Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the brain, and the spinal cord. Most often diagnosed in young adults between the ages of 15 and 40, you can be diagnosed at any age. The disease attacks myelin which is the protective covering of the nerves. When myelin is inflamed, it becomes damaged. Myelin transmits impulses through nerve fibers.
The disease attacks myelin which is the protective covering of the nerves. When myelin is inflamed, it becomes damaged. Myelin transmits impulses through nerve fibers. Slight damage to the myelin causes minor interruptions to nerve impulse transmission, however, larger scale damage that leads to scar tissue replacing the myelin can lead to total disruption of the nerve impulse transmissions. Nerve fibers themselves can then be damaged.
The symptoms of MS can cause extreme fatigue and weakness, lack of coordination, vision and bladder problems, impaired sensation and tingling feelings, and cognitive impairment. Though there is no cure as of yet, researchers are day-by-day gaining more knowledge and are edging closer.
What Causes MS?
Even though the disease has been studied for decades, no one is quite sure of where MS comes from. It is thought that it is a mixture of lifestyle, environment, genetics, and biological factors can contribute to a diagnosis. Though it can occur at any age, between the ages of 15 and 40 are the most common times for symptoms to show themselves. Women are 3 times more likely to have MS than men.
It is thought that MS is an autoimmune disease which basically means that the immune system attacks itself and other tissues in the body. The target of MS is myelin which is the necessity for basic functions such as speaking. walking, learning, and seeing. Without myelin, or with damaged myelin, these functions become harder and harder for your body to perform.
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Posted on May 18, 2023