About MS: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click on the questions below to see the answers.
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS), specifically the brain and spinal cord. Autoimmune means that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissue.
Understanding the role of the CNS
The brain and spinal cord contain cells called neurons, which send signals within the CNS to other parts of the body. These signals control physical
functions, such as balance and muscle coordination, as well as thinking and other abilities. Signals pass through neurons by way of nerve fibers called axons. And, axons are protected by a covering, called myelin, which helps the axons carry signals.
With MS, damage to neurons disrupts the body’s ability to send signals and causes MS-related symptoms. Symptoms may vary because of the location and extent of the damage. Today, researchers believe that both inflammation and neurodegeneration contribute to the destructive actions of MS.1-4
The destructive actions of MS
Inflammation is activated by the immune system. This causes swelling and damage to the myelin. When the myelin is lost, scars called scleroses are left behind. This is where the name multiple sclerosis comes from.
Permanent damage, and the loss of neurons and axons, is known as “neurodegeneration.” Researchers are learning more about this complex process every day. It’s very important to know that neurodegeneration occurs early in MS and continues throughout the course of the disease.1-4 Recent studies have shown that neurons and axons are also damaged and even destroyed during the course of MS, even when inflammation is not present.1-4 These findings, MS experts have concluded, support starting therapy early.1,2
Learn more about the destructive actions of multiple sclerosis.
No one knows why or how people get multiple sclerosis. Worldwide, MS may affect more than 2 million individuals, and in the United States, approximately 400,000 people live with MS. It affects all races, but is more common among people of northern European ancestry. Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 50, while women are 2 to 3 times more likely to have MS than men.5
Multiple sclerosis can be treated, but not cured. The goal of the available relapsing-remitting MS therapies is to reduce the frequency of relapses and new damage to your nervous system. Unfortunately, damage that already exists may not be repaired by therapy. You can learn more about the importance of treatment by clicking here.
Multiple sclerosis symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms will also come and go. Some of the typical symptoms are:
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Tingling sensations
- Balance problems, stumbling
- Slurred speech
- Bladder/bowel problems
- Memory or cognitive dysfunction
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Heat sensitivity
- Sexual dysfunction
- Spasticity
For help managing these MS symptoms,
click here.
The therapies available for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are administered either by injection or infusion.
- Injection therapies
Injectable RRMS therapies are the most common type of treatment, and are generally considered the first choice of treatment for RRMS. They are delivered either just under the skin (subcutaneous), or deep into the muscle (intramuscular).
There are 4 available injection therapies. To read more about these therapies, click here.
- Infusion therapies
Infusion therapies are usually used as a backup treatment for people who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, injectable therapies for RRMS, or who are experiencing a worsening form of RRMS.
Infusion therapy is delivered by a process called intravenous (IV) infusion,
which means it is delivered directly to your bloodstream through a vein. There are 2 available infusion therapies. Both infusion therapies have a black box warning which you should discuss with your doctor. To read more about these therapies, click here.
There are a few tools and techniques your doctor may use to understand how well your therapy is working.
These techniques include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)6,
a practice that allows a non-invasive look inside the body. An MRI can help your doctor see any recent disease activity, and measure disease severity. Click here to learn more about MRIs.
Your doctor may also use something known as the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).7 The EDSS measures mobility on a scale of 0.0 to 10.0 (0.0 indicating normal mobility). The EDSS is often used in clinical studies to examine whether treatments are having an effect on mobility (your doctor might use certain parts of this exam such as a timed 50-ft walk).
To learn more about how to track your treatment success, click here.
Eating well and exercising are 2 positive things you can do in addition to taking your multiple sclerosis medication. Exercise has been proven to help with many MS symptoms.8,9 But make sure you speak with your doctor or health care provider before starting any exercise regimen.
You may hear about special “MS diets” on the Internet or from friends, but as yet, no scientific evidence has proven that they make a difference. Click here to learn about the importance of healthy eating—and tips on how to achieve it.
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