What
First of all, MS is categorized as a neurological disorder. That means it affects the nervous system. Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the nervous system. This disease manifests in the inflammation and damage to the myelin and axons that make up the nerves.
For some reason, maybe a virus from childhood, or a defect in genes, (no actual cause has been pinpointed for MS) your immune system has decided that your body's myelin is a foreign invader or, in my description, a sumptuous meal.
Myelin is the juicy protein (think chocolate sauce) that insulates your axons (think cookie filling). The axons, like a phone line, are important for getting messages from your brain to your body. The myelin covers the axons and works as a protective insulation to keep out any damaging factors. (Like wild, gorging white cells for example.)
Your immune system is a very unpredictable connoisseur. The white cells (T&B-lymphocytes) never attack all the myelin at once. Instead, they roam from section to section, nibbling here and there, never satisfied. I envision it as a Las Vegas all you can eat buffet in my body. This process of destruction is called demyelination. If they chew through the myelin and damage the axon, the messages will get through slowly or not at all. As a result, the person with MS can experience delayed reactions, loss of sensation, or mobility in various parts of their body.
The leftovers, or spots of demyelination, are usually referred to as plaques. When these plaques enlarge or another plaque is formed, a person with MS may experience a worsening of old symptoms or new symptoms. Not all plaques cause attacks however. There are usually ten times more plaques than there are MS attacks. Whether or not a plaque produces symptoms usually depends on where it is located in the brain.
Multiple means many Sclerosis means scars. In my own personal view, I imagine the plaques as little holes in my head. The idea of having a "Swiss cheese" head appealed to me a bit more than the idea of scars. Moreover, it follows along in the food theme!
The different types of MS There are a few different courses that MS can take.
Relapsing-Remitting: This type has clearly defined exacerbations (relapse) of acute worsening of neurological functioning. These attacks are followed by a partial or complete recovery (remission) between relapses that are free of disease progression. However, people with Relapsing-Remitting do still experience a general worsening of symptoms or flare-ups now and again. 70% of people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis have this type of MS.
Secondary-Progressive: This type of MS is usually experienced after the person has had an initial period of Relapsing-Remitting. The Relapsing-Remitting is then followed by a steady worsening course of the disease without relapses or remissions. 50% of people with Relapsing-Remitting develop this form of MS within ten years of their initial diagnosis.
Primary-Progressive: This type of MS continually worsens from the beginning with no distinct relapses or remissions. There can be differences in the rate of progression over time and temporary improvements. This type affects about 15% of people with MS.
Progressive-Relapsing: This type of MS continually worsens or progresses but has distinct exacerbations with or without recovery. The difference between this type and Relapsing-Remitting is that a continued worsening or progression of the disease marks the periods of remission. This type is also rare affecting about 15%.
For some reason, maybe a virus from childhood, or a defect in genes, (no actual cause has been pinpointed for MS) your immune system has decided that your body's myelin is a foreign invader or, in my description, a sumptuous meal.
Myelin is the juicy protein (think chocolate sauce) that insulates your axons (think cookie filling). The axons, like a phone line, are important for getting messages from your brain to your body. The myelin covers the axons and works as a protective insulation to keep out any damaging factors. (Like wild, gorging white cells for example.)
Your immune system is a very unpredictable connoisseur. The white cells (T&B-lymphocytes) never attack all the myelin at once. Instead, they roam from section to section, nibbling here and there, never satisfied. I envision it as a Las Vegas all you can eat buffet in my body. This process of destruction is called demyelination. If they chew through the myelin and damage the axon, the messages will get through slowly or not at all. As a result, the person with MS can experience delayed reactions, loss of sensation, or mobility in various parts of their body.
The leftovers, or spots of demyelination, are usually referred to as plaques. When these plaques enlarge or another plaque is formed, a person with MS may experience a worsening of old symptoms or new symptoms. Not all plaques cause attacks however. There are usually ten times more plaques than there are MS attacks. Whether or not a plaque produces symptoms usually depends on where it is located in the brain.
Multiple means many Sclerosis means scars. In my own personal view, I imagine the plaques as little holes in my head. The idea of having a "Swiss cheese" head appealed to me a bit more than the idea of scars. Moreover, it follows along in the food theme!
The different types of MS There are a few different courses that MS can take.
Relapsing-Remitting: This type has clearly defined exacerbations (relapse) of acute worsening of neurological functioning. These attacks are followed by a partial or complete recovery (remission) between relapses that are free of disease progression. However, people with Relapsing-Remitting do still experience a general worsening of symptoms or flare-ups now and again. 70% of people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis have this type of MS.
Secondary-Progressive: This type of MS is usually experienced after the person has had an initial period of Relapsing-Remitting. The Relapsing-Remitting is then followed by a steady worsening course of the disease without relapses or remissions. 50% of people with Relapsing-Remitting develop this form of MS within ten years of their initial diagnosis.
Primary-Progressive: This type of MS continually worsens from the beginning with no distinct relapses or remissions. There can be differences in the rate of progression over time and temporary improvements. This type affects about 15% of people with MS.
Progressive-Relapsing: This type of MS continually worsens or progresses but has distinct exacerbations with or without recovery. The difference between this type and Relapsing-Remitting is that a continued worsening or progression of the disease marks the periods of remission. This type is also rare affecting about 15%.
Why
Unfortunately, we do not know exactly what causes MS. There are many theories about the causes of this disease ranging from diet, genes, family history, climate, to a delayed reaction from a viral infection.