What is Multiple Sclerosis?

mul·ti·ple scle·ro·sis

Myelin surrounds nerve fibers in the nervous system.  When the myelin is damaged it stops or slows the messages going between the brain and the spinal cord. If the damage is bad enough the nerves may begin to deteriorate. Multiple Sclerosis when the immune system attacks the myelin surrounding the nerves. When the immune system attacks the nervous system lesions can form on the brain and spinal cord.  When the nerves are badly damaged, scar tissue is formed around the nerves and the brain cannot connect with the nerves. When the brain cannot send messages to the nerves the body does not react in the way the brain wants.  Sometimes this means numbness in the extremities, other times it makes it so the individual cannot walk. There are two kinds of MS, Relapsing-remitting and Primary Progressing. The symptoms differ between the two, but there are a few similarities. Usually syptoms of MS start later in life, usually between 20 and 40 but cases of MS are starting to become more common on children.  Since immune system attacks myelin differently in every person, the symptoms between individuals differ widely.  Symptoms may include: loss of memory, vision, motor skills, numbness and inability to walk. Although many people suffer from MS and it has been known since1868, there is no solid evidence for what causes MS. The people effected are so widely different it is hard to find one cause. It has been suggested that a lack of Vitamin D can cause the disease but nothing is known for sure.  Doctors believe that finding MS earlier in life may open doors to find what causes MS and a cure. At the moment there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis but there are medicines to make the attacks less frequent.