General Information About Multiple Sclerosis
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It occurs when the body's defense mechanism mistakenly recognizes the 'myelin' sheath, which surrounds the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and acts as cable insulation, as a foreign enemy and destroys it. Nerves whose insulation is disrupted cannot conduct electrical signals to the body properly (causing a short circuit).
MS is a disease of young adults. It usually manifests between the ages of 20 and 40 and is 2-3 times more common in women than in men.
Symptoms depend on the nerve where the electrical conduction is disrupted. The most common initial attack is Optic Neuritis (sudden onset of painful blurred vision or blindness in a single eye). Other symptoms include complete numbness/tingling in an arm or leg that persists for hours, loss of balance (ataxic/drunken gait), urinary incontinence, and extreme fatigue that increases suddenly in hot weather or during a bath.
Approximately 85% of MS patients have the 'Relapsing-Remitting' (RRMS) type. A symptom (e.g., numbness in the leg) begins, lasts for a few weeks (ATTACK), then the body partially repairs that insulation and the complaints disappear completely or almost completely (REMISSION). The disease relapses from another point months or years later.
The most important diagnostic tool is a contrast-enhanced Brain and Spinal Cord MRI scan. MRI clearly reveals the white spots (plaques/lesions) where the myelin sheath is stripped and inflamed. To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions, a lumbar puncture is performed (CSF Analysis) to check for antibodies called 'Oligoclonal Bands'.
There is no permanent cure that completely eradicates MS; however, it is NO LONGER a disease that inevitably confines patients to a wheelchair as it used to.
During an Acute Attack: Intravenous high-dose corticosteroids (pulse steroid therapy) are administered for 3-5 days to rapidly suppress inflammation.
Prophylactic Treatment: Thanks to daily injections, oral tablets, or monthly intravenous infusions (immunomodulators and smart monoclonal antibodies) that stop new attacks and plaque formation by 80-90%, patients can lead a completely normal, active life without permanent sequelae.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
