Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms: Understanding and Management

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing an array of debilitating symptoms that become acute and remit throughout a lifetime, based on various nerves that are being affected during different stages.

Significance

• MS symptoms typically present during adulthood, predominantly in the twenties, due to plaques that amass on the vertebrae or brain resulting from a process known as demyelination.

Function

• Demyelination of the nerves occurs when myelin--a protein that protects neurons--strips its sheath, causing nerve inflammation. This decreases communication between the brain and spinal cord, leading to sclerosis symptoms.

Effects

• MS is a neurological disorder, meaning that signal and response problems occur, resulting in muscle weakness, numbness, temporary paralysis, tremors and poor coordination.

Potential

• MS causes optic neuritis, a condition that may indicate the disease. Optic neuritis leads to distorted vision, vision loss and painful eye movement due to swelling of the optic nerve.

Considerations

• MS affects the body's sensory nerves, which are responsible for movement, coordination and vision. MS relapses cause dizziness and fatigue due to imbalance and optical neuritis symptoms of blurry vision.