| Being told that you have MS or Multiple Sclerosis can | | | | from one patient to another and how long it takes to |
| lead to many questions, from "Why do I have it?" to | | | | advance is completely unpredictable. |
| "What can I do about it?" However once the initial | | | | The Scientific Version |
| shock of being diagnosed is over the biggest question | | | | If you are interested in a little more in depth look at the |
| most people ask is "What is the definition of Multiple | | | | definition of Multiple Sclerosis then we need to look at |
| Sclerosis?" or in more simple terms what is MS and is | | | | the scientific version as it will cover the details a little |
| there are cure for this disease? Because MS is a | | | | better. MS causes the loss of the myelin layer that |
| disease that affects the central nervous system of | | | | surrounds both the brain and the spinal cord known as |
| the human body our understanding of what it is, is far | | | | demyelinization. In this process the myelin is destroyed, |
| better than our understand of how to cure it. | | | | this layer is made up of lipids and protein and is |
| The Medical Version | | | | essential to the nervous system as it protects them |
| According to the medical community and scientific | | | | and allows the proper transfer of signals to and from |
| research the best definition of Multiple Sclerosis is that | | | | the brain. |
| it is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central | | | | When this layer is damaged the grey matter layer of |
| nervous system (CNS) and can cause a wide variety | | | | the brain known as the cortex can also be damaged |
| of symptoms at different stages of the disease. | | | | in the process. The effects of this damage are usually |
| These symptoms can be as minor as headaches or | | | | lesions that can be seen in either an MRI or CT scan. |
| slight muscle weakness to being completely | | | | These damaged areas of the myelin layer are the |
| immobilized as the muscles are no longer able to | | | | cause of impaired bodily functions as well as the loss |
| function. | | | | of sensations in many ways. |
| Multiple sclerosis invades the body by causing the | | | | While the disease is still not fully understood |
| bodys own immune system to malfunction and actually | | | | researchers do know that the death of nerves caused |
| attack the myelin layer that surrounds the brain and | | | | by MS is a major part of the disease and that there |
| the spinal cord protecting it so that the nerves can | | | | are currently no cures for the disease. There are |
| continue to send the right signals to the brain. One of | | | | however many very successful methods of relieving |
| the biggest problems with obtaining a true definition of | | | | the symptoms and sending into long term remission. |
| Multiple Sclerosis is that the degree of severity varies | | | | |