The Symptoms and Early Signs of Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that may sound new to many people but is a health problem with many people. It is a health disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the protective covering of the nerve cells in the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord.
According to research, Multiple Sclerosis has affected over 2.8 million people worldwide. Depending on the type of multiple sclerosis, symptoms may come and go in stages or steadily worsen over time. In this article, you'll find the significant symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and options for treatment for relapsing and remitting.
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When the brain cover is damaged, it exposes the nerve fiber beneath it, which alters the flow of signals transmitted through it or damage the nerve fiber. It is a rare disease, and most people with it may live an average or near-normal life span thus not life-threatening.
Symptoms
It is normal for humans to lose brain and spinal cord cells as they grow older, but if multiple sclerosis has damaged part of the brain or spinal cord cells, the nerve cells in that area die faster. The process of cells dying happens slowly over decades and eventually manifests the whole brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve over the years.
Depending on the type of multiple sclerosis, symptoms may come and go in stages or steadily worsen over time.
Movement 1. Most of the symptoms are physical and can be noticed easily. People suffering from multiple sclerosis experience numbness in limbs that typically occurs on one side the body at a time or the legs (1). 2. Victims of multiple sclerosis experience electric-shock sensations when moving the neck forward and backward. 3. They experience tremor, occasionally lose coordination, and unsteady gait. 4. Multiple sclerosis is associated with complete or partial loss of vision, often accompanied with pain during eye movement 5. Though not common, but most patients have prolonged double vision.
Treatment options
There are no specific tests for multiple sclerosis; instead, a diagnosis often relies on ruling out other conditions that might produce similar signs and symptoms known as differential diagnosis.
A neurologist or a doctor treating a suspected patient is likely to start with a thorough medical history examination and recommend a few tests.
Managing fatigue Patients of multiple sclerosis are advised to exercise regularly to manage fatigue. Apart from exercising, having enough sleeping hours, utilizing energy saving techniques, and avoiding medicines like painkillers help in combating multiple sclerosis.
Use of medicine Steroids help in reducing the level of proteins in the blood. As the level of proteins reduces, the eye sight improves. Patients with involuntary eye movement complications are recommended to use Gabapentin. Multiple sclerosis causes erectile dysfunction to men and when such a case happens, the victim is advised to use medicine that increase blood flow to the penis. (3)
Use of injectible immunomodulators
This is the first line of treatment of multiple sclerosis. These drugs are safer and have no side effects and reduce the radiological activity of the disease.
Evoked potential test
The body has a special mechanism that responds to stimuli. A test is carried on the electrical signals produced by the nervous system as the body responds to stimuli. The electrical signals shows how information travel up and down the nerves. These signals help in determining the body’s ability to process information.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) This is a powerful magnetic field that scans body parts to bring out clear image of the inside body parts. MRI reveals the inside components of the brain and spinal cord.
Spinal tap
It is a more complicated diagnosis of multiple sclerosis where a fluid sample is removed from the spinal cord for laboratory examination. The fluid removed is used to show the abnormalities in the cells and blood which are related to multiple sclerosis.
Blood test The blood carries every body cell because it supplies nutrients and oxygen. Although blood can give varying results from other tests, it should not be ignored because the blood can be used to examine many health conditions.
Every body part is important but there are critical body parts; brain and spinal cord. Brain is the controller of all the five senses while the spinal cord makes us remain upright. Visiting a physician when you realize something not right with the brain or spinal cord helps in avoiding future severe complications. Multiple sclerosis can be treated using physical therapy.
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