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HEALTH ZONE - Multiple Sclerosis Introduction |
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| MS symptoms, which include paralysis, vary enormously |
Ask questions ?
Share views !
Share difficulties with your conditions !
Meet people with a similar condition !
Your not alone !
MS Society
(A great place to talk to people just like you)
MS World
(A place to chat to other people with MS)
Click logo for forums
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Multiple Sclerosis International Federation
Independent information from MS professionals worldwide. ...
http://www.msif.org/en/
MS Trust
Chatrooms and discussion lists. Information on MS and MS research, and downloadable publications....
http://www.mstrust.org.uk/
default.jsp
The Myelin Project
Research focussed, the goal of this organisation is to speed up the pace and discovery of causes and treatments for demyelinating diseases such as MS....
http://www.myelin.org/
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The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Auckland
(An information resource for people with MS in New Zealand)
http://www.msakl.org.nz/
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The symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) are often first noticed when a person is in their late 20s or early 30s, so it is viewed as a disease of young adults. MS is one of the many diseases that are not fully understood and therefore have no cure. With the help of medical trials, hopefully researchers can get that one step closer.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Between 85,000 and 100,000 people in the UK are thought to have the condition and around 400,000 in America; about 60% are women. MS is a non-contagious disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. For some unknown reason, the immune system of MS sufferers attacks proteins in the coating of nerve cells. This damage slows or blocks nerve cell signals. Symptoms, which include vision loss, paralysis, numbness, extreme fatigue, and walking difficulties, can vary widely from person to person. In addition, they can come and go with no apparent pattern, all of which makes MS difficult to diagnose.
Medical trials play an important part in understanding multiple sclerosis. By conducting clinical trials, researchers can attempt to understand the complex patterns of multiple sclerosis and can progress towards a treatment.
What are the causes of Multiple Sclerosis?
Research has shown that a specific type of immune system cell is involved in the attack on the nerve coating and therefore a major research goal is to slow down and stop this taking place. There is also a great deal of effort being put into optimising the use of licensed medications. This includes studies into different doses, different delivery routes (oral vs. injection) and combining the main form of medication, beta-interferons, with other drugs.
However, the specific causes of multiple sclerosis are unfortunately unknown. This illustrates the importance to conduct medical trials to attempt to discover the exact causes of the disease. Clinical trials and clinical trial participants are vital to the progress of finding a treatment for multiple sclerosis.
Although the causes of multiple sclerosis are not known, there have been some interesting findings in the geography of people with MS. When looking at the quantities of people with MS in certain countries, researchers have discovered that the disease becomes far more apparent in populations the further away from the equator they are.
Some Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis are:
The complex nature of multiple sclerosis means that there is no set list of symptoms for every MS sufferer. The symptoms and the severity of the disease differ from person to person which means MS is not easily characterised. Here are a few of the most common symptoms:
- Loss of Vision - Early symptoms may occur before complete loss of vision, such as blurriness and a change in the way colours are seen. The surroundings of the eyes may hurt and it may be painful to move the eyes.
- Extreme Fatigue - MS sufferers may get tired easily and find it difficult to perform everyday tasks due to their fatigue.
- Muscle Pain - The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are unpredictable and MS sufferers can experience muscle spasms which are often painful.
Multiple sclerosis is extremely difficult to diagnose as there are no common traits in all MS sufferers. Some sufferers will hardly be affected by the disease and some will be disabled for a large part of their life. It is important that research is continually undertaken to try and discover the exact causes of MS. Medical trials can give researchers a great insight into the disease and can contribute heavily to finding a cure.
Are there any Treatment Options for Multiple Sclerosis?
So far there are a few approved treatments for multiple sclerosis. However, these medications only aid in the control of the disease rather than promise a cure. Clinical trials allow these treatments to be tested to eventually be approved as a licensed drug. The focus of the research on treatments for MS is to lower the chances of relapse and to reduce the seriousness of any relapses that do occur. Below are a few examples of possible treatments for different symptoms of multiple sclerosis:
Steroids: Doctors will sometimes prescribe a course of steroids to MS patients suffering from acute exacerbation, the most common type being Prednisone. There are certain, possible side effects that could occur from taking steroids for MS that patients should be aware of before beginning a course. Some of these include, retaining fluid, mood swings, insomnia and a bad stomach.
Symptom-controlling Treatments
Baclofen: This is a medication that can help reduce the spasticity that can be a common symptom of MS. Baclofen can also help ease pain and improve muscle movements. Side effects that are associated with Baclofen are tiredness and weakness if too much is taken.
There are other symptom-controlling drugs that can be used such as, muscle relaxants, constipations tablets and treatments for sexual dysfunction. Although there isn't just one medication that will control all of the symptoms of MS, sufferers, along with their doctors can control some of the symptoms individually.
Researching Multiple Sclerosis.
Research into multiple sclerosis has been active for decades and continues to this day as a full understanding of the disease has not yet been reached. Around £270million ($500million) has been spent on research into multiple sclerosis since 1947 when the first research grants were issued.
Researchers aim to develop more and better treatments for MS and are striving towards a cure. Medical trials are allowing researchers to gain a better and fuller understanding of the human's nervous system and therefore heavily contribute to the improvement of MS sufferer's lives. Medical research should not be taken for granted and nor should the medical research participants. Clinical trials are an extremely important tool for understanding multiple sclerosis and the clinical trial participants are even more important, as without them, there would be no research.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Someone you know may have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, or maybe you have? Well, let's start by clearing something up. For the majority of MS sufferers, the disease is not fatal. People with MS can expect to live a normal or near normal health span. This is thanks to all of the developments in medical research throughout the years that has enabled doctors to control the symptoms of MS sufferers.
If you have been recently diagnosed with MS, you may be disappointed with the news that there isn't a cure. Hold out hope. Just because there isn't a cure just yet, that doesn't mean to say that there won't be one in the future. Medical researchers are continuously gaining more understanding of the disease and are working hard to get to that cure.
Living with multiple sclerosis can often cause an inconvenience. However, many MS sufferers live normal, happy lives despite having to make a few changes here and there.
What Can I do to Help?
Apart from just being there for someone you know with MS or talking to others if you have it yourself, there are other ways of helping. Medical researchers can't do the job on their own. They are always looking for people to participate in medical trials, psychology studies etc. You can join the search for a cure!
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 Parts of this information has been generously supplied to the BioTrax Volunteer Support Group by the:
Coalition for Medical Progress
Medical research studies may be conducted and are carefully designed to answer specific medical questions while protecting participants“ safety. Well conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find improved treatments and preventions for diseases. Clinical trials or interventional trials determine whether experimental preventions, treatments, or new ways of using known therapies are safe and effective under controlled conditions. Observational or natural history studies examine health issues and disease development in groups of people or populations. For more information on current clinical trials or to register on the BioTrax database, view the study section at www.biotrax.com .
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