Myelin Sheath Damage in MS Topic Guide

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord. There are two types or divisions of the nervous system. The CNS and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS connects the CNS to sensory organs, other organs of the body, glands, muscles, and blood vessels. The peripheral nerves include the 12 cranial nerves, spinal nerves and roots, autonomic nerves (the nerves that regulate the heart muscle, glands), and the blood vessel walls.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is not contagious. It is considered to be an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own central nervous system (specifically the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves).

It is especially important for people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) to avoid complications caused by other illnesses. Patients should take care to manage fitness, diet, sleep, and emotional stress to keep their immune system strong and increase quality of life.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be thought of as an inflammatory process involving different areas of the central nervous system (CNS) at various points in time. Early symptoms of multiple sclerosis include visual changes, difficulty maintaining balance, vertigo, painful muscle spasms, constipation, and urinary retention. There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but there is a treatment for MS and its symptoms that include medications and therapy.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic nerve disease in which the body's own immune system attacks the myelin sheath insulating the nerve fibers and the nerves themselves, interrupting the electro-chemical current between the brain and body parts. This causes symptoms like incontinence, fatigue, incoordination, mood swings, numbness, and a host of other debilitating problems. Multiple sclerosis can be treated, but there is no cure for the disease.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be thought of as an inflammatory process involving different areas of the central nervous system (CNS) at various points in time. Examples of medications for treating MS include corticosteroids, for example, methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol); immuno-dilating drugs (interferons and glatiramer acetate (Capaxone); immunosuppressants, for example, Mitoxantrone (Novantrone), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), azathioprine (Imuran), or methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall); optional therapies, for example, fingolimod (Gilenya); and investigational drugs.

The five most common early symptoms of multiple sclerosis across all patients include abnormal sensations (tingling sensation or paresthesia), weakness, extreme tiredness (fatigue), pain (both muscle and nerve pain), vision disturbances (blurred or double vision).

There are several types of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that disrupts the connections in the brain and spinal cord and causes a range of symptoms. Triggers for multiple sclerosis relapses include stress, infections, vaccinations (e.g., influenza, hepatitis B, or any travel vaccines), smoking, high temperatures (hot weather, saunas, hot tubs, and hot showers and baths), pregnancy, and skipping medications.