What is MS?
About Multiple Sclerosis
MS (Multiple Sclerosis) is a disease where the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers the nerve fibber. This can damage the nervous system and therefor create complications for the individual's motoric nervous system or sensorics nervous system. Which are movement issues and losing of one's senses.
The symptoms can be summed up to problems that may arise when the nervous system is damaged. Imagine any problems that may arise due to having difficulties with your nervous system and that can be a potential symptom of MS. The symptoms are listed below, some percentages are given that indicate how often the symptom occurs. (McNamara, 2015)
nervous system is damaged. Imagine any problems that may arise due to having difficulties with your nervous system and that can be a potential symptom of MS. The symptoms are listed below, some percentages are given that indicate how often the symptom occurs.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms for MS
A squeezing sensation around the torso
Fatigue (80%)
Walking difficulties
Numbness or tingling
Spasticity
Weakness of the muscles or the nerves that stimulate the muscles
Vision problems
Dizziness
Bladder problems (80%)
Sexual problems
Bowel problems
Pain and Itching (55%)
Cognitive changes (50%)
Emotional changes
Depression
Less Common Symptoms for MS
Speech problems (25-40%)
Loss of taste (25%)
Swallowing problems
Tremor
Breathing problems
Seizures (2-5%)
Hearing loss (6%)
Each one of the people affected by MS experienced it in vastly different and in varied ways. And this is because the area where the nervous system may be damaged is highly unpredictable and random. But there are certain areas that have higher potential of being affected by the side effects of MS due to them having a longer “road” of nerves to communicate with the brain due to its distance in respect to the brain. (For example, the legs which happens to be the limb furthest away from the central nervous system) which increases the probability of problem arising for that area. (Tobin, 2022)
Types of Multiple Sclerosis
MS also comes in 4 types:
Relapsing MS
Secondary progressive MS
Primary progressive MS
Progressive relapsing
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Relapsing MS
The patient will experience symptoms that will come and go on a randomly occurring interval with no pattern, with the chances of the same symptom reoccurring or another completely unrelated symptom to appear sporadically. However relapsing MS will have some residual symptoms that stays behind which means although the patient will “recover” from these symptoms they will experience that their body will not be as cooperative as it was before the symptoms.
Secondary Progressive MS
The patient will experience that her symptoms accumulate over time and get progressively worse proportional to the amount of time that passes. Additionally, unlike relapsing MS the symptoms that appear do not disappear they just accumulate. The client has this type of MS.
Primary Progressive MS
Primary progressive MS is and more severe version of secondary progressive MS. With the difference being on the rate that the symptoms accumulate being faster. And due to this difference, it is categorized as a different type of MS.
Progressive Relapsing MS
Progressive relapsing MS is a combination of relapsing MS and progressive MS the patient will experience their condition worsening proportional to the amount of time that passes but will also experience some symptoms that appear and that fades with time as their condition worsens. Without any warning which symptoms will stay permanent and which ones they will only experience for a brief time. (McNamara, 2015)
References
McNamara, L. (2015, 6 oktober). What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? | The Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Geraadpleegd op 4 april 2022, van https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/multiple_sclerosis/conditions/
Tobin, O. (2022, 7 januari). Multiple sclerosis - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Geraadpleegd op 4 april 2022, van https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350269#:%7E:text=Those%20symptoms%20include%20loss%20of,sexual%20dysfunction%2C%20and%20walking%20difficulties.