10-00 "Multiple Sclerosis" "The Guide To Sucessful Coping" 1983 by: Dr. Lynn Robinson p 5 I don't know how old I was when I developed MS. Few people do. Stumbling or feeling clumsy is rationalized as nerves or over-work. I only remember when I first became aware of a problem with my right leg. p11 Multiple Sclerosis is an organic disease that affects the nervous system. An estimated 500,000 people in the United States are afflicted with MS. In its early stages MS is rarely fatal. However, it may progress and therefore, cause long term incapacity and increasing disability. Although symptoms vary greatly, in the beginning they come and go. Occasionally they disappear. As time goes on, recovery is less complete and the symptoms persist and get progressively worse. There are no infallible symptoms or signs with MS, becaause almost any part of the Nervous System may be involved. Though they may overlap, the_three most_common_types_are: the Brain, the Brainstem and the Spinal Cord. p12 Brain involvment can cause mental and emotional dis- turbances as well as convulsions. There may also be paraly- sis of one side of the body, blindness of half of the eye- sight at a time in one or both eyes and\or a defect in or loss of ability to speak. Symptoms of Spinal Cord involvement are tingling and numbness in fingers and toes. Also , weakness and uncoordi- nation of musscles in the arms and the legs are common. Due to the possible variations, a MSer may experience extreme tiredness, even after plenty of sleep. Difficulty with bladder and bowel control may occur in advanced cases. A diagnosis is rarely made during the first attack. Normally at least several months of observation are required, before a definite diagnosis can be made. p13 Knowing the symptoms helps the patient deal with the disease. But, MS manifests itself and progresses different- ly from one patient to the next. Because of this, one can't foretell what course it will take. For some complete dis- ability or paralysis is the result. Others continue to live normal or nearly normal lives with only brief periods of symptoms or partial incapacity. Nerve Fibers in the Brain and Spinal Cord are covered with a fatty sheath called Myelin. this sheath is believed to act as insulation. Scattered areas in which the Myelin disintergrates or disolves occurs in MS. Later the affected areas are replaced by scar tissue. These are called areas of Demyelination or Sclerosis. The name Multiple Sclerosis therefore, comes from the fact that it affects many parts of the Nervous System; is characterized by relapses, followed either by partial or complete recovery and scar tissue replaces the Meylin she- ath, which normally covers the Nerve Fibers. The periods of relapses followed by remissions can possibly be explained by the fact that early in the disease only_the_sheath_is_affected and not the Nerve Fibers which it surrounds. When only the Myelin is diseased impulses can still be sent, although not_at_full_speed or strength, and function returns when the Myelin sheath's condition improv- es. But once scar tissue replaces the Nerve Fibers, impul- ses stop. Also, at this point, there can be no_recovery_of function because destroyed_fibers_can't_be_replaced. p14 Multiple Sclerosis is most commonly found in cold,damp climates. In Europe, it is most prevalent in the Scandina- vian and low countries as well as in the Baltic region, Northern Germany and Great Britain. In the United States, it occurs in the North Atlantic States, the Great Lakes area and the Pacific Northwest. There is no known cause or cure and there is no way to know who will get Multiple Sclerosis. There are three theo- ries: Viruses, Auto-Immune Reaction, and a combination of the two. 1 - The virus theory contends MS might be caused by a slow-acting virus, or it might be a delayed reaction to a common virus. 2 - An auto-immune reaction occurs when the body's defense system, which destroys viruses and bacteria, begins attacking its own tissue by mistake. 3 - If the cause is a combination, the body defense system perhaps becomes confused. Some viruses take over parts of cells and attack both the host cells and the virus. {END}