Multiple sclerosis: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological and autoimmune disease in which the immune system itself attacks the myelin sheath, which is a protective structure that covers neurons, causing destruction or permanent damage to the nerves.

The signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary and depend on how many and which nerves were affected, but generally include muscle weakness, tremor, tiredness or loss of control of movements and the ability to walk or talk, for example.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that has no cure, but available treatments, such as corticosteroids, anticonvulsants and immunosuppressants, for example, can help control symptoms, prevent attacks or delay their progression and should always be recommended by a neurologist. .

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis

The main symptoms of multiple sclerosis are:

• Excessive tiredness;
• Feeling of numbness or tingling in the legs or arms;
• Involuntary eye movement, double or blurred vision;
• Lack of muscle strength;
• Muscle stiffness or spasm;
• Headache or migraine;
• Memory lapses and difficulty concentrating;
• Urinary or fecal incontinence;
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing;
• Changes in gait or loss of balance.

Multiple sclerosis manifests itself through symptoms that become more evident during periods known as crisis or outbreaks of the disease, which appear throughout life, or due to the progression of the disease. Thus, these can be very different, varying from one person to another, and can regress, disappearing completely when undergoing treatment, or not, leaving some sequelae.

Symptoms do not appear all at the same time, but they can reduce quality of life. Furthermore, symptoms can be aggravated when exposed to heat or if you have a fever, and may reduce spontaneously when the temperature returns to normal.

Symptom Test

To find out your risk of having multiple sclerosis or having a crisis, select the symptoms presented in the following test:

The symptom test is only a guidance tool and does not serve as a diagnosis or replace consultation with a neurologist or general practitioner.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is made by a neurologist based on the person’s clinical history and symptoms, in addition to blood and imaging tests, such as MRI, being indicated to rule out other diseases with similar symptoms and confirm the diagnosis.

Consult your nearest neurologist to investigate the possibility of multiple sclerosis:

In addition, the doctor may recommend tests to evaluate the functioning of the nerves in response to stimuli and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, which can demonstrate the presence of altered antibodies possibly related to multiple sclerosis.

Possible causes

The exact cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown, however it is known that the appearance of symptoms is related to immunological changes. Furthermore, some factors may favor the development of multiple sclerosis, such as:

• Be between 20 and 40 years old;
• Being a woman, as it has been found that being female increases the chances of developing multiple sclerosis by two to three times more than men;
• Having cases of multiple sclerosis in the family, such as parents or siblings;
• Having autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease;
• Have low levels of vitamin D.

Furthermore, it has been found that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, responsible for mononucleosis, can increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, however more studies must be carried out to verify whether infection with the virus causes multiple sclerosis and whether the development of drugs and vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus would be effective in preventing multiple sclerosis.

How the treatment is carried out

The treatment of multiple sclerosis must be carried out with medications indicated by the doctor with the aim of preventing the progression of the disease, reducing the time and intensity of crises and controlling symptoms, and the use of anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, analgesics and relaxants may be recommended. muscular.

Furthermore, physiotherapy is an important treatment in multiple sclerosis because it allows muscles to be activated, controlling leg weakness, difficulty walking or preventing muscle atrophy. Physiotherapy for multiple sclerosis consists of stretching and muscle strengthening exercises. Check out all the treatment options for multiple sclerosis.

Care during treatment

Some important measures during the treatment of multiple sclerosis help control symptoms and prevent the disease from progressing and include:

• Sleep at least 8 to 9 hours a night;
• Do exercises recommended by the doctor;
• Avoid exposure to heat or hot places, preferring mild temperatures;
• Relieve stress with activities such as yoga, tai-chi, massage, meditation or deep breathing.

It is important to follow up with a neurologist who should also advise changes in diet and a balanced diet rich in vitamin D. Check out the complete list of foods rich in vitamin D.