Multiple Sclerosis

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a nerve or spinal cord disease that causes random damage to parts of the nervous system. The result is a diverse range of possible symptoms depending on which parts of the cord are damaged, and how often the inflammation reoccurs. Typical symptoms are any kind of tingling, numbness, burning sensations, "pins-and-needles" or other types of sensory changes in various parts of the body; also possible are vision changes (see a full list of symptoms).

Prognosis of multiple sclerosis is highly variable. Some people have very minor problems, whereas others can end up in a wheelchair, lose vision, or other nasty complications. It just depends which part of the spinal cord or nervous system is attacked. Some people have what is called a "single sclerosis" where there is only one incident of a sclerosis (lesion) on the spinal cord, and this may or may not progress to "multiple" sclerosis.

The cause of multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system is somehow triggered to mount an attack against its own good cells - in this case the cells that surround nerves.

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

• Variable symptoms - mild or severe, long-lasting or brief. There are numerous possible symptoms because any area of the spine may be affected.
• Mild symptoms
• Sensation changes
• Movement symptoms
• Vision problems

See full list of 53 symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Medical Textbooks Online about Multiple Sclerosis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Multiple Sclerosis

• Neurological examination
• MRI - to find damaged spinal areas
• MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy)
• Cerebrospinal fluid tests
• Immunoglobulin G test

Read more about tests for Multiple Sclerosis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis?

• Misdiagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
• Underlying causes of Multiple Sclerosis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

Misdiagnosis and Multiple Sclerosis

Thigh tingling need not be multiple sclerosis: There is a fairly common nerve condition called meralgia paresthetica that typically results in symptoms such as thigh tingling...more »

Multiple sclerosis often misdiagnosed as mental disorder: The early stages of multiple sclerosis may cause various general feelings of wellness, happiness, euphoria, or manic-type symptoms in some patients. These symptoms may...more »

Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present in a variety of different severities....more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See $symptoms of Vitamin B12...more »

Trigeminal neuralgia- suicide disease: Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder of the trigeminal nerve. The cause of the condition is unknown. The patient usually suffers...more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Multiple Sclerosis

Causes of Multiple Sclerosis

Read more about causes of Multiple Sclerosis.

More information about causes of Multiple Sclerosis:

• Multiple Sclerosis as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Multiple Sclerosis

Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis

• Steroids
• Prednisone
• Dexamethasone
• Corticosteroids
• New medications

See full list of 12 treatments for Multiple Sclerosis

Videos for Multiple Sclerosis

Patient Surveys for Multiple Sclerosis

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Multiple Sclerosis
  Take Survey  View Results

Prognosis for Multiple Sclerosis

Prognosis for Multiple Sclerosis: Variable. Ranging from mild to very serious, depending on exactly which nerves are attacked. Average survival is 35 years after diagnosis. A rare form of acute MS can be fatal quickly.

More about prognosis of Multiple Sclerosis

Reseach about Multiple Sclerosis

Visit our research pages for current research about Multiple Sclerosis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Multiple Sclerosis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Multiple Sclerosis include:

• Safety and Effectiveness of Two Doses of ABT-874 as Compared to Placebo in Subjects With Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - ABT-874/Human monoclonal antibody against IL-12
• Assessment Study of Steroid Effect in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Subjects Treated With Glatiramer Acetate - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Glatiramer Acetate
• Safety/Effectiveness of Adding Monthly Dexamethasone to Weekly Avonex for MS - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Evaluation of Efficiency of Ritalin in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Patients - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - RITALIN
• Safety of RG2077 in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - RG2077 (CTLA4-IgG4m)

See full list of 188 Clinical Trials for Multiple Sclerosis

Statistics for Multiple Sclerosis

• Medical statistics for Multiple Sclerosis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Multiple Sclerosis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Multiple Sclerosis
• Society statistics for Multiple Sclerosis

Types of Multiple Sclerosis

• Schilder's Disease

Read more about Types of Multiple Sclerosis

Stories from Users Related to Multiple Sclerosis

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Multiple Sclerosis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Multiple Sclerosis

NINDS Multiple Sclerosis Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a life-long chronic disease diagnosed primarily in young adults. During an MS attack, inflammation occurs in areas of the white matter of the central nervous system (nerve fibers that are the site of MS lesions) in random patches called plaques. This process is followed by destruction of myelin, which insulates nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Myelin facilitates the smooth, high-speed transmission of electrochemical messages between the brain, the spinal cord, and the rest of the body. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Multiple Sclerosis Information Page: NINDS)

Understanding Autoimmune Disease: NIAID (Excerpt)

Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the immune system targets nerve tissues of the central nervous system. Most commonly, damage to the central nervous system occurs intermittently, allowing a person to lead a fairly normal life. At the other extreme, the symptoms may become constant, resulting in a progressive disease with possible blindness, paralysis, and premature death. Some medications such as beta interferon are helpful to people with the intermittent form of multiple sclerosis. (Source: excerpt from Understanding Autoimmune Disease: NIAID)

Wiki article about Multiple Sclerosis

See full article about Multiple Sclerosis

Definitions of Multiple Sclerosis:

Chronic disease characterized by presence of numerous areas of demyelination in the central nervous system with symptoms such as weakness, incoordination, paresthesis, and speech disturbances; the etiology is unknown. - (Source - Diseases Database)

A chronic progressive nervous disorder involving loss of myelin sheath around certain nerve fibers - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Multiple Sclerosis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet