Multiple SclerosisBY: SARAH BURGESS

“For every male that is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis there is three

women diagnosed”

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

A chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord

More commonly known as MS

Known as a newer disease

There is no cure

Symptoms

The most common symptom is numbness

Many different symptoms that people encounter Nauseous

Burning feet

Fatigue

Headaches

Muscle spasms

Vertigo

Symptoms

Everyone is different

Different cures for different symptoms Counseling

Exercise

Yoga

Massage

Self-hypnosis

Some symptoms doesn’t mean MS diagnosis

Diagnosis

General Physical Examination First notice something is wrong

Check with family doctor

Listen to your heart

Take your blood pressure

Examine muscles and skin

Diagnosis

Neurologic Examination Family doctor sends to specialist

Tests cranial nerves to head and face

Examine eyes

Sensation

Strength

Ability to detect vibration over various parts of the body

Reflexes

Balance

Walking

Diagnosis/ Tests

Magnetic Resonance Imagine MRI

Produces a picture of brain while sitting inside a tube

Most accurate and helpful test for MS

Doesn’t show MS

Shows changes due to MS

Can confirm MS not the stage

Detects patchy areas of change in the nervous system

Diagnosis/ Tests

Cerebrospinal Fluid Needle inserted into lower back to take out fluid for examination

CFS

Spinal Tap

Used if MRI isn’t conclusive

Diagnosis/ Tests

Evoked Potential Study Measures rate and form of impulses passed through nerves

Simple

EP

Diagnosis in a visual study

Stages

Relapsing-Remitting Acute attacks followed by fuller partial recovery

Receive partial recovery with remaining symptoms

85% of patients start with this stage

Stages

Secondary Progressive After 10-15 years 50% people enter this stage

Conditions will get worse

Pattern begins with relapsing-remitting

Less attacks or possibly no attacks at all

Stages

Primary Progressive Plateaus of attacks

More common in people diagnosed ages 40+

More common in men

15% of people are diagnosed at this stage

Stages

Progressive-Progressive One or more attacks occur

Remissions can last for months or years

Attacks least common at this stage

Can be a lot of symptoms or none at all

Treatments

Drugs slow down the progression but don’t prevent relapses

Most side effects come from the injection Redness

Swollen

Pain

No actual cure

Treatments

Aubajio

Avonex

Betaseron

Copaxone

Extavia

Gilenya

Nocantrone

Plegridy

Rebif

Tecfidera

Tysabri

Pertains to Me