Multiple Sclerosis
What is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of unknown cause which affects the nerves of the brain and spinal column. MS is the result of damage to a substance called myelin. Myelin is a protective sheath surrounding all the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord. It works like insulating cable, helping to conduct electrical impulses between the brain or spinal cord and the rest of the body, and preventing them from being short-circuited. When myelin is healthy and functioning properly, electrical impulses get through quickly and efficiently allowing for easy and co-ordinated movement. When myelin is damaged, messages are slower, distorted, or non-existent and do not get through properly. This causes many of the symptoms of MS. Damaged areas of myelin are known as plaques or lesions.
Symptoms from myelin damage: - Symptoms depend on the location of plaques. Myelin damage can affect nerves to the eyes, parts of the brain, the brain stem and spinal cord. Damage to motor nerves can affect movement. Damage to sensory nerves can result in numbness or tingling. There is nothing wrong with the actual muscles or sensory organs; it is simply that not all the right messages are getting through.