Symptoms Of Multiple Sclerosis Diseases

The symptomatic spectrum of multiple sclerosis can be very different, involving different manifestations according to the affected body regions. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory neurological disease, causing dysfunctions or malfunctions mainly at the level of the central nervous system. Due to the fact that multiple sclerosis affects the nervous system, people in time with this form of neurological disease can experience symptoms in most innervated regions of the body.

An estimated number of over 2 million people worldwide is suffering from multiple sclerosis, while in the United States the disease affects around 350,000 people. For some reason, multiple sclerosis mostly affects the female gender. Although the disease can also be developed by men, multiple sclerosis is very common disorder in women. Another interesting characteristic of multiple sclerosis is that it commonly affects the young generation. The disease has the highest incidence in people with ages between 20 and 40, and is rarely affecting the elderly.

Multiple sclerosis involves damage of the nervous cells, destroying myelin sheath, a substance that normally covers neurons. Myelin has a vital role in transmitting nervous impulses throughout the whole body, establishing connections between the neighboring nervous cells. When the layers of myelin are affected, nervous impulses travel at reduced speed between neurons and the body is unable to adequately respond to outer stimuli.

The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are actually diversified and they can be perceived in different regions of the body. Most sufferers have individualized symptoms of multiple sclerosis, and they tend to occur in episodes, or flares. The evolution of multiple sclerosis is unpredictable, alternating between stages of remission and stages of deterioration. Most of the people with multiple sclerosis experience intermittent, recidivating symptoms which amplify in the stages of recurrence. Considering the fact that the symptoms of multiple sclerosis are various and at certain stages of the disease unspecific, multiple sclerosis can never be diagnosed only upon clinical manifestations. This disease is usually diagnosed upon laboratory tests, blood analyses and elaborate neurological examinations.

Common, generalized symptoms of multiple sclerosis are body weakness, pronounced fatigue, sensations of tingling, pain, burning, itching and numbness of the muscles, loss of dexterity and uncoordinated body movement. Other physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of mobility, decreased vision, poor balance, shaking, spasms, tremors, dizziness, vertigo. In later stages of the disease, the symptoms of multiple sclerosis can even include partial paralysis, renal and gastrointestinal dysfunctions.

Neuropsychological symptoms of multiple sclerosis are altered, inaccurate perceptions; short-term memory loss; mental confusion; poor concentration; compromised judgment and unpredictable, sudden changes of mood. A symptom of multiple sclerosis that commonly occurs in people with this form of neurological disease is stress and depression. Most people affected by multiple sclerosis eventually become depressed and avoid any kind of interaction with other people or society. Although many symptoms of multiple sclerosis can be very pronounced at certain stages of the disease, they can be alleviated through the means of advanced medical treatment. Medical treatments available today are able to relieve the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in the periods of relapse and in time they can even help the reconstruction of myelin, thus helping patients to recover from the disease. It is very important to timely diagnose the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in order to begin the administration of an appropriate medical treatment before the disease becomes serious.

• John Palsson
• 26/11/2008, 2:59 PM
• 0 Comments