What Multiple Sclerotic People Should Avoid during Christmas
It is a known fact that amidst the Christmas gift-giving and delicious food, the holidays can oftentimes be fairly stressful. Aside from having to personally and actively participate in a number of festivities, it also a must to consistently behave in a festive attitude. Moreover, such event could be even more stressful for those who have multiple sclerosis. The diseases symptoms and the holidays just do no jive.
In short, if having an active jovial personality for everyone to see during the holidays is not a usual thing, especially with a debilitating disorder, then expect a lot of stress. However, stress is a common accompaniment of the holidays. Christmas time is just not complete without it. There has to be a rush whenever it is time for Christmas shopping, falling in those long lines, having to wrestle items with someone else who claims he or she saw that thing first. The holidays are basically stressful.
This is why sometimes some people get offended because of a case of misunderstanding. And face it; no one wants to have an enemy or someone loathe you during Christmas season. So for those who have multiple sclerosis or MS and are usually left stressed out during the holidays, here is a list of what must be avoided to avoid getting overstressed.
Avoid crowds.
One of the worst symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis is the cognitive dysfunction. This means that communication is not an area a person with MS could excel in. They cannot easily keep up with a certain conversation regardless of who the conversation is with, but especially if there are more than two people who are conversing. With this said, it would be near to impossible to see people with MS randomly chatting with unfamiliar people because of the jovial atmosphere.
To avoid getting stressed out, at the same time still enjoy the company of other familiar people during Christmas season, people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis should just avoid attending parties if most of the attendants are unknown, and also finding corners within a room where a more quite and intimate conversation can be done.
Avoid unnecessary noise.
Another symptom with MS is the inability to keep a steady train of thought, especially if the noise is too much to take. This means any loud music, the TV playing at high volume or people shouting and cheering. These kinds of environment are the ones that the people with MS should be avoiding.
Think of the risk for infection.
Those with multiple sclerosis are not hypochondriacs, who, in turn, are people who are very paranoid about getting sick. But still, since the immune system is at its lowest, then the risk for infection is high.
Of course, they cannot be locked inside their own homes. Despite the fact that they have MS, they also still have a life to live. They also do not have to act like astronauts in wearing all that protective gear. What they have to avoid are febrile illnesses such as the flu. With todays pandemic, the H1N1, people with MS have to be extra careful.
To avoid getting such life-threatening diseases, immunocompromised people with multiple sclerosis should make sure that they get the necessary vaccines ahead of time. Also, places that have sick people must be avoided. This does not only mean hospitals or clinics. This also means houses of family or friends who house a sick person like someone who caught the flu.
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Types Of Multiple Sclerosis
The benign type
Multiple sclerosis has a benign type which means that the disease has a slight severity and course. However, calling a case of MS or multiple sclerosis benign is very much misleading because overtime, this disease becomes as disabling as it could get. In fact, in the twenty percent who are given an initial diagnosis of benign MS, only five percent end up actually having the benign type.
The person with the benign type of MS can expect minor or no progression at all after the first attack. Their functions are retained except for short term memory disturbances, cognitive dysfunction and some clear evidence of spinal cord or brain atrophy, which can all be identified via an MRI scan.
The relapsing remitting type
This type of MS, the relapsing remitting type, is actually the most common among all of the types of this particular disease. But its name, relapsing remitting can be also very misleading.
It is during this type that those who have MS experience attacks, otherwise called as exacerbations that are followed with either a complete or a partial remission. This is the part that its classification is misleading.
Multiple sclerotic people oftentimes assume that this remission phase means they have fully recovered. This can be true in some special cases, especially during the first phases of the disorder, but in most cases, this remission is actually just a partial one. Do not be misled by this classifications name because what are usually left are permanent residual MS-related symptoms.
The secondary progressive type
This type starts with the relapsing remitting type which usually persists for several years. After that timeframe, it is time for the secondary progressive type to show what it is made of.
It is a chronic and progressive form of the disease that usually occurs in the diseases second stages. Unlike the relapsing remitting type, there are no true periods of remission, but only some breaks in the duration of attacks that has absolutely no recovery from the symptoms. Although there could be some minor relief for a couple of symptoms, recovery is never attained.
The primary progressive type
This type is very common in the male population. It is when the person with MS gradually experiences a clinical decline and has no true durations of remission. However, there could be a temporary time where the disorder seems to plateau or level out, including a partial but minor relief from a few symptoms. But still, the whole course of this type continuously declines starting from the diseases outset.
The progressive relapsing type
This type is a rare form of MS. What happens here is that the disease has a progressive form that starts from its outset with a series of acute attacks that has no relief from the obtained symptoms. Unlike the primary progressive type, this type has no tendency to plateau.
The malignant type
Aside from being called malignant, this type is also referred to as Marburg variant. It has an aggressive phase. It is a fortunate thing that this type is a very rare type because it is very aggressive. It has a quick and relentless decline to a very significant impairment, or even death. This type usually occurs after several weeks of the onset of the first attack.
The chronic progressive
This type is indefinite of MS. However, this term is also associated with a collective diagnosis of progressive relapsing, primary progressive and secondary progressive.
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Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis With No Side Effects
Many of those who already have multiple sclerosis are very strong in trying different new modes of treatment. For example, for each of the twenty-nine days with a person, the person gives a certain thing to whomever would listen. Others would heartily give information and gratitude or thanks, those who have MS or multiple sclerosis give out their support.
After the full length of twenty days, those who had MS actually had a better time and the diseases symptoms were greatly reduced.
None for those who are verbal with the tests possible results might scoff and leave them to know that it was only very scientific, despite the fact that he was a trained scientist who only feels bad. In fact, he has established some cures that involve chocolate, sleeping early and pedicures. The aforementioned activities can be assumed to be well with fighting.
The 29-day Challenge
It is the perfect time to do such challenge. Since Christmas time is the time for the other to stop and think about the others, frantic practices are still present to try and make things have a perfect response to everything. Also, it is nice to have some one who is sick to have him or her completely announce any inspiration for me.
In some cases, you might purchase something for him where others would have to percent a lot of message. In fact, people have tried dipping pretzels in chocolate and some sprinkles and then being given to aunts. Another thing that people can experience is reading an extra book or publication. It is because of this extra work that dishes had to be washed and told everyone a plan had to be worked out.
Even though others might not have felt or experienced this kind of problem, there are those who finalize whether others have any results to report or not. There is also a portion that finds out if the warm fuzzes being experienced are just associated with his learning. Others might scoff and state that this challenge is very unscientific.
Drugs: Steroids
Corticosteroids or steroids are mainstay treatment aimed at relapse remitting multiple sclerosis. But others destroy those who are under examination who give out tests that test the diction of someone. And that a high dose of methylprednisolone is done on purpose for those who have a major relapse of multiple sclerosis.
What do steroids do?
These steroids decrease the inflammation within the central nervous system and also help in suppressing the attack on the myelin. In fact, it may also do good in improving the normal electrical conduction.
However, steroids do not improve the diseases long-term part. In fact, in the long run, steroids might lose its effectivity once it is overused. And there is always an accompanying tendency with steroids to be overused by most since they are not merely there for maintenance treatment.
What does research say?
There are research findings that indicate that there is a potential benefit when it comes to using methylprednisolone via the intravenous route. This kind of administration is done regularly for five days every four months for as long as three years. Afterwards, it will be done for six months for as long as two years.
There has to be more evidence before finally including steroids in a prescription because steroids can have some adverse effects that could be very life-threatening once the drug is used overtime.
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The History Of Multiple Sclerosis
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is believed to have been discovered over many centuries ago. Since then questions have been raised but it is only now that they are actually answered.
After numerous research and many series of studies have been done with regards to multiple sclerosis, it has been found out that multiple sclerosis is one of the diseases affecting the nervous system that are usually experienced by the people.
More about its etiology
This disease affects people belonging to all ages from all walks of life, with a preference towards young individuals. According to statistical research, the women are the most common carriers of this disease, especially to those who reside in the northern parts of the globe.
It has been found out due to research that multiple sclerosis has a genetic susceptibility. However, it is not directly inherited.
Moreover, since this disease predominantly affects the nervous system, neurological symptoms are being manifested. Such symptoms include paralysis, walking problems, loss of vision and numbness. These symptoms are often diverse, extremely confusing and patternless. This makes it even more difficult for a definite diagnosis.
These symptoms occur because of abnormalities in the nervous system due to the inability to transmit or the incorrect transmission of signals. A fatty substance that surrounds and acts as an insulator for the nerve fibers is called myelin. It is the myelin that the nerves need in order to correctly conduct the necessary amount of electricity for the bodys normal functioning. However, in multiple sclerosis, the myelin is damaged.
As an autoimmune disease, the bodys own cells and proteins attack its own kind, failing to recognize it as self. The immune system naturally attacks foreign bodies, but since multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, the bodys very own cells attack its own healthy cells and tissues.
Its early years
Back in the 19th century, people would only listen and believe to hearsay, superstition and the wisdom of the elderly or those who normally take care of whoever was sick. Medications were never tested, and physicians mainly depended on their observing skills for a definite diagnosis. However, upon looking at their journals, it could be derived that they were indeed correct in diagnosing such cases as multiple sclerosis because the information written certainly leads to such disease.
In the 19th century, specifically 1838, there were already drawings of patients who had multiple sclerosis. Although the physicians back then did not have a full understanding of multiple sclerosis and what the disease could lead to, the drawings clearly indicate and who what is today known as multiple sclerosis.
Its detailed discovery
It was a professor named Jean-Martin Charcot who discovered all about multiple sclerosis. It was 1868 and he was a professor of neurology specifically at the University of Paris during the time. He has been given the tag father of neurology
because of his many contributions to the world of neurology.
It has been recorded that Professor Charcot got to observe a woman who had tremors which were very new to him. Aside from the tremors, he also saw other neurological symptoms such as abnormal movements of the eyes and blurring of vision. Since the medicine back then was far from being advanced, his patient died. During the autopsy, he found out that her brain had plaques or scars that doctors now know are characteristic of multiple sclerosis.
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The Clinical Part Of Multiple Sclerosis
What is MS?
MS is a short term given to a debilitating disease called multiple sclerosis. This disease is very unpredictable and can actually range from benign to something that was highly devastating. This is so because the communication pattern that normally occurs between the brain and the rest of the body is greatly damaged.
According to scientific research, MS is an autoimmune disease. This means that the bodys immune system launches an attack against its very own underlying tissues and cells. In multiple sclerosis, the part that is most affected is the myelin.
The myelin
The myelin is a sheath that covers the nerve fibers in order to protect it. Aside from protection, it also acts as an insulator. It is the myelin that is directly attacked in a case of MS.
Many have released reports saying that assaults to the myelin are triggered by environmental factors like a kind of bacteria or virus.
About its onset
Most of those who complain with multiple sclerosis belong to the age group between twenty and forty years old. They initially complain of double vision, blurred vision, blindness in one eye or both, and also a color distortion between the reds and the greens. Aside from visual disturbances, there are also muscular disturbances such as muscle weakness in the persons extremities, accompanied by difficulty in balance and coordination.
The muscular symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis may vary in severity. For instance, some cases could be severe which often render the person have a permanently impaired walking. In fact, some are even unfortunate to even have their balance by just standing impaired.
In a worst case of MS, the person is left with either partial or complete paralysis that is accompanied with paresthesia. This accompanying symptom is basically the abnormal feelings of sensation usually along the extremities. The extremities would feel numb and prickling like as if a there are a thousand pins and needles.
In other cases of multiple sclerosis, those who are with complaint experience pain. And pain is a subjective matter. Therefore, if they say it is painful, then it must be truly painful.
People with multiple sclerosis also experience speech impairments, dizziness and tremors. The recently mentioned symptoms are the ones they usually complain of. Occasionally, these symptoms are accompanied with hearing loss and impairments with the persons cognition. With this kind of problem, the person will definitely have a hard time with concentration, memory, judgment and attention.
Treatment for MS
As of now, there still has been no discovery for an effective cure for multiple sclerosis. Research has been continuous and the findings have remained very consistent. However, no cure still has been established.
Some people actually prefer not to take any MS therapy, since several of the medications for multiple sclerosis have some serious side effects which pose high risks. An example of such medication is the Beta Interferon.
There are three famous brands of the aforementioned drug, namely, Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron. These three drugs have already been approved by the FDA or the Food and Drug Administration with regards to the use of those with the relapsing remitting type of multiple sclerosis.
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Teenage Obesity and Multiple Sclerosis
There are some researches that say that female teenagers who happen to be obese have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis as compared to those who are not obese. The research had two hundred thirty-eight thousand and three hundred seventy-one female respondents who ranged from twenty-five up to fifty-five years of age. They filled out a questionnaire regarding their corresponding behavior towards their health every couple of years. In over forty years, five hundred ninety-three of these respondents developed multiple sclerosis.
The respondents
The respondents reported their exact weight and height at the age of eighteen. The research scientists then computed for their BMI or their body mass index. They were also told to choose from nine different kinds of silhouettes, from extremely thin up to extremely obese, in order to have a general description of their body size at five, ten and even twenty years old.
The findings
It was through this study that it was concluded that females who had a BMI of thirty or more at eighteen years old had more than two times of a risk for developing a case of multiple sclerosis, as compared to those who had a BMI of nineteen to twenty. Those who had a BMI of twenty-five up to twenty-nine were already considered as overweight while those who were obese had a BMI of thirty kilograms per squared meter.
For those who had a bigger body even though they were just twenty years old represented the purpose of having to use the silhouettes as tools in the study. Aside from that, they were also the ones who represented those who had a lot of risk for having MS. However, for those girls who were very large at five or ten years old is not at all related to the risk of multiple sclerosis development.
Famous professor from the Harvard School of Public Health Kassandra Munger, ScD have stated that the results of the study indicate that weight pays such an important role in the development of MS in adolescence, as compared to that of childhood and adulthood. This means that teenagers have to be taught about preventing the onset of obesity from the very start to reduce the risk of having multiple sclerosis later.
The conclusions
Professor Munger states that there are two most likely statements that could explain why obesity pays a very important role with regards to risk of having multiple sclerosis. According to what she has found out in scientific and medical research, the high levels of Vitamin D inside the body greatly reduce the risk. But obese people have very low levels of Vitamin D.
Another possible explanation is that adipose tissue gives out material that can greatly affect the immune system and some types of cellular activity that are thought to be associated with multiple sclerosis.
The MS diet
Many forms of diet claim that they can reduce obesity, which, in turn, has a big possibility of precipitating the disease. Nutrition is a good way of preventing or avoiding the development of multiple sclerosis.
For instance, many of those who have MS have testified that eating food rich in gluten makes them feel terrible. Although, there are still no scientific findings to back this up, many depend on these testimonies.
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Symptoms Of Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis affects the CNS.
The central nervous system is the one that controls most, if not all, of the bodys activity and optimal functioning. Just a minor damage to the central nervous system or the CNS can produce a very wide range of symptoms. Multiple sclerosis is only one of the diseases that can result from the damaging of the central nervous system.
Most of the symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis are very unique. But having one of the symptoms does not immediately lead to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, there has to be a collective onset of symptoms. Still, however, each and every one of these symptoms could be very life-threatening and deserves medical attention as soon as possible.
Visual symptoms
Optic neuritis is one of the multiple sclerosis symptoms that affect the persons vision. It consists of an inflammation with an accompanying demyelization of cranial nerve number two which is the optic nerve. There is a blurring of the vision, loss of some, if not all, of the visible color, loss of visual acuity, complete or partial blindness, and its pathognomonic sign which is pain behind the eyes.
Another visual symptom is diplopia, which is only a medical term for double vision. Lesions that occur within the brainstem cause this double vision. It is unfortunate for those with multiple sclerosis that the brainstem is affected because it is where the cranial nerves for eye muscles are located, specifically the sixth cranial nerve or the abducens. In multiple sclerosis, the nerve that operates the lateral rectus muscle is affected, thus, pulling the eye outwards.
Nystagmus is yet another visual symptom associated with multiple sclerosis. It is the rapid and involuntary movement of the eyes. This symptom is predominantly obvious to others but is not immediately noticeable by the person with the complaint. It is like riding on a bus where the scenery just zooms past by.
Motor symptoms
Multiple sclerosis causes paresis within the individual. It is simply a medical term for partial or mild paralysis that is usually described as muscle weakness. According to research and studies, this muscle weakness is caused by the lesions that are formed along the motor nerve pathways.
Spasticity is comprised of involuntary muscle contractions that are not coordinated with the movement of the other muscles. In multiple sclerosis, the normal pattern of reverse contractions that occur between muscles is disrupted, which further leads to the contraction of many muscles at the exact same time. Since the transmission of sensation and control messages are not properly sent to the receiver, the muscles receive information and sensory feedback that is not at all appropriate.
Dysarthria is the medical term for speech problems. In multiple sclerosis, the muscles that are involved in controlling speaking or the nerves that control the corresponding muscles are destroyed. The resulting muscle weakness and incoordination give rise to dysarthria.
Sensory symptoms
Paresthesia is described as a collection of abnormal sensations in just about every part of the body. It is composed of prickling, tingling, electrical-type buzzing, skin crawling, burning, or itching of any random part of the body. Paresthesia is most commonly referred to as pins and needles with the accompaniment of partial numbness and a variety of neuropathic pain.
Another sensory symptom associated with multiple sclerosis is the LHermittes sign. This is basically the electrical buzzing sensations that occur in the limbs and the body that is brought about by any movement of the neck. When the person with multiple sclerosis lowers the head part in a way that the chin touches the chest, LHermittes sign is triggered.
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Stem Cell Therapy Reverses Multiple Sclerosis
In such a long time, it is only in this century that most of the impairments associated with the initial stages of multiple sclerosis can be reversed. This works by resetting their immune systems by making use of their very own stem cells.
Still, this kind of treatment is being further observed which necessitate some randomized clinical testing in order to confirm the tests findings. However, this stem cell therapy is a good thing so that those who are still in the first stages of this disease can still have hope despite not having to undergo its drug regimen.
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is actually an autoimmune disorder that predominantly affects the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is basically made up of adipose tissue and it is wrapped around the nerve cells serving as a protective covering. Also, the myelin helps in speeding up the speed or the rate of the transmission between the brain, as it sends its signals, and the rest of the body. In MS, it is this myelin sheath that gets damaged.
What is best with treating MS is to immediately stop the attacks before there is further nerve cell impairment. And since MS is an autoimmune disease, this intervention is a definite must.
Stem cell treatment
A study was actually done regarding stem cell therapy and multiple sclerosis. The respondents were made up of twelve ladies and eleven gentlemen, who all had an early onset of the relapsing remitting type of MS. These respondents were chosen since their system failed to positively respond to interferon beta treatment, even after half a year.
Stem cells were removed from these respondents, specifically from their bone marrow. Afterwards, chemicals were used in order to destroy the already present immune cells inside the persons body before preparing to re-inject the stem cells. The re-injected stem cells will progress into what are called nave immune cells which do recognize the myelin as self.
After three years of consistency in the treatment, seventeen of the overall total of respondents actually had an improved status on a standard disability scale. Moreover, none of the respondents died.
Reverse disability
Medical scientists say that this is the first time that reversing the disabilities associated with multiple sclerosis has actually been accomplished.
Although researchers admit that further testing is needed to confirm findings, but there is nothing to worry about because such tests are underway. Eventually, all thanks to stem cell transplant, those with MS are not forced to take drugs. Moreover, transplanting stem cells is a good thing for most since it is a one-off therapy.
Word from MS Society
Speakers from the MS Society have actually praised stem cell transplant for its positive results. Aside from stopping the debilitating disease from further progressing, the damages to the nerve conduction are also reversed.
At present, the potential of stem cells are become more and more recognized by many in the medical field. The only challenge relating to stem cells that remain is proving just how effective their transplantation is to big groups of people.
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Pathophysiology Of Multiple Sclerosis
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that is non-contagious. It predominantly affects the brain and the spinal cord. It is mainly characterized by a wide variety of neurological symptoms that are caused by the demyelization of the neurons. Moreover, it is an autoimmune disease in which the bodys very own immune system attacks the central nervous systems cells and underlying tissues.
What causes it?
The ultimate cause of multiple sclerosis remains unknown. This means that multiple sclerosis is an idiopathic disease. According to scientific research, some viral infections or other environmental factors related to childhood are able to trigger the abnormal reactions associated with the immune system.
On a molecular level, a structural similarity can be discovered between an infectious agent that is not identified and some components of the central nervous system. This similarity causes confusion in the immune systems fighter cells when the body matures later as the body ages. This whole process is termed as molecular mimicry. And since there is no such thing as a multiple sclerosis virus, it can be declared that the disease is not at all contagious.
Where the WBC come in
The bodys white blood cells, more commonly referred to as WBC, have a special subset of cells termed as T cells. These T cells are key players in the development of multiple sclerosis. Normally, these lymphocytes have the ability to differentiate substances or components that belong to the body from those that are foreign. Whenever a foreign body is recognized, the whole immune system is put on alert and the bodys fighter cells attack the foreign body to maintain homeostasis within the body.
However, since multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, it tends to attack itself. The T cells recognize the healthy parts of the central nervous system as something harmful and foreign and attack them as if it is a response aimed at a virus or bacteria.
The T cells attack predominantly attack the myelin which insulates the axons of the nerve cells. This fatty substance is very important, especially when it comes to proper nerve conduction.
About the BBB
There is a normal barrier that goes between the blood and the brain that medical professionals have coined as the blood-brain barrier or the BBB. This BBB is made up of endothelial cells that line the blood vessel walls.
It is during multiple sclerosis that the BBB breaks down and the auto-reactive T cells enter the BBB, when they are clearly not supposed to. After crossing the BBB, the T cells then trigger an inflammatory response that is further mediated by other immune cells namely the cytokines and antibodies. After further inflammatory responses, there is a much bigger opening of the BBB and a wide variety of symptoms are produced.
Moving on, the macrophages are alerted, there is an activation of the MMPs, including other proteases. In short, this all leads to the destruction of the myelin, a process that is termed as demyelization.
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