Multiple Sclerosis: Causes and Implications

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Multiple Sclerosis is an ailment, whereby, the body tissues that are healthy in a body are consumed by the immune system. In addition to tissues around the brain being affected the disease also attacks the nervous system. This causes the brain to have difficulties conversing with the body. Control of body movement is extensively affected making coordination a challenge (Falvo, 2005). The most traumatizing effect of Multiple Sclerosis is its irreversibility.

The disorder has no known cure, but there are treatments that can be used to treat multiple sclerosis attacks. The disease will affect anyone in the society, but women are more prone to the disease than men. The disorder is also most prevalent between the ages of 20 years and 40 years (Zieve, 2011).

Discussion

Destruction of the myelin sheath gives rise to Multiple Sclerosis. The sheath offers protection to the nerve cells, shielding them against prevalent damage. This sheath is a protective covering that surrounds the nerve cells, thus guarding them against any damage. When the protective sheath is damaged, the nerve cells are exposed thus interfering with the impulses of the nerves. The nerve impulses become slower or stop altogether mainly because of the inflammation caused. When the nerve is damaged, the immune cells of the body start to attack the nervous system. This is what causes the inflammation, which in return causes damage to the nerves.

Continual attacks to the nerve cells result to interferences in functions known to be controlled by the nervous system. These include; memory, writing, walking, vision, and speech. This shows that functions controlled by the nervous system are affected. Between the ages of 20 to 50 years, one may be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, although, there are indications the disease can also affect children, as well as, the elderly.

The cause of multiple sclerosis is yet to be known. When a foreign material attacks the body, the immune system is responsible for offering protection to the body. This is possible because the immune system can recognize foreign matter effectively.

However, with the multiple sclerosis disorder, the immune system attacks the nervous system instead. Researches of the disease guess that there is an alteration in the immune system, which makes the immune system attack myelin having taken it for a foreign invader (Zieve, 2011). The immune system attacks the exact system it was supposed to protect. This act of an immune system attacking the tissues that it was to protect is referred to as autoimmunity.

This autoimmunity disorder may give rise to; organs projecting growth that is beyond normal, tissues in the body getting destroyed, and malfunction of organs in the body. Some of the organs affected by autoimmunity include; joints, muscles, red blood cells, skin, connective tissue, endocrine glands, and blood vessels.

Types of Multiple sclerosis

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis- this is usually characterized by well defined relapses, which are followed, by complete or partially recovery remissions.
Secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis- This happens 10-20 years after diagnosis. At this time, the level of disability heightens and the rate of progress of disability varies between individuals.
Primary- progressive MS- this is less common and stands at 10-15% at the diagnosis time. Patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis experience deterioration of symptoms that is almost continuous.
Progressive relapsing- This is comparatively rare and usually combines with steady deterioration from the time the disease occurred.

Symptoms

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis depend on the location of the affected nerves. Some of the most common symptoms of the disorder are as follows:

Blurred vision- the eyesight seems affected as one has instances of an explained blurred vision.
Fatigue- The body generally feels tired even when one has not been performing strenuous tasks
Dizziness- one may experience dizziness in the process of performing daily tasks.eg. Walking, or house chores etc.
Numbness in the limbs affecting one side of the body.

Some of these symptoms may be worsened by an increase in body temperature. At the beginning stage of the disorder, many people may witness relapses of symptoms, being followed by episodes of either complete or partial remission (Zieve, 2010).

Signs and tests

Some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis may be similar to others of the nervous system. To be on the safe side, there is a need to conduct necessary signs and tests so as to diagnose the disease properly. A neurological exam may be conducted to show one of the following signs; abnormal reflexes of the nerves, a highly decreased sensation, and a decreased ability to move body limbs. When they eyes are examined, the pupil may reveal abnormal responses, and swift eye movements activated when the eye moves (Polman, 2010).

Some of the tests done to diagnose the disease are; lumbar puncture, MRI brain scan, and the evoked potential test. Lumbar puncture, also referred to as the spinal tap test, comprises of puncturing the lumbar to access the fluid surrounding the brain, and the spinal cord. It entails the collection of Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Polman, 2010). The test is done primarily to determine the pressure within the cerebrospinal fluid, in addition to collecting a sample of the fluid, to be used to conduct further testing.

If the fluid collected appears cloudy, this is an indication of presence of infection, or that white blood cells have build up. When the fluid appears red, it is probable there is bleeding or an obstruction of the spinal cord. In the same capacity, if the fluid is brown, orange or yellow, it is probable there was a previous bleeding or an increase in CSF protein.

The head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) entails the imaging of the brain to create pictures showing the state of the nerves around the brain (Zieve, 2010). This scan can also be used to determine weaknesses of the muscles, tingling, or even numbness. The scan is also noteworthy as it can reveal eyesight problems, speaking challenges, and hearing loss. Since MRI utilizes no radiation, there are no known side effects emanating from the magnetic fields. This emanates from the use of Gadolinium, a dye, which is extensively safe. There are rare occurrences of reactions emanating from the use of the dye. However, people with kidney problems may be affected by gadolinium as they may require dialysis.

Evoked potential test is used to measure how fast the speed of nerve impulses along the nerve fibers is. The test also measures the quantity of the response, and the types of responses expected are as follows;

Auditory brain stem response- Hearing is stimulated through listening to a testing tone.
Visually evoked response –Herein, the eyes are subjected to a test. They may get aroused after being subjected to certain patterns.
Somatosensory evoked response –Herein, nerves in the arm and legs are subjected to an electric pulsation.

Treatment

Treatment is subscribed to achieve the following goals; reduce the symptoms, maintain the ability of the body to fight antigens, and to curb the autoimmune process. Symptoms and the disease dictate the treatment used. For example, one patient may have lost vitamins while another may be experiencing immobility, due to numbness. Treatment may include drugs that curtail the effects of the immune system (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010). These medicines may include; sirolumus, tacrolimus, mycophenolate, among others.

Prognosis

The outcome of the disorder depends on the disease. Many of the diseases associated with multiple sclerosis are chronic, but others can be controlled easily.

Risk factors

Major known aspects that can heighten the chances of developing multiple sclerosis include:

• Family-When a family member has multiple sclerosis; it may increase the chance of developing the disease, although the chance stands at 1-3 percent. This appears less, but comparing with one tenth of 1 percent, which is the chance of developing the disease in the general public, it is significant.
•Living in areas of temperate climate- Some areas are more prone to multiple sclerosis than others e.g. Northern parts of United States, southern Australia, and Europe are some of the examples.
•Between 20 years to 40 years of age- Although the disorder can affect people of any age, the most likely to experience attacks from the disease are those between the provided age brackets.
•Having certain other autoimmune diseases- It is more probable to develop the disease if one has inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, or thyroid disease.

Complications of Multiple Sclerosis

Some examples of the complications of the disease are; Muscle spasms, epilepsy, depression, bladder problems, or sexual problems, and paralysis.

Psychological implications

Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis sometimes suffer psychological pain as a result of the disease. Some of the psychological problems include; difficulties maintaining relations, getting easily irritated, anxiety, euphoria, unmanaged laughter, crying, anxiety, depression, and changeable emotions, and fatigue (Leon, Gonzalez & Navaro, 2005).

Dealing with psychological implications

Fatigue is highly misunderstood as family members and friends may confuse it with laziness. A patient undergoing fatigue may be accused of being lazy, whereas, it is because of the multiple sclerosis (Livneh & Antonak, 2005).

Fatigue may be managed by retaining energy, mostly achieved by proper planning of daily chores. Sleeping should be regular, and one should not engage in physical activities to exhaustion. There are medications also that help with fatigue. Examples are modafini and amantadine. On the other hand, depression may be managed by seeking the services of a physician. A counselor may offer help to someone who is undergoing depression if help is sought at the appropriate time.

Sociological implications of multiple sclerosis

Sociological implications of multiple sclerosis are witnessed in work, transportation, social places, and familial environments. When the effects of the disorder take charge in a patient, it becomes difficult for a multiple sclerosis patient to perform physical activities. Working becomes a challenge when muscles and bone joints are suffering. Movement of limbs becomes challenging, thus rendering the patient helpless (Anderson, Jakobsen, Petersen, & Andersen, 2009).

This becomes a problem as a patient may be forced to be reliant on the services of other people, which may be, heart breaking. Once immobility sets in, relationships with other members of the family may be hurt if these members do not have adequate information concerning the effects of the disease. A social worker would assist to offer therapeutic services in such a case (Falvo, 2005). Complete immobility means the person has to be moved by use of a wheelchair from place to place, for example.

Conclusion

The disease affects the central nervous system and this affects mobility in patients. There is no limit to the onset age as it can attack anyone, but the most prone age group to the disease is between 20 years to 40 years. The disease will affect anyone in the society, but women are more prone to the disease than men. The disease manifests itself after the myelin sheath, which covers the nerve fibers, is affected. Multiple Sclerosis is not curable, but it is believed that it is not fatal.

However, the effects of the disease may cause trauma to patients and family members alike. This is because the patient may develop inability to use the limbs or speak. Some of these symptoms may be worsened by an increase in body temperature. At the beginning stage of the disorder, many people may witness relapses of symptoms; being followed by episodes of either complete or partial remission. This may cause depression to the patient and family members. Qualified social and medical workers can assist in training family members on coping with the disorder. With proper medication, it can be managed and controlled.

References

Anderson, A. K., Jakobsen, J., Petersen, T., & Andersen, H. (2009). Fatigued patients with multiple sclerosis have impaired central muscle activation. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 15 (7), 818-827.

Falvo, D. R. (2005). Medical and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and disability. Sadbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Leon, J. B., Gonzalez, J. M., & Navarro, J. R. (2005). Quality of life and its assessment in multiple sclerosis: integrating physical and psychological components of wellbeing. The Lancet Neurology 4 (9), 555-66.

Livneh, H., & Antonak, R. F. (2005). Psychological Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability: A Primer for Counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development 83 (1), 12-20.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Multiple sclerosis. Web.

Polman, C. (2010). Multiple Sclerosis: The Guide to treatment and management. New York, NY: ReadHowYouWant.com

Zieve, D. (2011). Multiple sclerosis. Web.

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