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Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS, also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an inflammatory disease that affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. There is no known cure for MS. In this category you'll find information about MS symptoms, treatment and more.
431 Questions
Can a cat have multiple sclerosis?
They can.. although it is not called Multiple Sclerosis it is called Canine Degenerative Myelopathy. It does the same thing as MS does, just being a dog, not a human. Although it usually affects older dogs, some breeds are more prone than others. (German shepards, Siberian huskies, collies, labrador retrievers, belgian shepards, and Kerry blue terriers).
How is multiple sclerosis diagnosed?
Symptoms of MS can include a range of physical manifestations such as fatigue, limb numbness, balance and gait issues, vision impairment, pain, emotional and cognitive changes, bladder/bowel troubles and spasticity to name a few. However, other medical conditions share similar symptoms, which makes self-diagnosis difficult.
If experiencing symptoms such as the ones above, a visit to a doctor can begin the process of elimination. Should MS be suspected, a general practitioner may order an MRI of the brain. If the report notes the presence of white matter, which can indicate that the immune system is stripping myelin (or the coating of nerve ending) which may be responsible for the patient's symptoms. A neurologist is typically consulted and will runs several tests that check the patient's visual/audio responses. The neurologist may order a lumbar puncture scan the spinal fluid for traits known to MS.
Based on previous medical history, current symptoms and test results, medical professionals will then make a determination as to what condition the patient has. While MS has no known cure, there are several proven treatments available to assist the patient in maintaining an active life. Keep in mind that every person with MS has a unique experience with the disease. There are many online and local support groups for persons with MS and communication with one's doctor, coupled with a positive outlook, is key.
What area of the US is the best place to live for someone with multiple sclerosis?
The best place for someone with MS to live is an area without humidity and climate changes. Humidity has a tendency to increase fatigue and prompt exacerbations in MS patients. I would recommend some place on the West Coast.
As far as prevention goes, the protective effects of geography only help you if you're 15 or younger. You would need to live below 40 degrees latitude in order to get the direct sunlight necessary to generate sufficient amounts of Vitamin D to have a preventative effect. If you are over 15 and then move to a place below 40 degrees latitude, the protective effects are seen in the next generation. From the National MS Society: Migration from one geographic area to another seems to alter a person's risk of developing MS. Studies indicate that immigrants and their descendents tend to take on the risk level-either higher or lower-of the area to which they move. The change in risk, however, may not appear immediately. Those who move before the age of 15 tend to take on the new risk themselves. For those who move after the age of 15, the change in risk level may not appear until the next generation. While underlining the complex relationship between environmental and genetic factors in determining who develops MS, these studies have also provided support for the opinion that MS is caused by early exposure to some environmental trigger in genetically susceptible individuals.
Does multiple sclerosis affect pregnancy?
Women who have multiple sclerosis experience normal pregnancies. In fact, women who have MS who are pregnant experience fewer relapses and less severe disease symptoms during the course of their pregnancy and breastfeeding. Once the mother stops breastfeeding, usually her symptoms return.
Previously, this was attributed only to a natural suppression of the female immune system while she is with child (essentially a foreign tissue within her body). However, a recent animal study has shown that prolactin (the enzyme which causes lactation) actually causes the body to repair myelin. This link between prolactin and natural myelin restoration is being investigated.
What causes numbness and tingling in the extremities in MS?
Numbness and tingling are one of the early symptoms of MS. Numbness and tingling are a sensory symptom due to the nerves that are responsible for transmitting sensations not functioning properly.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which immune system attacks the body's nerve cells?
Yes, sort of. In MS patients, leukocytes have crossed the blood-brain barrier and have entered into the central nervous system. There they attack the oligodendrocytes and the myelin sheaths they have produced to protect nerve axons. This can directly cause damage to the nerve or it can leave the nerve unprotected. Also, it greatly slows down the action potential in affected neurons, inhibiting nerve functioning in inflicted areas.
Does lecithin aid in treating symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Linoleic acid is believed to be helpful because myelin is composed of lecithin , which is made of linoleic and other fatty acids.
What is foci of T2 hyperintensity in the subcortical and periventricular white matter?
This phrase is a statement that would be used by a radiologist when reviewing the results from a MRI. Breaking down the phrase by individual parts:
T2 - An indication of the type of scan that was done. In a T2-weighted scan, areas that are fluid-filled appear bright, while areas that are fatty appear dark. A T1 scan would show the opposite results.
Hyperintensity - An indication of a bright region on the scan.
Foci of T2 Hyperintensity, therefore, means "focal points, or concise areas, of very bright spots."
Subcortical and periventricular white matter - These are locations within the brain. Regions of the brain are categorized by color (white matter or grey matter) and location (cortical, or related to the cortex, subcortical, or below the cortex, etc).
The statement, therefore, means "white spots on a MRI scan at certain locations within the brain."
This statement alone does not indicate any particular disease is present. It is a piece of information that a neurologist would use to help determine whether or not someone had a certain disease or condition. There are many conditions or diseases which can cause white spots on the brain; only a neurologist can sort through the possibilities and determine what caused these white spots.
Does aspartame cause multiple sclerosis?
No other consumable substance on the face of the earth has been studied more than aspartame. Over 30 years and over 200 scientific studies (the REAL kind, with words like "double-blind," "placebo-controlled," and "randomized" in their titles) have proven, re-proven, and reaffirmed, that aspartame is safe.
Researchers have spent a great deal of time reviewing every claim by people who believe that aspartame causes everything from MS (which, by the way, no one knows the cause, and has been documented for over 200 years, LONG before aspartame was even invented) to migraines and bulging eyes. Not a single claim of any cause has panned out under true scientific scrutiny. If you do have "proof" that aspartame causes any sort of disorder, look through your proof and see if there are any scientific studies that were done. Scientific studies use the big words above -- randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind. Those tenets of a true scientific study ensure that there is no bias in the group and that the substance is tested against a "placebo," or a control substance. In essence, if there is no appreciable difference between the group which took the tested substance and the group which took a placebo, you can say that the substance did not appreciably contribute to those people developing the symptom in question.
Now, to more of the scientific detail. Aspartame is a compound made of two ingredients: aspartic acid, and phenylalanine. When aspartame is consumed, it is broken down in the body into three components: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. These three substances are then absorbed by the body and used in natural body processes, the same way your body uses those three substances when they are derived from food. None of the components of aspartame, nor aspartame itself, builds up in the body. The amounts of the three substances derived from aspartame are far smaller than you would get from food as well. For example, if you were to have a glass of tomato juice, you'd get about six times the methanol than you'd get from an aspartame-sweetened drink of roughly the same size. A glass of skim milk would give you six times the phenylalanine and thirteen times the aspartic acid you'd get from an equivalent aspartame-sweetened drink.
In short, hundreds of scientific studies over the past three decades have all resulted in the same outcome, and the same conclusion: aspartame is safe.
A schwann cell are supporting cells of the peripheral nervous system, they wrap themselves around nerve axons.
Who first discovered multiple sclerosis?
Based on historical records, the earliest written record of someone with MS-like symptoms was Lydwina of Schieden, Dutch patron saint of ice skaters, in 1400. However, it was Dr. Jean Martin Charcot who first categorized, described, and documented the disease in 1868. Charcot, professor of neurology at the University of Paris, wrote the first complete description of MS and the changes in the brain which accompany it.
Are there four types of multiple sclerosis?
No, there are 5. Benign Multiple Sclerosis Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) Malignant Multiple Sclerosis (Marburg Variant)
What is indicated by Elevated C-Reactive protein and RDW?
This seems like a very complex issue. By following the the related link below (Relation Between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and Inflammatory Biomarkers in a Large Cohort of Unselected Outpatients) more information can be found on this subject.
How do you know if you have multiple sclerosis?
Symptoms of MS can include a range of physical manifestations such as fatigue, limb numbness, balance and gait issues, vision impairment, pain, emotional and cognitive changes, bladder/bowel troubles and spasticity to name a few. However, other medical conditions share similar symptoms, which makes self-diagnosis difficult.
If experiencing symptoms such as the ones above, a visit to a doctor can begin the process of elimination. Should MS be suspected, a general practitioner may order an MRI of the brain. If the report notes the presence of white matter, which can indicate that the immune system is stripping myelin (or the coating of nerve ending) which may be responsible for the patient's symptoms. A neurologist is typically consulted and will runs several tests that check the patient's visual/audio responses. The neurologist may order a lumbar puncture scan the spinal fluid for traits known to MS.
Based on previous medical history, current symptoms and test results, medical professionals will then make a determination as to what condition the patient has. While MS has no known cure, there are several proven treatments available to assist the patient in maintaining an active life. Keep in mind that every person with MS has a unique experience with the disease. There are many online and local support groups for persons with MS and communication with one's doctor, coupled with a positive outlook, is key.
What is a Hyperintense T2 signal mass in the region of the head of the pancreas?
what is hyper intense t2 lesion in the right liver lobe
Can you have fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis at the same time?
Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis have many similar symptoms and it is important that you see a doctor to rule out MS prior to receiving a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. Common symptoms between the two include headaches, vision disturbances, numbness, tingling or weakness in the extremities, problems thinking, lack of coordination or clumsiness.
What nervous tissue cell that are involved in multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive degeneration of the myelin sheath. Myelin sheath is grey matter which surrounds each nerve. It allows nerve impulses to travel at an accelerated rate. When this protective covering is degenerated the nerves become exposed and impulses do not travel as efficiently, or at all.
What are the sclerosis in multiple sclerosis?
Sclerosis is the term used to describe where there has been wear & tear to a bone, and the body has attempted to make the bony area stronger by depositing new bone & calcium into the area. The area shows up as whiter that the rest of the bone in the area (because of the extra calcium)...
It is hardening, induration, or fibrous thickening of tissue. It can be hardening of different tissues such as those of arteries (arteriosclerosis/atherosclerosis), of the skin (scleroderma), of the muscles (one type is Multiple Sclerosis ~ MS), etc.
What does it mean when someone has MS?
MS is an acronym for Multiple Sclerosis, a degenerative disease. It is not communicable, and one person cannot catch MS from another.
Any other names given for multiple sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis is the scientific name. MS causes many scars on the tissues of the nervous system, and so the name Multiple Sclerosis. The word sclerosis is derived from the Greek word skleros, which means hard.
Carisprodol is a muscle relaxant sold under the brand name of Soma.
What are the neurological symptoms of tuberous sclerosis?
TSC can affect many different systems of the body, causing a variety of signs and symptoms. Signs of the disorder vary depending on which system and which organs are involved. The natural course of TSC varies from individual to individual, with symptoms ranging from very mild to quite severe. In addition to the benign tumors that frequently occur in TSC, other common symptoms include seizures, mental retardation, behavior problems, and skin abnormalities. Tumors can grow in nearly any organ, but they most commonly occur in the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, and skin. Malignant tumors are rare in TSC. Those that do occur primarily affect the kidneys.
Kidney problems such as cysts and angiomyolipomas occur in an estimated 70 to 80 percent of individuals with TSC, usually occurring between ages 15 and 30. Cysts are usually small, appear in limited numbers, and cause no serious problems. Approximately 2 percent of individuals with TSC develop large numbers of cysts in a pattern similar to polycystic kidney disease2 during childhood. In these cases, kidney function is compromised and kidney failure occurs. In rare instances, the cysts may bleed, leading to blood loss and anemia.
Angiomyolipomas-benign growths consisting of fatty tissue and muscle cells-are the most common kidney lesions in TSC. These growths are seen in the majority of TSC patients, but are also found in about one of every 300 people without TSC. Angiomyolipomas caused by TSC are usually found in both kidneys and in most cases they produce no symptoms. However, they can sometimes grow so large that they cause pain or kidney failure. Bleeding from angiomyolipomas may also occur, causing both pain and weakness. If severe bleeding does not stop naturally, there may severe blood loss, resulting in profound anemia and a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, warranting urgent medical attention.
Other rare kidney problems include renal cell carcinoma, developing from an angiomyolipoma, and oncocytomas, benign tumors unique to individuals with TSC.
Three types of brain tumors are associated with TSC: cortical tubers, for which the disease is named, generally form on the surface of the brain, but may also appear in the deep areas of the brain; subependymal nodules, which form in the walls of the ventricles-the fluid-filled cavities of the brain; and giant-cell tumors (astrocytomas), a type of tumor that can grow and block the flow of fluids within the brain, causing a buildup of fluid and pressure and leading to headaches and blurred vision.
Tumors called cardiac rhabdomyomas are often found in the hearts of infants and young children with TSC. If the tumors are large or there are multiple tumors, they can block circulation and cause death. However, if they do not cause problems at birth-when in most cases they are at their largest size-they usually become smaller with time and do not affect the individual in later life.
Benign tumors called phakomas are sometimes found in the eyes of individuals with TSC, appearing as white patches on the retina. Generally they do not cause vision loss or other vision problems, but they can be used to help diagnose the disease.
Additional tumors and cysts may be found in other areas of the body, including the liver, lung, and pancreas. Bone cysts, rectal polyps, gum fibromas, and dental pits may also occur.
A wide variety of skin abnormalities may occur in individuals with TSC. Most cause no problems but are helpful in diagnosis. Some cases may cause disfigurement, necessitating treatment. The most common skin abnormalities include:
- Hypomelanic macules ("ash leaf spots"), which are white or lighter patches of skin that may appear anywhere on the body and are caused by a lack of skin pigment or melanin-the substance that gives skin its color.
- Reddish spots or bumps called facial angiofibromas (also called adenoma sebaceum), which appear on the face (sometimes resembling acne) and consist of blood vessels and fibrous tissue.
- Raised, discolored areas on the forehead called forehead plaques, which are common and unique to TSC and may help doctors diagnose the disorder.
- Areas of thick leathery, pebbly skin called shagreen patches, usually found on the lower back or nape of the neck.
- Small fleshy tumors called ungual or subungual fibromas that grow around and under the toenails or fingernails and may need to be surgically removed if they enlarge or cause bleeding. These usually appear later in life, ages 20 - 50.
- Other skin features that are not unique to individuals with TSC, including molluscum fibrosum or skin tags, which typically occur across the back of the neck and shoulders, café au lait spots or flat brown marks, and poliosis, a tuft or patch of white hair that may appear on the scalp or eyelids.
TSC can cause seizures and varying degrees of mental disability. Seizures of all types may occur, including infantile spasms; tonic-clonic seizures (also known as grand mal seizures); or tonic, akinetic, atypical absence, myoclonic, complex partial, or generalized seizures.
Approximately one-half to two-thirds of individuals with TSC have mental disabilities ranging from mild learning disabilities to severe mental retardation. Behavior problems, including aggression, sudden rage, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, acting out, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and repetitive, destructive, or self-harming behavior, often occur in children with TSC, and can be difficult to manage. Some individuals with TSC may also have a developmental disorder called autism.
