Myelin is the outer protective sheath covering the nerves in your body. When the body’s immune system gets affected it destroys this outer layer of the nervous system thereby disturbing the communication signals between the brain and other parts of the body. This condition is called as multiple sclerosis. It is a potentially serious disorder and the effect of this disease can cause irreversible damage to the nerves. People affected with multiple sclerosis may have difficulty in speaking and walking. In some cases, the disorder would affect the normal thinking ability of the person concerned. This disorder cannot be cured but the symptoms can be managed with medications and therapy.
Once the outer protective sheath covering the nerves is destroyed it exposes the underlying nerves. The body’s immune system destroys the nerves forming plaque like tissues on the brain which is known as sclerosis. Hence this disorder is called multiple sclerosis. The process of destroying the myelin sheath is known as demyelination. Once the myelin sheath is destroyed the brain cannot transmit the signals as before causing various problems.
Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms :
Some of the common symptoms of multiple sclerosis include tingling sensation or numbness in the limbs, partial loss of vision/pain while moving the eyes, blurred vision or double vision, intense shock like sensation while making head movements, slurred speech, and difficulty in walking, fatigue, and lack of coordinated thinking, loss of balance, dizziness and extreme heat sensitivity.
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis may vary depending on the extent of damage caused to the nerves. Some people may have benign type of multiple sclerosis wherein the symptoms are mild and will not progress. For some others, the symptoms get worse within few months or even weeks. Very often, the initial symptoms of multiple sclerosis begin as tingling sensation in limbs or a burning pain in some part of the body. Most of them will have bladder problems compelling one to visit the restroom often.
Multiple Sclerosis Causes :
Multiple sclerosis occurs due to the damage caused to the myelin sheath (outer protective layer of the nerves). When the myelin sheath gets affected it leads to the formation of plaque like tissue on the nerves making it difficult to transmit signals from the brain. This causes unusual delay in communicating signals from the brain leading to abnormal symptoms.
Genetics play a role in causing multiple sclerosis since it can be inherited by birth. Research indicates that certain viruses like Epstein Barr and Varicella Zoster is likely to cause MS but this theory is not proved. What exactly triggers auto-destruction of myelin sheath is not known clearly.