What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a medical condition that affects the brain and spinal cord and results in causing a wide range of disabilities in the affected people. Multiple sclerosis (MS) might cause a lot of potential symptoms that include impairments with vision, sensation or balance, and disabilities in the arm or leg movement. In this condition, there is an involvement of the immune-mediated process in which the immune system gives abnormal responses and directs the immune cells to work against the central nervous system. It further causes inflammation in the central nervous system and may affect the brain and the spinal cord. The inflammation within the central nervous system damages the myelin sheets, the cells producing myelin, and the nerve fibers, thus disrupting the flow of information. Myelin is a fatty substance that surrounds (wraps) the nerve cells and insulates nerve endings. Still, when there is damage happening to myelin, then there is an absolute alteration and even disruption in the conduction of messages.
The condition of multiple sclerosis is very unpredictable, and it diminishes the central nervous system by causing disruption in the flow of information from the brain to the body organs. The actual cause of multiple sclerosis is still not known, but it occurs due to a variety of environmental factors, and due to some genetic mutations. Multiple sclerosis is occasionally of mild level, but it can also cause a lifelong condition of serious disabilities. It is possible in many cases of multiple sclerosis to treat the symptoms and increase the average life expectancy and quality of life for patients. However, people who have multiple sclerosis have a reduction in average life expectancy.
The damage is happening to the central nervous system’s areas due to the abnormal response of the immune system, which results in the development of scars in the damaged areas, which gives the name to the disease, i.e., the multiple areas of scars or multiple sclerosis. The damage that happens to the central nervous system’s areas results in a variety of neurological disabilities. These neurological disabilities vary a lot in terms of symptoms among patients. The severity of the neurological conditions varies with the type, stage, and severity of multiple sclerosis a patient has.
The common signs and symptoms of MS appear in early adulthood, and many younger people in their 20’s and 30’s get the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Although the condition of multiple sclerosis can develop at any age, it is the most common cause of disability in younger adults. The chances of women to suffer from multiple sclerosis are almost two to three times as compared with men. Nearly 5 to 10 years of life reduces from the average life expectancy of the people suffering from the condition of multiple sclerosis.
The recent advances in the condition of multiple sclerosis ensure the betterment of the patients of multiple sclerosis. Although multiple sclerosis is not fatal or deadly, the disabilities resulting due to the disease subsequently diminish the quality of life. Some of the severe complications arising due to multiple sclerosis are difficulties in swallowing, chest infections, bladder infections.