4 Surprising Facts About Multiple Sclerosis

Autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis is considered an “invisible illness” for which there is no known cause. Mystery surrounds the illness, and 1 in 5 people are misdiagnosed. Qualicare’s in-home care and senior care franchise owners and their caregivers understand the many challenging and interesting aspects of the disease, which impacts 2.8 million people worldwide. 

What is Multiple Sclerosis?  

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain, damaging the spinal cord. This makes it more difficult for the brain to communicate with the body. It is an autoimmune disease which means that the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, which leads to damage to the body. Women are two to three times more likely to develop the disease than men. 

Typically, it is a disease that worsens over time, but it can follow a pattern where it gets better than worse, called “relapsing and remitting” or colloquially, an “attack” according to Integrated Neurology Services. 85 percent of people with Multiple Sclerosis are diagnosed with “relapsing and remitting” Multiple Sclerosis. Three other types of Multiple Sclerosis exist as well, in which individuals progress with worsening symptoms with little relapse. 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include trouble talking, muscle weakness (often in legs and hands), fatigue, vision changes, bladder or bowel dysfunction, vision problems, and numbness. People with Multiple Sclerosis may have trouble thinking clearly and may feel depressed. 

In the United States, roughly 300,000-400,000 American adults have Multiple Sclerosis. Typically, people develop the disease between the ages of 20 to 40. According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, previously, Multiple Sclerosis in young children was very rare. Multiple Sclerosis in young children is known as “Pediatric MS.” The diagnosis of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis is on the rise, but researchers don’t know if it is an indication that people are developing the disease at an earlier age, or if advances in medical practice have led to more sensitive diagnostic tests and awareness of the disease.

If you are supporting a friend or family member with Multiple Sclerosis, it’s important to understand the illness. Here are 4 surprising facts about the disease: 

Colder climates have higher rates of Multiple Sclerosis 

A 2012 medical review, Environmental risk factors for multiple sclerosis: a review with a focus on molecular mechanisms, determined that geography is an environmental factor that plays into the likelihood of developing Multiple Sclerosis. People living in higher latitudes, further from the equator, have higher rates of Multiple Sclerosis than people in other parts of the world. In Finland and Scandinavia, Multiple Sclerosis has a higher rate than in other countries. Caucasians, particularly those with European and Scandinavian ancestry, are at a greater risk of Multiple Sclerosis than people with African heritage. 

Researchers think it could be due to the lack of sun in these latitudes. A deficiency in Vitamin D caused by lower sunlight in these places may have something to do with Multiple Sclerosis because Vitamin D has a role in the health of the immune system overall. 

Though the cause of the disease is not known, some risk factors have been identified, which include: genetics, possibly the viral infections like Epstein-Barr, and smoking tobacco, according to a 2012 research study, Multiple sclerosis: risk factors and their interactions

Multiple Sclerosis “attacks” affect people differently 

The MS Society of Canada, which is a patient-focused website, helps answer the question “How long is a Multiple Sclerosis attack supposed to last?” 

According to the MS Society of Canada, an “attack” or relapse or exacerbation of the disease happens when a person with Multiple Sclerosis’s immune system attacks myelin – which coats the nerve endings in the brain and spinal cord, disrupting the usual flow of nerve impulses in the body. Symptoms such as dizziness, tremors, or difficulty walking signal the disease is inflicting new damage to the body, which may or may not be permanent.  

Relapses usually go through three stages: intense inflammation, stabilization, and repair. The process takes anywhere from a few weeks to a year. To be considered a relapse, symptoms have to occur at least 30 days after stabilization from a previous relapse, and symptoms must be continuous for at least 24 hours, although most symptoms last weeks. If a person with Multiple Sclerosis seems to recover, but then within a month the same symptoms occur, it is considered to be the same “attack.” 

Multiple Sclerosis is difficult to diagnose

Early symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis can be nonspecific, or seem temporary or associated with other neurological conditions, due to the relapse or remitting nature of the disease. This makes it difficult for doctors to reach a diagnosis. There is also no specific test for doctors to rely on for whether or not a patient has Multiple Sclerosis. Rather, doctors rely on an evaluation of a patient’s symptoms to assist in reaching a diagnosis. 

The evaluation used by doctors to diagnose Multiple Sclerosis uses a combination of neurological signs, medical history, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, as well as clinical symptoms. To diagnose Multiple Sclerosis, there must be evidence that the disease is separated in time and space, which requires time, and for some individuals, months or even years. 

Pregnancy may lessen symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

When a person with Multiple Sclerosis becomes pregnant, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, their symptoms may decrease. Due to the changes occurring in the body during the second and third trimester, individuals with Multiple Sclerosis can experience less overall inflammation, helping ease symptoms, and lead to fewer “attacks.” 

Previously, it was believed by doctors that Multiple Sclerosis symptoms will emerge right after pregnancy, but recent research shows this may not be true. Since symptoms sporadically ebb and flow, it is not expected that women will immediately have symptoms postpartum.