The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. It’s considered an immune mediated disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. In the case of MS , this immune system malfunction destroys the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord (myelin).
What is multiple sclerosis caused by destruction of?
MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath. This sheath is the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. When this nerve covering is damaged, nerve signals slow or stop. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation.
What is multiple sclerosis and what does it do to you?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Common symptoms include fatigue, bladder and bowel problems, sexual problems, pain, cognitive and mood changes such as depression, muscular changes and visual changes.
What is the inflammation caused by multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that involves an immune-mediated attack on the central nervous system. Myelin and the oligodendrocytes that form myelin appear to be the primary targets of the inflammatory attack, although the axons themselves are also damaged.
What is the cause of multiple sclerosis Related Questions
Can you trigger multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) triggers include anything that worsens your symptoms or causes a relapse. You can often avoid MS triggers by simply knowing what they are and trying to sidestep them.
What were your first symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
fatigue. numbness and tingling. loss of balance and dizziness. stiffness or spasms. tremor. pain. bladder problems. bowel trouble.
How to prevent multiple sclerosis?
Though MS cannot be totally prevented, quitting smoking (if applicable), maintaining moderate body weight, and getting enough vitamin D through diet or sun exposure could help reduce your risk. Staying active, minimizing stress levels, and following a healthy, well-rounded diet may also be beneficial.
What degeneration causes multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, affecting upwards of 2 million people worldwide. Traditionally considered an inflammatory demyelinating disease, recent evidence now points to axonal degeneration as crucial to the development of irreversible disability.
Is MS caused by brain damage?
Multiple Sclerosis: It’s in Your Head While many symptoms of MS throughout the body can be caused by lesions in either the brain or the spinal cord, cognitive symptoms of MS ‚Äî those related to your memory, language, and problem solving ‚Äî are believed to be caused only by lesions in the brain.
When does multiple sclerosis start?
MS can appear at any age but most commonly manifests between the ages of 20 and 40. It affects women two to three times as often as men. Almost one million people in the United States have MS, making it one of the most common causes of neurological disability among young adults in North America.
What is the summary of multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body, leading to the symptoms of MS.
What does multiple sclerosis mean simple?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects your brain and spinal cord. In MS, the coating that protects your nerves (myelin) is damaged. This causes a range of symptoms like blurred vision and problems with how we move think and feel.
Is multiple sclerosis Hereditary or Genetic?
Is MS genetic or hereditary? MS is not an inherited disease — it is not passed down from generation to generation. But people can inherit genetic risk. This means that MS is not genetic in the simpler way that black hair or dimples are.
What factors may cause the symptoms of multiple sclerosis to flare up?
Smoking. Infections. Eating poorly. Heat. Skipping medication. Stress. Lack of sleep.
What is the diagnosis for multiple sclerosis?
There are no specific tests for MS . Instead, a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis often relies on ruling out other conditions that might produce similar signs and symptoms, known as a differential diagnosis. Your doctor is likely to start with a thorough medical history and examination.
Is multiple sclerosis curable?
There’s currently no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), but medicines and other treatments can help control the condition and ease some of the symptoms. Treatment for MS depends on the stage of the disease and the specific symptoms the person has. It may include: treating relapses of MS symptoms (with steroids)
Does stress cause multiple sclerosis?
Although the person with MS knows from their experience that their MS symptoms started after or alongside a stressful period of time, there is no direct evidence that stress causes MS — although it might trigger it.
Can you recover from MS?
There’s currently no cure for MS, but a number of treatments can help control the condition and ease symptoms. The treatment you need will depend on the specific symptoms and difficulties you have. It may include: treating relapses with short courses of steroid medicine to speed up recovery.
What is the pain of multiple sclerosis?
MS can damage the nerves that affect your muscles. This can cause acute or paroxysmal pain in the form of spasms. Your arms and legs might shoot out uncontrollably and might have pain like cramping or pulling. Nerve pain can also be chronic in the form of painful or unusual sensations on your skin.
Where does MS start in the body?
In MS, the immune system cells that normally protect us from viruses, bacteria, and unhealthy cells mistakenly attack myelin in the central nervous system (brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord). Myelin is a substance that makes up the protective sheath (myelin sheath) that coats nerve fibers (axons).