Multiple sclerosis is a nervous disorder that usually shows up in early adulthood. The following first signs should lead you to the doctor.
- World MS Day takes place annually on May 30 with the aim of strengthening patients with multiple sclerosis and their families.
- It is estimated that around 2.5 million people worldwide live with MS.
- Inflammation *, which occurs in the brain and spinal cord, causes visual disturbances or symptoms of paralysis in those affected.
Multiple sclerosis - MS for short - is a disease whose development still puzzles doctors. So it has not yet been finally clarified what exactly triggers the disease. Experts are currently assuming a combination of various factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors and chronic infections . Multiple sclerosis is not contagious and the right therapy enables many sufferers to live a largely normal life.
However, MS is also called " illness with 1,000 faces " for a reason : "The course of the disease (...), the symptoms and the success of the therapy vary so much from patient to patient that general statements can only be made to a limited extent", like the German multiple Sclerosis Society Bundesverband eV (dmsg) informed.
MS usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40
According to the Federal Insurance Office, around 250,000 MS patients live in Germany, with around 10,000 new diagnoses being made each year. The first diagnosis is usually made between the ages of 20 and 40 - especially in women . These fall ill about twice as often as men. So-called flare-ups are typical of MS: if a new inflammation develops in the brain or spinal cord, this is manifested by a flare-up which is accompanied by symptoms such as visual, speech, walking and feeling disorders *.
As with most diseases, the same applies to MS: the sooner it is recognized and treated, the better the therapy prospects . A cure has not yet been possible, but the combination of different therapies can alleviate the symptoms of an acute inflammatory flare and delay the course of the disease. The Marianne Strauss Clinic, for example, provides information: "Early, individualized immunotherapy is therefore crucial to effectively suppress inflammatory reactions and to contain further nerve damage".
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These symptoms could indicate multiple sclerosis
The following symptoms may indicate MS is starting :
- motor disorders such as insecurity when walking or grasping
- Symptoms of paralysis
- Visual disturbances * such as double vision, blurred or fog vision as a result of inflammation of the optic nerve
- Skin disorders such as tingling or numbness
- Bladder disorders
- "washed out" speech
As the dmsg warns, most MS complaints can also be assigned to other diseases. It can therefore be difficult even for an experienced doctor to precisely classify the symptoms at an early stage . The treating specialist will therefore initiate the following examinations to make a reliable diagnosis:
- the neurological, physical examination
- the evoked potentials (nerve conductivity and speed)
- a lumbar puncture (nerve water extraction)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord)
More sources:
www.dmsg.de; www.neurologen-und-psychiater-im-netz.org; www.ms-klinik.deRead more : Mediterranean diet: why you should immediately switch to a Mediterranean diet.
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