Health what is ms

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Watch Video The cause of MS is still unknown. Scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing MS. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. An introduction and guide to living with MS for people recently diagnosed with MS or who have a loved one who was recently diagnosed.

Learn More Learn More. Get started with the basics with frequently asked questions about MS. Explore the four disease courses to understand the similarities and differences between them.

Current MS treatments aim to prevent new central nervous system lesions forming that lead to irreversible damage and brain atrophy. Current research is focused on finding ways to repair the damaged myelin and help prevent MS symptoms. MS can progress in different ways. Knowing the type of MS you have can help you understand the course your MS is likely to take, and help you make informed treatment decisions.

Active disease refers to new lesions leading to clinical relapses, new MRI magnetic resonance imaging findings or progression of disease. Inactive or not active disease means your MS is stable with no evidence of current disease activity.

The symptoms of MS are varied and unpredictable, depending on which part of the central nervous system is affected and to what degree.

No 2 cases of MS are the same. Symptoms may vary from day-to-day and symptoms can also interact with each other. The symptoms of MS can be both visible and invisible to others. Some of the most common MS symptoms involve:. MS is a chronic disease requiring constant adjustment, management, monitoring and resilience. Similarly, it affects and impacts on those around you in different ways at different times. There is no single cause of MS, however studies have found a complex interaction between genetics, environment and lifestyle factors:.

Diagnosing MS can be difficult, as some of the early symptoms such as fatigue, stumbling, unusual sensations, slowed thinking or problems with eyesight can also be caused by several other health conditions.

There is no single test for MS. If your doctor or neurologist thinks you may have MS, they will refer you to a specialist MS neurologist. Specialist MS neurologists have access to the latest diagnostic tools and facilities, and an experienced MS healthcare team. This team can help you understand your new diagnosis, treatment and management options. This forms the basis of international guidelines to help neurologists diagnose MS accurately, called the McDonald criteria.

To achieve the best possible outcomes for people with MS, it is recommended that delays in diagnosing MS be minimised and that goals for treatment and ongoing management of MS be set early in the course of the disease. Being informed about MS will enable you to participate in decision-making about your treatment. Research has shown that a collaborative decision-making process between patient and healthcare provider leads to the best health outcomes.

Some research suggests that where you lived as a child and viral illnesses you have had could be triggers for MS later in life.

But these links have not been proved. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS vary from person to person depending on which parts of the brain or spinal cord central nervous system are damaged. The loss of myelin and scarring caused by MS can affect any part of the central nervous system.

Myelin is the insulating coating around a nerve. Symptoms may come and go or become more or less severe from day to day or, in rare cases, from hour to hour. Symptoms may become worse with increased body temperature or after a viral infection. Common early symptoms of MS include:.

As MS progresses, symptoms may become more severe and may include:. In general, multiple sclerosis follows one of four courses:. MS is different for every person. The duration of the disease varies. Most people who get MS live with it for decades. MS usually progresses with a series of relapses that occur over many years relapsing-remitting MS.

In many people the first MS attack involves just a single symptom. It may be weeks, months, or years before you have a relapse. As time goes by, symptoms may linger after each relapse so you lose the ability to fully recover from the relapse. New symptoms often develop as the disease damages other areas of the brain or spinal cord. Events that can mean you may have a more severe type of MS include:. Some people have a few mild attacks from which they recover entirely.

This is called benign MS. Although rare, a small number of people die within several years of the onset of MS. This is called malignant or fulminant MS. Because MS may affect your ability to move and walk, it can place limits on your daily living, particularly as you age.

If you or someone in your family has MS, talk to your doctor about how MS may affect daily living. Knowing what to expect will help you plan for the future. Complications that may result from MS include:. Your risk for multiple sclerosis MS increases with:. Some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS are similar to those of many other illnesses. See your doctor if over a period of time you have more than one symptom, such as:.

If you have been diagnosed with MS, see your doctor if:. Milder MS-type symptoms can be caused by many other conditions or may occur now and then in healthy people. For example, lots of people have minor numbness in their fingers or a mild dizzy spell once in a while. Stiffness and muscle weakness can result from being more active than usual.

A wait-and-see approach watchful waiting is appropriate for these types of everyday aches and pains, so long as they do not continue. If your symptoms occur more often or don't go away, talk to your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about what to expect from the disease and from treatment. MS is an unpredictable disease, but you probably can get some idea of what is "normal" and what symptoms or problems are reasons for concern.

Some people who have MS want active, regular support from their doctors. Others want to manage their condition on their own as much as possible. Wherever you are in this range, find out which signs or symptoms mean that you need to see your doctor. And seek help when you need it. Health professionals who may be involved in evaluating symptoms of MS and treating the condition include:.

Many university medical centres and large hospitals have MS clinics or centres staffed by neurologists and other health professionals who specialize in diagnosing and treating MS. They may be able to provide the most thorough evaluation. If you have been diagnosed with MS, at some point you may need to seek the help of:. Diagnosing multiple sclerosis MS isn't always easy and in some cases may take time. Your medical history and neurological examination can identify possible nervous system problems and are often enough to strongly suggest a diagnosis of MS.

Tests may help confirm or rule out the diagnosis when your history and examination do not provide clear evidence of the disease. MRI and neurological examination may help doctors predict which people will develop MS after a first attack of symptoms. MS is diagnosed when it is clear from neurological tests and a neurological examination that lesions damaged areas are present in more than one area of the central nervous system usually the brain, spinal cord, or the nerves to the eyes.

Tests will also clearly show that damage has occurred at more than one point in time. Some people have had only one episode of a neurological symptom such as optic neuritis, but MRI tests suggest they may have MS. This is known as a clinically isolated syndrome.

Many of these people go on to develop MS over time. Urinary tract tests may be needed to help diagnose a problem with bladder control in a person who has MS. Neuropsychological tests may be needed to identify thinking or emotional problems, which may be present without the person being aware of them.

Typically, these tests are in a question-and-answer format. A blood test for JC virus antibodies may be done. This test can help you and your doctor understand your risk for getting a rare but serious brain infection called PML progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Treatment can make living with multiple sclerosis MS easier.

Your type of treatment will depend on how severe your symptoms are and whether your disease is active or in remission. You may get medicines, physiotherapy, and other treatment at home. Medicines are used to treat relapses, control the course of the disease disease-modifying drugs or DMDs , or treat symptoms.

The U. National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends that people with a definite diagnosis of MS and who have active, relapsing disease start treatment with medicines. This group also recommends treatment with medicine after the first attack in some people who are at a high risk for MS.

If you decide not to try medicines at this time, meet with your doctor regularly to check whether the disease is progressing. You and your doctor will set up a schedule of periodic appointments to monitor and treat your symptoms and follow the progress of your MS. Monitoring your condition helps your doctor find out if you may need to try a different treatment.

Physiotherapy , occupational therapy, and non-medical treatment done at home may also help you manage symptoms and adjust to living and working situations. To learn more, see Home Treatment. In rare cases, MS is life-threatening. If your condition gets considerably worse, you may want to make a living will, which allows your wishes to be carried out if you are not able to make decisions for yourself.

For more information, see the topic Care at the End of Life. In general, there is no way to prevent multiple sclerosis MS or its attacks. For people with relapsing-remitting MS and secondary progressive MS , treatment with medicine may reduce the frequency of relapses and delay disability. If you have multiple sclerosis MS , it is important to find ways of coping with the practical and emotional demands of the disease. These are different for everyone, so home treatment varies from person to person.

Home treatment may involve making it easier to get around your home, dealing with depression , handling specific symptoms, and getting support from your family and friends. Ask your doctor about physiotherapy and occupational therapy to help you manage at work and home.

Make all efforts to preserve your health. Proper diet, rest, wise use of energy, and practical and emotional support from your family, friends, and doctor can all be very helpful. National Multiple Sclerosis Society at www. Medicines for multiple sclerosis MS may be used:. These medicines can shorten a sudden relapse and help you feel better sooner. They have not been shown to affect the long-term course of the disease or to prevent disability. Strong evidence suggests that MS is caused by the immune system causing inflammation and attacking nerve cells and myelin, which is the protective coating surrounding the nerve fibres.

Medicines that change the way the immune system works can reduce the number and severity of attacks that damage the nerves and myelin. For people who have relapsing-remitting MS , disease-modifying therapy can reduce the number and severity of relapses.

It may also delay disability in some people. Some of these medicines may also delay disease progression and reduce relapses in some people who have secondary progressive MS. The most commonly used disease-modifying therapies are:. Other disease-modifying medicines may also be used for MS. Your doctor will prescribe a medicine depending on the type of MS you have, your symptoms, and how your body responds. They include:. Some people have only one episode of a neurological symptom such as optic neuritis.

In most cases, doctors will prescribe medicine for people who have had a clinically isolated syndrome. These medicines, when taken early or even before you have been diagnosed with MS, may keep the disease from getting worse or extend your time without disease. Treating specific symptoms can be effective, even if it doesn't stop the progression of the disease.

Symptoms that can often be controlled or relieved with medicine include:. Medicines can also help with sexual problems, emotional problems, and walking problems. Sildenafil Viagra can help with sexual problems in both men and women.

Yohimbine and clomipramine may also be given to improve erectile dysfunction. Fampridine Fampyra is a medicine that can be used to help with walking problems.