Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system in which the insulating sheaths of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain get damaged, leading to multiple physical and mental disorders. The disease occurs twice as often in women as compared to men, and the life expectancy of people suffering from this disease is around 5 to 10 years less than that of the general population. Multiple sclerosis can be treated with the help of medicines as well as physiotherapy.

What is multiple sclerosis?
Myelin is a fatty substance that insulates and protects the nerve cells in the body. In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the myelin and destroys it, leaving the nerve cells exposed to damage. As a result, the brain is unable to transmit messages to the rest of the body, and the nerve cells are also unable to function. This causes multiple problems such as difficulty in moving, poor muscle control, vision problems, fatigue, incontinence, and depression.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis
The signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis usually involve poor control over bodily functions and muscle movements. Symptoms usually manifest in people between the ages of 20 and 40. The main symptoms include:

• Bladder and bowel problems – Around 70-80% of multiple sclerosis patients experience poor bladder and bowel control, including frequent urges to relieve oneself, incontinence, and retention/constipation.
• Cognitive defects – Patients experience impaired memory, low attention span, poor visual-spatial abilities, and emotional fatigue.
• Mobility restrictions – As the disease progresses, most patients experience difficulty in walking and moving, including poor balance and body tremors.
• Pain – Around 63% of multiple sclerosis patients experience severe pain in the limbs and back, as well as painful headaches and spasms.
• Speech problems – Most patients experience problems with articulating different sounds, slurred speech, and difficulty in swallowing.
• Sexual dysfunction – Around 75% to 91% of male multiple sclerosis patients experience sexual dysfunction. It also affects female patients to a lesser degree.

Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is usually diagnosed on the basis of the signs and symptoms exhibited, along with evidence from medical imaging. Some of the common diagnostic methods include:

• MRI – An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain and spine can show signs of demyelination or damage to the myelin sheaths.
• Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid – Testing the cerebrospinal fluid by means of a lumbar puncture can indicate the presence of chronic inflammation in the patient’s nervous system.
• Clinical data – For patients who have suffered multiple episodes of neurological symptoms related to the disease, clinical data may be enough to make a diagnosis.

Treatments for multiple sclerosis
While there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, it can be treated and managed effectively. Medications such as corticosteroids help restore bodily functions after an attack, while drugs like interferon beta help reduce neuron inflammation and slow the frequency of attacks. All medicines, however, can have side effects including bruising and fever. Physical therapy helps with controlling symptoms like spasticity, fatigue and bladder dysfunction, while antidepressants can help with the depression and mood swings that most multiple sclerosis patients experience.