Understanding Multiple Sclerosis :: Health Medicine

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis There are several diagnostic tests used to detect Multiple Sclerosis (referred to as MS). An MRI (multilple resonance imaging) can confirm a diagnosis by showing lesions and sites of inflammation in the brain. Although the presence of lesions is common in Multiple Sclerosis sufferers, the absence of lesions is not a sign that the disease is not active. An electroencephalogram (EEG) can isolate changes in brain waves when introduced to audio or visual stimuli. The Evoked Potential test measures the speed with which nerve impulses travel. Demyelination significantly reduces the speed of nerve signal transmission and can be detected with this test. Lumbar punctures and spinal taps are also used to test spinal fluids for the presence of certain immuno-proteins present in Multiple Sclerosis sufferers. Facts about Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and is believed to be immune mediated. This debilitating disorder affects at least 350,000 people in the United States. The disease occurs in young adults with the mean age of onset of 30 years. Women make up 70% of the MS population. This gender preference remains unexplained. Clinical Features The symptoms of MS may be mild or severe, of short or long duration and may appear in various combinations, depending on the area of the nervous system affected. Complete or partial remission of symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease occurs in approximately 70% of MS patients. The initial symptoms of MS are often blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or even blindness in one eye. However, visual problems tend to clear up in the later stages of MS. Inflammatory problems of the optic nerve may be diagnosed as retrobulbar or optic neuritis. MS patients will have an attack of optic neuritis at some time or other and it will be the first symptom of MS in approximately 15 percent. This has led to general recognition of optic neuritis as an early sign of MS, especially if test also reveals abnormalities in the patient's spinal fluid. Most MS patients experience muscle weakness in their extremities and difficulty with coordination and balance at some time during the course of the disease.