Autoimmune disorders have been in existence along with immunity processes but it appears like the occurrence of disorders like MS disease has risen over the last few years. Many individuals pinpoint things like diet and lifestyle as the contributors. Good thing health care science has yet still been able to use various methods for identifying multiple sclerosis. So, while diet and lifestyle factors may very well play a role in determining who is the most likely to develop MS, our current understanding of the illness has led to better rates of diagnosis, better multiple sclerosis treatment options, and a better overall quality of life for patients.
Like many other immune conditions like Celiac disease or allergies, medical science still isn?t entirely sure why the body decides to have an exaggerated response to some stimuli, and not others. MS disease is particularly perplexing, since it results when the body attacks its own nervous system. So, unlike allergies where the allergen can be easily avoided, people suffering from MS disease can?t really escape it. Nobody knows what prompts the body to begin to attack itself, and that is a major focus of MS research. All we do know is that, for some reason, it appears that the body begins to attack the myelin sheaths that cover nerves. This causes scarring and lesions on the affected areas, and the myelin eventually disintegrates. Lesions or areas of plaque can form within the central nervous system, and patients can end up suffering from a wide range of symptoms, depending on which of their nerves sustained damage.
When someone develops MS disease, their symptoms can appear in one of two ways. For most people, symptoms will show up in sudden, acute attacks. For some, symptoms can appear gradually as a result of sustained nerve damage, with or without acute attacks. Since multiple sclerosis symptoms can masquerade as symptoms of any number of other neurological conditions, particularly if they show up gradually, sudden attacks of symptoms can actually make the disease easier for doctors to properly diagnose.
The good news is that MS disease is not fatal. The bad news is that there is no cure, and even the best diagnostic techniques are only good between 90 and 95% of the time. There is no simple, fail-safe test for MS disease. Therefore, MS diagnosis relies on an actual patient interview and physical exam, and a neurological exam. During the patient interview, doctors ask questions about the patient?s general health, family history of other neurological conditions, history of illness or injury, any incidences of substance abuse, and any other information that might indicate that the patient is suffering from a condition other than MS disease. During the physical exam, the doctor will look for unusual reflex responses, or other signs indicating neurological problems.
After that, the patient will undergo a neurological exam, usually involving an MRI or other diagnostic imaging technique that can show lesions or areas of plaque. If at least two plaques or lesions are identified in two separate areas, and the interview and exam have ruled out other causes, then an MS diagnosis will be reached, and multiple sclerosis treatment can begin. It is important for treatment of MS disease to start as soon as possible after a diagnosis is reached, since this will have an impact on how much damage the immune system is able to cause to the nervous system.
Since there is no cure for MS disease, that means that multiple sclerosis treatment has to focus on two areas- alleviating pain and other symptoms, and slowing down MS disease?s progression. While alleviating symptoms of MS might sound deceptively easy, it?s often much harder than simply prescribing some pain killers. The symptoms of MS can vary a lot, and many people will experience things like vision problems, fatigue, and memory problems, which aren?t easily medicated away. Some symptoms will improve over time, while others will gradually worsen. This emphasizes the importance of slowing down the progression of MS disease.
This is usually done with immunomodulating drugs, like those based on interferon beta. These help modify the immune system?s response, to reduce inflammation in myelin lesions, repair damage to the blood-brain barrier, and slow down the rate at which the nervous system is damaged. This is a vitally important component of multiple sclerosis treatment, since MS disease will continue to progress as the body continues to attack the nervous system. By slowing this down, the amount of damage sustained by the nervous system is reduced, and patients can lead happier, more productive lives.
Some people will experience MS disease that frequently relapses. This is incredibly frustrating for patients, since an acute attack of symptoms can come out of virtually nowhere. Fortunately, immunomodulating drugs can reduce the severity and frequency of these relapses, while steroid medications can help control them when they happen, and palliative care can help relieve the symptoms of these relapses.
Many people with the MS disease explore various natural forms of multiple sclerosis treatment. While most of these are still being researched for their safety and efficacy, they offer patients with an easy, virtually side-effect free way to take an active role in their own treatment. Some treatments may even allow people to reduce their dependence on conventional drugs, which can help reduce the instance of unwanted side effects from many of the most common medications used in multiple sclerosis treatment.
Left untreated, MS disease usually continues to progress, causing increasingly severe nerve damage. Though it isn?t fatal, this nerve damage can be incredibly debilitating to patients, robbing them of the ability to move, see, or even speak. Though our understanding of MS disease is far from perfect, modern methods of multiple sclerosis treatment mean that this doesn?t have to happen. Patients with MS can continue to live long, productive lives, and many even continue to attend school and work as normal. Someday, medical science will hopefully discover a cure for MS disease. Until then, modern treatment methods allow people to remain happy and hopeful.
Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/6588367
Source: http://medicaltips.biz/2012/03/20/the-diagnosis-and-progression-of-ms-disease/
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