multiple sclerosis in younger people who suddenly develop blurred vision, double vision, or movement problems and abnormal sensations in various unrelated parts of the body. Fluctuating symptoms and a pattern of relapses and remissions support the diagnosis. People should clearly describe all of the symptoms they have had to their doctor, particularly if the symptoms are not present when they visit their doctor.
When doctors suspect multiple sclerosis, they thoroughly evaluate the nervous system neurologic examination Neurologic Examination When a neurologic disorder is suspected, doctors usually evaluate all of the body systems during the physical examination, but they focus on the nervous system. Examination of the nervous system—the They examine the back of the eye retina with an ophthalmoscope What Is an Ophthalmoscope? A person who has eye symptoms should be checked by a doctor.
However, some eye disorders cause few or no symptoms in their early stages, so the eyes should be checked regularly every 1 to The optic disk the spot where the optic nerve joins the retina may be unusually pale, indicating damage to the optic nerve.
Magnetic resonance imaging MRI is the best imaging test for detecting multiple sclerosis. It usually detects areas of demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. However, MRI cannot determine whether the demyelination has been there for a long time and is stable or it is very recent and still progressing. Nor can MRI determine whether immediate treatment is required. So doctors may inject gadolinium a paramagnetic contrast agent into the bloodstream and do MRI again.
Gadolinium helps distinguish areas of recent demyelination from areas of long-standing demyelination. This information helps doctors plan treatment. Sometimes demyelination is detected when MRI is done for another reason, before multiple sclerosis causes any symptoms. A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis may be clear based on current symptoms, a history of relapses and remissions, the physical examination, and MRI.
If not, other tests are done to obtain additional information:. Spinal tap Spinal Tap Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination. Electroencephalography EEG is a simple, painless procedure in which The protein content of the fluid may be higher than normal.
The concentration of antibodies may be high, and a specific pattern of antibodies called oligoclonal banding is detected in most people with multiple sclerosis. Evoked responses Evoked Responses Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination.
This test can also detect slight damage to the optic nerve that is not causing symptoms. Other tests can help doctors distinguish multiple sclerosis from disorders that cause similar symptoms, such as AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection is a viral infection that progressively destroys certain white blood cells and can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS.
HIV is transmitted The virus is spread through Vasculitis can be triggered by certain infections or drugs or can occur for unknown reasons.
People may have With treatment, people The cerebellum malfunctions, causing Problems in the These spiral-shaped bacteria The soft, jelly-like interior of the disk may then bulge out herniate through the covering. Syphilis can occur in three stages of symptoms, separated by periods of apparent good health. It begins Syrinxes may be present at birth or develop later For example, blood tests may be done to rule out Lyme disease, syphilis, AIDS, tropical spastic paraparesis, and lupus, and imaging tests can help rule out arthritis of the neck, rupture of a spinal disk, and syringomyelia.
Blood tests to measure an antibody specific for neuromyelitis optica Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder NMOSD Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder affects mainly the nerves in the eyes and spinal cord, causing patches of myelin the substance that covers most nerve fibers and the nerve fibers under What effects multiple sclerosis has and how quickly it progresses vary greatly and unpredictably.
Remissions can last months up to 10 years or more. However, some people, such as men who develop the disorder during middle age and who have frequent attacks, may become rapidly incapacitated. For an acute attack, corticosteroids are most commonly used. They probably work by suppressing the immune system. They are given for short periods to relieve immediate symptoms such as loss of vision, strength, or coordination if the symptoms interfere with functioning.
For example, prednisone may be taken by mouth, or methylprednisolone may be given intravenously. Although corticosteroids may shorten relapses and slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, they do not stop its progression. Corticosteroids are rarely used for a long time because they can have many side effects, such as increased susceptibility to infection, diabetes, weight gain, fatigue, osteoporosis, and ulcers. Corticosteroids are started and stopped as needed.
Drugs that help keep the immune system from attacking myelin sheaths are usually also used. These drugs help reduce the number of future relapses. They include the following:. Interferon-beta injections reduce the frequency of relapses and may help delay disability. Glatiramer acetate injections may have similar benefits for people with early mild multiple sclerosis.
Natalizumab is a monoclonal antibody Monoclonal Antibodies Immunotherapy is the use of drugs that mimic or modify components of the immune system such as tumor antigens and immune checkpoints—see also Overview of the Immune System to fight disease It is more effective than other drugs in reducing the number of relapses and preventing further damage in the brain.
However, natalizumab may increase the risk of a rare, fatal infection of the brain and spinal cord progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy PML Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a rare infection of the brain that is caused by the JC John Cunningham virus. Not yet. There are now FDA-approved medications that have been shown to "modify" the course of MS by limiting new areas of damage in the CNS, reducing the number of relapses and delaying progression of disability.
In addition, many therapeutic and technological advances are helping with more effective symptom management. Advances in treating and understanding MS are made every year, hopefully moving research closer to identifying a cure. Our MS Navigators help identify solutions and provide access to the resources you are looking for. Call or contact us online. Contact Us. If you or someone close to you has recently been diagnosed, access our MS information and resources. Start Here.
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