Multiple Sclerosis What is it Part 5

I think I took for granted every one knows what MS is. Well most people are confused. I was diagnosed 15 years ago so it is easy for me at this point to think about it. So I will explain about it the best I can.
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord). It affects about 400,ooo people in United states today. MS causes breakdown of the myelin sheath that normally surrounds and protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system(or CNS). The under lying nerve fiber can also be damaged. Look at it this way it is like an electrical cord there is the out side layer and the inner layer. When this cord gets a nick in it the signal can't get threw. This can happen any where in the body. One day your foot has a problem the next time something else may happen. Sometimes people think you are a hypochondriac. And sometimes you think what the heck is wrong with me. Or you may be limping our your left side is weak. It may be bad for a while and then it is ok again. That is because your nerve gets, I call it a nick in it and and the signal does not get threw. This covering is called myelin. The scars form where good myelin used to be. They slow down or stop the messages. Multiple sclerosis really means many scars. And then it may heal and you are alright again. Symptoms of MS range from occasional numbness and tingling to fatigue, muscle spasms, poor bladder control, poor vision, paralysis and more. MS can also affect the ability to remember, solve problems , or concentrate. MS symptoms may come and go, or become permanent.
Commonly, MS is a "relapsing-remitting" disease. There are flare-ups, called exacerbation's or relapses. when symptoms become much worse, followed by remissions or recovery when symptoms lessen. Recovery may may be partial or complete.
Relapses happen most frequently at the beginning of the disease and then the rate declines. For most people a more steadily progressive form of the disease with fewer or no relapses eventually begins. The progression or worsening usually occurs slowly over months or years. All forms of MS may stabilize at any time.
There are "disease-modifying" medications that can put the brakes on relapsing forms of MS and slow down its progress. One is the Betaseron that I have been telling you about. But none of them cure MS. These drugs are the first medications ever shown to affect the underlying disease process. In most cases the sooner MS is treated with one of these disease -modifying drugs the better.