Appointments & care

At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota has been recognized as the best Neurology & Neurosurgery hospital in the nation for 2014-2015 by U.S. News & World Report.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which your immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers your nerves. Myelin damage disrupts communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Ultimately, the nerves themselves may deteriorate, a process that's currently irreversible.

Signs and symptoms vary widely, depending on the amount of damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently or at all, while others experience long periods of remission during which they develop no new symptoms.

There's no cure for multiple sclerosis. However, treatments can help speed recovery from attacks, modify the course of the disease and manage symptoms.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary, depending on the location of affected nerve fibers. MS signs and symptoms may include:

• Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or the legs and trunk
• Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
• Double vision or blurring of vision
• Tingling or pain in parts of your body
• Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward
• Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
• Slurred speech
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Problems with bowel and bladder function

Disease course

Most people with MS have a relapsing-remitting course, with new symptoms (relapse) that develop over days or weeks and usually improve partially or completely, followed by a quiet period (remission) that can last months or even years. Small increases in body temperature can temporarily worsen signs and symptoms of MS, but that type of event isn't a relapse.

About 60 to 70 percent of people with relapsing-remitting MS eventually develop a steady progression of symptoms, with or without periods of remission (secondary-progressive MS). The worsening symptoms usually include problems with gait. The rate of progression varies greatly among people with secondary-progressive MS.

Some people with MS experience a gradual onset and steady progression of signs and symptoms with no relapses (primary-progressive MS).

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. It's believed to be an autoimmune disease, in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. In MS, this process destroys myelin — the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

Myelin can be compared to the insulation on electrical wires. When myelin is damaged, the messages that travel along that nerve may be slowed or blocked.

It isn't clear why MS develops in some people and not others. A combination of factors, ranging from genetics to childhood infections, may play a role.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Appointments & care

At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.

There are no specific tests for MS. The diagnosis relies on ruling out other conditions that might produce similar signs and symptoms.

Your doctor is likely to start with a thorough medical history and examination. Your doctor may then recommend:

• Blood tests, to help rule out infectious or inflammatory diseases with symptoms similar to MS.
• Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), in which a small sample of fluid is removed from your spinal canal for laboratory analysis. This sample can show abnormalities in white blood cells or antibodies that are associated with MS. Spinal tap can also help rule out viral infections and other conditions with symptoms similar to MS.
• MRI, which can reveal areas of MS (lesions) on your brain and spinal cord. You may receive an intravenous dye to highlight lesions that indicate your disease is in an active phase.

Evoked potential tests

These tests record the electrical signals produced by your nervous system in response to stimuli. An evoked potential test may use visual stimuli or electrical stimuli, in which you watch a moving visual pattern or short electrical impulses are applied to nerves in your legs or arms. Electrodes measure how quickly the information travels down your nerve pathways.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

People with multiple sclerosis also may develop:

• Muscle stiffness or spasms
• Paralysis, typically in the legs
• Problems with bladder, bowel or sexual function
• Mental changes, such as forgetfulness or mood swings
• Depression
• Epilepsy

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

To help relieve the signs and symptoms of MS, try to:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Exercise. If you have mild to moderate MS, regular exercise can help improve your strength, muscle tone, balance and coordination. Swimming or other water exercises are good options if you're bothered by heat. Other types of mild to moderate exercise recommended for MS include walking, stretching, low-impact aerobics, stationary bicycling, yoga and tai chi.
• Cool down. MS symptoms often worsen when your body temperature rises. Avoiding exposure to heat and using devices such as cooling scarves or vests can be helpful.
• Eat a balanced diet. Results of small studies suggest that a diet low in saturated fat but high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in olive and fish oils, may be beneficial. But further research is needed. Studies also suggest that vitamin D may have potential benefit for MS.
• Relieve stress. Stress may trigger or worsen your signs and symptoms. Yoga, tai chi, massage, meditation or deep breathing may help.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Living with any chronic illness can be difficult. To manage the stress of living with MS, consider these suggestions:

• Maintain normal daily activities as best you can.
• Stay connected to friends and family.
• Continue to pursue hobbies that you enjoy and are able to do.
• Contact a support group, for yourself or for family members.
• Discuss your feelings and concerns about living with MS with your doctor or a counselor.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

These factors may increase your risk of developing multiple sclerosis:

• Age. MS can occur at any age, but most commonly affects people between the ages of 15 and 60.
• Sex. Women are about twice as likely as men are to develop MS.
• Family history. If one of your parents or siblings has had MS, you are at higher risk of developing the disease.
• Certain infections. A variety of viruses have been linked to MS, including Epstein-Barr, the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis.
• Race. White people, particularly those of Northern European descent, are at highest risk of developing MS. People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the lowest risk.
• Climate. MS is far more common in countries with temperate climates, including southern Canada, northern United States, New Zealand, southeastern Australia and Europe.
• Certain autoimmune diseases. You have a slightly higher risk of developing MS if you have thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Smoking. Smokers who experience an initial event of symptoms that may signal MS are more likely than nonsmokers to develop a second event that confirms relapsing-remitting MS.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com