|
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that affects about 400,000 people in the US. MS results from an attack by the immune system on the myelin in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Myelin is a fatty substance which covers the nerve fibers much like insulating material on an electrical wire. When the myelin is damaged, normal conduction through nerve pathways is disrupted, resulting in symptoms such as numbness or weakness of arms or legs, loss of coordination, difficulty walking, blurring of vision or disturbance of bladder function. The severity of these symptoms ranges from mild to disabling. MS most often appears for the first time in young adults and much less commonly in children and in the elderly.
MS can be very difficult to diagnose properly because the symptoms are the same as those of many other diseases. While no single test exists to diagnose MS, MRI scans are especially important, and tests of spinal fluid and of nerve conduction can sometimes be very helpful. Other diseases which can cause similar symptoms must be looked for and ruled out. In some cases the diagnosis of MS cannot be made with certainty until tests have been repeated over time; looking, for example, for changes in the MRI scans. Even with these measures, the expertise of neurologists who are trained and experienced in diagnosing and managing MS is critical to avoid missing the diagnosis when MS is present or mistakenly diagnosing MS when symptoms are caused by other disorders. |
|
