Multiple Sclerosis...I fight this monster every da

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system. It is not contagious, but can be progressive & is always unpredictable. Its symptoms are varied and no two people will share the same symptoms. The cause of MS is unknown & there is no cure.
MS is the most common chronic disease of the central nervous system among young Australians.
Tasmania has one of the highest per capita rates in the world.

Who gets it?
Young adults – symptoms first appear between the ages of 20 & 50 years.
Female – 70 per cent of people with MS are female.
Caucasian – 98 per cent of people with MS are Caucasian.
Living in temperate zones – MS is generally more common between latitudes 40° and 60° north & south of the equator.
Have a relative with MS – 10 - 20% of people with MS have a relative with the disease, suggesting a genetic link.

What does it do?
MS occurs when the protective sheath (myelin) around the nerve fibres in the brain & spinal cord becomes damaged, causing random patches called plaques or lesions. These patches distort and interrupt the messages that are sent along these nerves. ‘Sclerosis’ means scar & the disease is labelled ‘multiple’ because the damage usually occurs at a number of points.

The symptoms of MS are varied and unpredictable
MS can damage the central nervous system in many different locations, which means no two people will share the same symptoms. Some of the more common symptoms include:
Blurred or double vision
Numbness or pins & needles
Weakness in the arms or legs
Loss of balance
Tendency to drag one foot
Loss of coordination
Extreme fatigue
Continence problems
Hand tremors
Loss of mobility
Problems with or changes in memory functioning
Speech difficulties and slurring.

MS can take different forms
MS can progress in different ways. Some people with MS may become seriously disabled. Others may have one or two attacks % then remain symptom free for the rest of their lives. The frequency & severity of attacks cannot be predicted.

The different types of MS are classified as follows:
* Relapsing–remitting MS – 85% of people with MS start with this type of disease course. Acute episodes of neurological symptoms occur, which last for days, weeks or months before completely or partially resolving. The intervals between attacks can vary widely but, on average, occur every one to two years.
* Primary progressive MS affects around 10% of people with MS from the outset. These individuals experience no relapses but a gradual onset of disability, which does not recover or reverse.
* Secondary relapsing–remitting MS – occurs in individuals who started with relapsing–remitting MS but then the relapses diminish in frequency or cease altogether. However, disability continues to accumulate. About 60% of people who start with relapsing–remitting MS develop secondary progressive MS after 15 years.
* Relapsing progressive MS – this occurs in about 5% of people from the outset, with relapses occurring and disability accumulating between relapses.

The cause is still unknown
The immune system defends the body but in the case of MS, the immune system attacks its own myelin, causing disruptions to the nerve transmissions. The trigger to the disease has not yet been discovered, but it is thought that genetic and environmental factors are involved. Research so far has found that, in nearly two-thirds of cases, a relapse has been preceded by a viral illness.

Diagnosis and treatment
Most of the symptoms of MS can also be caused by other conditions and do not automatically mean a diagnosis of MS. That is why often it takes many years to be diagnosed.
It can also change from one type to another, go from mild to severe, or go into complete remission.
There are no drugs to cure MS, but there are treatments that can modify the course of the disease and ease some of the symptoms.