Multiple Sclerosis, often abbreviated simply as MS, is the most common, non traumatic disease of the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The medical name for the condition is Encephalomyelitis disseminate.
MS occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys myelin, the protective coating that covers nerve fibres. Millions of nerve fibres can be affected and the scars that form after the inflammation stops are known as “sclerosis”, sometimes referred to as “plaques” or “lesions”. Since they occur randomly in multiple places throughout the central nervous system, they give MS its name: Multiple Sclerosis literally means “many scars”. MS is a chronic condition that usually follows a course of intermittent attacks.
MS mainly starts in young adulthood and can vary greatly from one person to another, with symptoms uniquely expressing themselves in each individual. Many aspects of the illness are currently unexplained, the exact cause of the disease remains uncertain and there are no known measures to prevent the onset of the disease. Whilst no cure has been found for Multiple Sclerosis, extensive research into MS is constantly being undertaken throughout the world. Drug-related solutions increasingly counter the effects of the disease, giving people with MS a better quality of life.
