 | Robb Rose is Director of Marketing Operations at Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital of Wichita. Robb is also a Respiratory Therapist, Boarded Disability Analyst and Adjunct Faculty for Wichita Sate University. He holds a Masters in Human Resources from Webster University. Robb serves on the American Lung Association Regional Council and the American Heart Association Board of Directors. Robb is married and has 2 children. He can be reached at (316) 729-9999 |
Health & Rehabilitation
2004-05-01 11:35:00
What exactly is MS?
: I'm hearing more and more about Multiple Sclerosis lately. What is Multiple Sclerosis or MS?
ANSWER: Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). The specific cause is yet unknown, but it is thought to be caused by a virus, which in turn causes demyelination. Demyelination is a stripping away of the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers. The virus disrupts the bodies normal autoimmune system or protective system, and cells that would normally protect the body in turn react against its own body. The myelin sheath is the covering over the nerve fibers, which ensures rapid transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to parts of the body. Since the sheath is not there, nerve impulses or transmissions are not effectively interpreted. This results in lack of coordination, impaired movement, and impaired basic functions. Basic functions that can be impaired are seeing, walking, talking, hearing, and even slurring of speech. Other sensations are tingling, numbness, tremor, disrupted equilibrium or balance, weakness, fatigue, and even paralysis.Symptoms vary greatly from person to person, and involve serious attacks or exacerbations, and partial to complete recovery or remission. MS is not considered a fatal disease and life expectancy is 93% of a person's life span. The disease is a definite medical physiological disability.The average MS patient is a Caucasian woman between the ages of 21-40. A white female is 3 times more likely than a white male to have MS. Over one quarter of a million Americans have MS, and over 200 new cases are diagnosed each week. There is no current cure for MS, and treatment is aimed at the symptoms. Various types of anti-inflammatory and immune boosting therapies are utilized. Healthy lifestyles including; exercise, eating healthy foods, use of vitamins and supplements, plenty of rest, drinking plenty of water, avoiding emotional and mental fatigue, and treatment for depression are all facets of treating MS. Lessening intensity of symptoms and reducing the number of attacks is the goal.
