If you have just learned that a family member or friend has this disease, you probably have a lot of questions. "What is multiple sclerosis?" "How do people get it?" "Why did it happen to one of my family members?" "Could it happen to me?" Sometimes the best way to cope or learn to live with a chronic illness is to find out more about it. Finding out the facts and talking to others can be a great relief.
MS is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord that make up the central nervous system. Multiple sclerosis interferes with the brain's ability to control any of the functions of daily living such as seeing, walking and talking. It is called multiple because many scattered areas of the brain and spinal cord are affected. It is called sclerosis because the disease involves sclerosed or hardened tissue in damaged areas of the brain and spinal cord.
MS is the most common central nervous system disease among young adults in Canada. Adults between ages 20 and 40 are the most likely to be diagnosed with MS, often during their most productive years. Women develop the disease twice as often as men.
Multiple sclerosis attacks myelin, the insulation covering the nerves in the central nervous system. The myelin becomes inflamed and is replaced by small patches of unhealthy tissue. When this happens, messages that should be carried by the nervous system can be slowed or blocked and the MS symptoms occur.
That is one of medicine's biggest mysteries. There is evidence that MS is an auto-immune disease. This means a defect in the body's immune system causes the system to attack its own myelin. An increased risk of getting the disease can be inherited but you can't catch' MS from another person. To date, there is no cure and there is no way to know who might develop MS.
Symptoms of MS vary greatly, from person to person, and from time to time in the same person. More common symptoms might include:
Early symptoms are usually slight and go away without treatment. As times goes on, they might become more numerous and severe. Symptoms vary depending on the part of the nervous system affected. For instance, MS in the section of brain needed for vision might cause loss of central vision in one eye.
Advances like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) make diagnosis easier and faster than just a few years ago. This means that a person with MS has an early chance to make lifestyle changes to improve overall health and cope better with the effects of MS.
Dismay is a natural reaction to the diagnosis but there is a hopeful side. Remissions are common and some people with MS have few or no symptoms for months or even years. Lifespan for women with MS is usually near normal. Most people with MS remain active and employed many years after a diagnosis has been made. Often, even if the physical disability progresses, minor changes can be made in the workplace that allow people to continue working.
Obviously, every family wishes that MS never came along but the disease can have a positive effect on families. Sometimes a special circumstance like illness adds something to our lives that we are grateful for. Even though someone in your family might have MS, the giving, sharing and caring expressed by words and actions can make your family feel very close. Helping each other through the good times and the hard times can teach you a lot about each other and about life!
There is reason to be encouraged! Researchers are working very hard to find not only the cause but also effective treatments and eventually a cure for this disease. Scientists are discovering more clues every day in their search for ways to treat MS. Recently drug therapy with beta interferon has shown promise. The beta interferons have been shown to slow down the progression of the disease in some people, but not all. Unfortunately, these drugs are very expensive (approximately $17,000 per year).
In the meantime there is help available! The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is a national voluntary organization which supports research into multiple sclerosis, provides services to people who have MS and promotes awareness of MS in the community. Local MS Society chapters often provide a variety of services to families affected by MS, focusing on support and education. Some chapters provide recreation, support and advice, self-help groups and referrals to other services in the community. To find out about the MS Society of Canada Chapter nearest to you, call: 1-800-268-7582. Specialized MS clinics and research centres provide diagnostic services and various kinds of therapies to meet the needs of people with MS.
It is very important to find a team of professionals experienced in working with people who have MS. Although there is no cure at present, many symptoms can be well managed. Financial aid for those in need may be available through the federal or provincial government or through private insurance plans. For more information on these programs, you can contact your federal or provincial government offices or consult a local chapter of the MS Society.
Everyone can help by learning the facts about MS and sharing them with others. Through increased awareness, doors open for people with MS - doors to employment, education and physical access to the community. Also, through education, myths and fears about MS are removed.