In France, 90,000 individuals suffer from multiple sclerosis. It is the result of a autoimmune disease the primary cause of neurological disability in young adults. There is no cure for this condition, but some medications can reduce the symptoms. In this guide, you will learn about the symptoms, causes and when to seek medical attention.

What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be considered an immune-mediated inflammatory process involving different areas of the central nervous system. As the name suggests, the disease affects many areas of the central nervous system. Normal nerves are surrounded by a myelin sheath to insulate them and protect them from damage. This sheath also helps determine the speed at which nerve signals travel from the brain or spinal cord to the affected body part. 

How the PS works

When this sheath is destroyed, nerve conduction in that part of the body is reduced or completely interrupted. On the other hand, the destruction results from the immune system attacking the myelin sheath. The reason why the body's immune system attacks the sheath is not well understood. But it is thought to be related to a combination of genetic predisposition and acquired or environmental influences.

What are the signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

The signs and symptoms of MS in adults, children and adolescents are similar. However, children and teens with the disease can also experience seizures and a complete lack of energy that adults with MS do not.

In addition, symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis differ from person to person. Visual, sensory and motor signs and symptoms are all part of MS. On the other hand, a wide variety of symptoms can occur. Some people have mild cases of multiple sclerosis with little or no disability over the years.

Others have more severe types of MS that require confinement to a wheelchair or bed. More than 30% of people with MS will have a significant disability after 20 to 25 years.

However, others may live their entire lives without symptoms. This variability makes the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis difficult in some cases. Usually, the signs and symptoms are confused with a psychiatric origin.

5 warning signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis

The first signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis are often visual changes.

Many people with multiple sclerosis develop optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve, an extension of the central nervous system). This symptom is described as a painful loss of vision. If a patient is diagnosed with optic neuritis early on, treatment could alter the course of the disease.

Prior to vision loss, the patient may have visual changes described by many people as blurred or cloudy vision, flashing lights, or color alterations.

The tissues around the eye and eye movements can be painful. Most people recover over several months. Others suffer from permanent visual defects.

Double vision occurs when the eyes move in different directions. This is another common symptom of multiple sclerosis.

What causes multiple sclerosis?

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. They process information from our environment and control voluntary muscle movements to enable the body to perform certain activities. When you touch hot objects, for example, signals are sent from the sensory nerve endings in your hand up long nerves in your arm and eventually to the spinal cord.

From there, the signal is transferred from the spinal cord to your brain, where the information is processed. Your brain then sends a signal down the spinal cord to the nerves in your arm.

These nerves cause your arm muscles to contract, keeping your hand away from the heat.

This system works efficiently, except in cases of disease affecting the nerve pathways of the spinal cord and brain. Multiple sclerosis is one of the diseases that can affect these pathways. The nerves of the body are covered with a fatty substance called myelin (myelin sheath). The myelin sheath insulates the nerves and allows them to transmit information to the brain in a fraction of a second. 

Autoimmune destruction of the myelin sheath

If the myelin is disrupted in any way, the information transmitted is not only delayed, but may also be misinterpreted by the brain. This autoimmune destruction of the myelin sheath leads to areas of demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. This condition disrupts the transmission of information through the nerves of the central nervous system and causes the symptoms seen in MS.

When should you seek medical care for multiple sclerosis?

The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are very variable and differ from one patient to another. You should see your doctor if you experience any of the signs associated with multiple sclerosis. Go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Visual changes and painful eye movements. Optic neuritis, one of the most common early signs of multiple sclerosis, causes these symptoms.
• If you experience personality changes or a sudden loss of strength in your arms and legs. These symptoms are common in multiple sclerosis. But they can also be a sign of other serious illnesses that need urgent treatment. A strokeAn infection or a chemical imbalance for example.