Multiple Sclerosis - LPNI

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Multiple Sclerosis

LPNI Health Topic – April 2022

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most commonly acquired neurological diseases affecting the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optic nerve). There are over 25, 600 people living with MS in Australia and more than two million worldwide. Three-quarters of all people with MS are women. Diagnosis of MS is mostly between the ages of 20 and 40.

MS is an inflammatory demyelinating condition. Myelin is at fatty material that insulates the nerves to allow a nerve to transmit its impulse fast and smoothly, resulting in coordinated movements without thinking. In MS, the loss of myelin (demyelination) results in disruption of the nerves’ ability to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. This produces the various symptoms of MS. The areas in the Central Nervous System where myelin is lost (plaques or lesions) appear as hardened scars. The term multiple sclerosis means ‘many scars’. The root cause of MS is still unknown. It is an auto-immune and an inflammatory disease.

MS will differ from person to person. People experience MS in episodes, often including gradual onset, recovery, acute stages or, for some, a progressive decline of function. Not everyone will acquire a disability. MS is not contagious. It is a lifelong condition, but not a terminal one. You can get MS at any age – even children can be diagnosed. You can still get pregnant after a diagnosis of MS. You can actively participate in your community and workplace. By educating yourself, you can play a key role in decisions about your treatment and support needs.

The signs and symptoms of MS vary greatly among individuals. They can include, visual issues; numbness and tingling in the body, often occurring in the legs, arms, face and fingers; pain and body spasms; lethargic feelings and weakness; dizziness and problems with balance; bladder disfunction; cognitive issues; psychological implications, depression, irritability and mood swings; slurred speech; seizures.

For most people, MS has a diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). Over time it can change and some people can enter a different phase, called secondary progressive MS (SPMS). A third phase is primary progressive MS. But what is the difference?

Around 85 per cent of people with MS are diagnosed with RRMS, usually in their 20s-40s. There are times when they will experience sudden onset of symptoms (relapses), followed by periods of partial or complete recovery (remission).

Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) is a different phase of MS. After you have lived with RRMS for a number of years, you may notice that the frequency of relapses decreases or even stops altogether, but the level of disability continues to increase after time. This may start to interfere with your day to day activities.

Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) is diagnosed when the condition follows a progressive course from onset, characterised by a worsening of neurological function, (accumulation of disability).

Many people with RRMS may develop SPMS. The changes associated with this progression is gradual. Left unchecked, they can lead to more noticeable symptoms and increased disability, which it is why it is so important to reassess your MS and talk to your specialist team about your management options.

Rose Howard

Adelaide, South Australia