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Definition of Muscular Sclerosis

Muscular sclerosis, also called multiple sclerosis, is a degenerative neurological disease that prevents signals from being transmitted from the nerves to the rest of the body. People with this disease suffer from a wide range of symptoms that can significantly impair their quality of life.

  1. What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

    • Multiple sclerosis is caused when the body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath (a coating of fatty proteins that surrounds, insulates and protects the nerves), causing it to break down. This results in a number of symptoms, such as lack of motor coordination in the hands, arms and legs; changes in vision; incontinence and pain. Symptoms also include numbness and tingling, burning or crawling sensations, clumsiness, fatigue and muscle pain, among many others.

    Diagnosing MS

    • There is no single definitive test to diagnose MS. It is possible to have all tests come back negative and still have MS. No one has been able to determine exactly what causes MS. It usually shows up between the ages of 20 and 40, but that is merely a guideline.

    Types of MS

    • There are currently four recognized types of MS. Recurring-remitting MS, in which the symptoms occur and then go away; primary progressive MS, in which the person experiences a slow worsening of the disease; secondary progressive MS, which starts out as recurring-remitting and then gradually worsens; and progressive-relapsing MS, in which the person has progressively worsening symptoms but also experiences flare-ups where symptoms become much worse.

    Treatment

    • Currently, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but there are a number of treatments that can improve quality of life. For milder cases of recurring-remitting MS, treatment can consist of medications for nerve pain, such as gabapentin and Lyrica, muscle relaxants to prevent and treat muscle spasms and low doses of antidepressants to treat fatigue. Oral or intravenous courses of corticosteroids, such as Prednisone, are used to reduce inflammation and damage from flare-ups. For more severe cases, doctors prescribe MS-specific, disease-modifying drugs such as Rebif, Tysabri and Copaxone. In addition, other medications may be used to address specific individual symptoms such as incontinence and sexual dysfunction.

    Life Expectancy

    • The life expectancy for those with MS is almost the same as for those without MS because it is not considered to be a fatal disease, although some people with MS can succumb to secondary illnesses caused by the disease.

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