Multiple Sclerosis

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Multiple Sclerosis
Its a DISEASE of the BRAIN and SPINAL CORD
By Anna Migicovsky Block D Ms Lam
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Outline

• What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
• What causes MS?
• -Theories
• Who gets it?
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Treatment / Management
• Facts
• Summary

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What is Multiple Sclerosis?

• When a person has MS, the covering (myelin) that
  protects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord
  is affected and slows down the message or blocks
  it.
• Example when the brain tells your hand to
  wave, the damaged myelin might disrupt the
  message so it will not be clear or will not reach
  the hand at all!
• Multiple Sclerosis interferes with the brains
  ability to control such functions as SEEING,
  WALKING, TALKING, etc
• - is NOT a MENTAL illness
• - is NOT CONTAGIOUS
• - is NOT PREVENTABLE or CURABLE

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What Causes MS?

• One of Medicines Biggest Mysteries - cause is
  unknown - no cure discovered - no way to know
  who gets MS

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Continue...
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Scientists have 4 Theories

• Virus Attack
• Immune Reaction
• -when our built in defense system backfires
• and attacks its own tissues by mistake
• Genetic Predisposition
• Combination
• - when a virus attacks the body and the immune
  system becomes
• confused and attacks both host cells and
  virus.

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Who gets MS? Cant predict but there is a
pattern

• Young Adults (between 20-40 yrs old)
• Women
• People in Temperate Zones (cold places)
• - Example Canada
• People with Genetic Predisposition

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Symptoms of MSSymptoms vary greatly from person
to person and at different times during one
persons illness.

• Problems with vision, speech, coordination,
  balance, and bladder control
• Partial or complete PARALYSIS of any part of the
  body
• Extreme Fatigue
• SHAKING of hands
• Numbness or Pricking feeling
• Obvious DRAGGING of feet

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MS Diagnosis
2 Basic Signs to Confirm MS Signs of nervous
system damage - Numbness in hands and feet or
unexplained paralysis Come-and-Go pattern -
Symptoms of MS usually appear and disappear
without warning
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Treatment / Management

• Overall Health Maintenance
• - stay active, eat nutritious diet, get adequate
  rest
• Physical and Occupational therapy
• - Exercise and muscle retraining will help
  recovery of MS attacks
• Psychotherapy and Counseling
• - Therapy will help with depression and
  anxieties caused by MS
• Medication
• - Drugs are sometimes used to relieve specific
  symptoms
• On-going Re-evaluation
• - MS is unpredictable so continuing medical
  supervision is essential

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Facts

• Estimated 50, 000 Canadians have MS
• 1 out of 3 people with MS have a mild form
• 3 out of 4 people with MS are still active and
  can take care of daily needs after diagnosis of
  MS
• The life span for most people with MS is usually
  near normal

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To Summarize

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Can interfere with seeing, walking and talking
• Symptoms can appear and disappear without warning
• is NOT a MENTAL illness
• is NOT Contagious
• Has unknown cause
• Has no cure
• Canadians are at higher risk

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• "It's not what the person with MS has LOST...
• it's what he or she HAS LEFT that counts!1

1 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. What
everyone should know about Multiple Sclerosis.
USA Channing L. Bete Co., Inc.1996 p. 9.
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Bibliography

• 1) Bunch, Bryan. Diseases.Volume 5. USA
  Scientific Publishing Inc, 2003.
• Pamphlets
• 2) Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.Facts for
  persons recently diagnosed with multiple
  sclerosis. 2004
• 3) Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. What
  everyone should know about Multiple Sclerosis.
  USA Channing L. Bete Co., Inc.1996
• http//www.nmss.org/
• http//www.mssociety.ca/
• http//medstat.med.utah.edu/kw/ms/overview.html