What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) happens when your immune system attacks myelin, the sheath around your nerve cells. Without this outer shell, your nerves become damaged and cause communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.MS is a chronic, or long-lasting, disease that can affect your brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves in your eyes. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and other basic body functions.

Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms :

* Complete or partial loss of vision (which usually happens in one eye at a time) * Pain when you move your eyes * Blurry vision * Numbness and tingling * Fatigue * Loss of balance * Dizziness * Stiffness * Spasms * Tremors * Pain * Bladder problems * Bowel trouble * Thinking and memory problems

Types of Multiple Sclerosis :

Primary-progressive MS (PPMS) :

If you have PPMS, your MS symptoms tend to slowly worsen after youre diagnosed. But you dont get specific periods of relapses or remission. About 10% of people with MS get diagnosed with PPMS.

Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) :

With SPMS, your symptoms steadily get worse over time. You might develop this type after you develop early RRMS symptoms. Studies dont clearly show whether medications can slow down your condition from getting worse.

Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) :

Its the most common type of MS. About 85% of people with MS get this diagnosis. With RRMS, you tend to get temporary flare-ups. These are called relapses. If you have RRMS, you’re very likely to get worsening symptoms during an attack. After the flare-up, you go through a phase of remission, which means you may return to baseline without symptoms or may have an increase in disability after a relapse (called RRMS with worsening). However, your condition doesnt get worse during remission.

Multiple Sclerosis Risk Factors :

* Are assigned female at birth (AFAB) * Are in your 20s, 30s, or 40s * Dont spend a lot of time in the sun * Live in a cloudy, rainy, or darker climate * Smoke * Are fighting a viral infection, such as the Epstein-Barr virus * Have a family history of MS * Ethnicity also plays a role. Rates of developing MS are highest among Black people, followed by white and Hispanic people. Asian and Native American individuals are at the lowest risk.

The International Medical Center has a highly specialized and experienced medical team in the field of multiple sclerosis in the Neurology Department, so if you are suffering from multiple sclerosis or are at risk of developing this disease in the future, do not hesitate to visit us.