Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system, which includes the optical nerves, the brain and the spinal cord. The attack on the nervous system and the myelin, which is a sheath that protects the nerves, causes lesions and inflammation on the brain and spinal cord. This inflammation can make it difficult to transmit signals to the entire body. These conditions can lead to irreversible damage and a variety of symptoms.

Once MS has been diagnosed, it is necessary to determine the cause of the condition. Several conditions may cause Multiple Sclerosis. Some of them include:

  • Genetic factors: MS is not hereditary, but patients with certain genes can have susceptibility to MS.
  • Environmental factors: Some scientists believe that factors in the environment can trigger the development of MS. The environment triggers occur naturally without a person being aware that there is a trigger. The triggers may include exposure to toxins, tobacco smoke, environmental chemicals, and viral infections.
  • Lack of Vitamin D: MS is common in people who have a lack of exposure to sunlight, which is needed to produce Vitamin D. Some scientists believe that low amounts of vitamin D may affect the immune system.
  • Lack of Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is instrumental in producing myelin, which is the protective sheath around the nerves.
  • Smoking: Smokers are more likely to develop MS. They tend to have more brain shrinkage and lesions than non-smokers.

Symptoms of MS can be very different from person to person. They can be constant or intermittent. Symptoms of MS may develop slowly, or they may occur suddenly. Most symptoms are seen in older people, but they can appear at any age. If you are diagnosed with MS, it does not mean that your symptoms will always be present. The most common symptoms are difficulty and walking. Some other symptoms include:

1. Difficulty in walking
This condition stems from numbness in your feet and legs and muscle weakness and spasticity.

2. Fatigue
Eighty percent of MS sufferers experience fatigue, which can be debilitating, which limits their performance of everyday tasks.

3. Weakness and stiffness
The MS suffers when feeling these symptoms in the legs, arms, hands, and face.

4. Chronic pain
The pain can be felt in the knees, feet, shoulders, and neck. This pain can also cause dizziness.

5. Decreased movement and sensation in the extremities
The sensations are comparable to pins-and-needles feelings.

6. Decreased balance and coordination
MS sufferers may find it difficult to walk. Tripping can become a major hazard that can be dangerous.

7. Vision issues
Eye pain, partial vision loss and blurry or double vision can be early symptoms of MS.

8. Diagnosis
Physicians use several methods when deciding whether a patient has multiple sclerosis. They will perform physical and neurological examinations, ask about symptoms, and review your medical history to determine a diagnosis. Diagnosis procedure may include the following:

  • Blood tests: These tests are used to rule out other conditions with like symptoms.
  • MRI scan: The contrast dye from the MRI allows for the detection of lesions on the spinal cord and the brain.
  • Spinal tap: This procedure is used to rule out infectious diseases and to search for abnormalities in the spinal fluid.

A diagnosis of MS requires demyelination in multiple areas on the brain, optic nerve or spinal cord. The diagnosis requires ruling out other diseases that have similar symptoms, such as lupus, Lyme disease and Sjorgren syndrome.