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"Multiple Sclerosis"
"The Guide To Sucessful Coping"
1983
by: Dr. Lynn Robinson
p 5 I don't know how old I was when I developed MS. Few
people do. Stumbling or feeling clumsy is rationalized as
nerves or over-work. I only remember when I first became
aware of a problem with my right leg.
p11 Multiple Sclerosis is an organic disease that affects
the nervous system. An estimated 500,000 people in the
United States are afflicted with MS. In its early stages MS
is rarely fatal. However, it may progress and therefore,
cause long term incapacity and increasing disability.
Although symptoms vary greatly, in the beginning they
come and go. Occasionally they disappear. As time goes on,
recovery is less complete and the symptoms persist and get
progressively worse. There are no infallible symptoms or
signs with MS, becaause almost any part of the Nervous
System may be involved. Though they may overlap, the_three
most_common_types_are: the Brain, the Brainstem and the
Spinal Cord.
p12 Brain involvment can cause mental and emotional dis-
turbances as well as convulsions. There may also be paraly-
sis of one side of the body, blindness of half of the eye-
sight at a time in one or both eyes and\or a defect in or
loss of ability to speak.
Symptoms of Spinal Cord involvement are tingling and
numbness in fingers and toes. Also , weakness and uncoordi-
nation of musscles in the arms and the legs are common. Due
to the possible variations, a MSer may experience extreme
tiredness, even after plenty of sleep. Difficulty with
bladder and bowel control may occur in advanced cases. A
diagnosis is rarely made during the first attack. Normally
at least several months of observation are required, before
a definite diagnosis can be made.
p13 Knowing the symptoms helps the patient deal with the
disease. But, MS manifests itself and progresses different-
ly from one patient to the next. Because of this, one can't
foretell what course it will take. For some complete dis-
ability or paralysis is the result. Others continue to live
normal or nearly normal lives with only brief periods of
symptoms or partial incapacity.
Nerve Fibers in the Brain and Spinal Cord are covered
with a fatty sheath called Myelin. this sheath is believed
to act as insulation. Scattered areas in which the Myelin
disintergrates or disolves occurs in MS. Later the affected
areas are replaced by scar tissue. These are called areas
of Demyelination or Sclerosis.
The name Multiple Sclerosis therefore, comes from the
fact that it affects many parts of the Nervous System; is
characterized by relapses, followed either by partial or
complete recovery and scar tissue replaces the Meylin she-
ath, which normally covers the Nerve Fibers.
The periods of relapses followed by remissions can
possibly be explained by the fact that early in the disease
only_the_sheath_is_affected and not the Nerve Fibers which
it surrounds. When only the Myelin is diseased impulses can
still be sent, although not_at_full_speed or strength, and
function returns when the Myelin sheath's condition improv-
es. But once scar tissue replaces the Nerve Fibers, impul-
ses stop. Also, at this point, there can be no_recovery_of
function because destroyed_fibers_can't_be_replaced.
p14 Multiple Sclerosis is most commonly found in cold,damp
climates. In Europe, it is most prevalent in the Scandina-
vian and low countries as well as in the Baltic region,
Northern Germany and Great Britain. In the United States,
it occurs in the North Atlantic States, the Great Lakes
area and the Pacific Northwest.
There is no known cause or cure and there is no way to
know who will get Multiple Sclerosis. There are three theo-
ries: Viruses, Auto-Immune Reaction, and a combination of
the two.
1 - The virus theory contends MS might be caused by a
slow-acting virus, or it might be a delayed reaction
to a common virus.
2 - An auto-immune reaction occurs when the body's defense
system, which destroys viruses and bacteria, begins
attacking its own tissue by mistake.
3 - If the cause is a combination, the body defense system
perhaps becomes confused. Some viruses take over parts
of cells and attack both the host cells and the virus.
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