World Multiple Sclerosis Day

World Multiple Sclerosis Day

The last Wednesday in May has been established by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) as World Multiple Sclerosis Day since 2009. An estimated 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from the disease, of which 500,000 are in the EU and 10-12,000 in Greece. It is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system.

Solution Medical Care has been standing by the side of MS patients for decades by providing self-lubricating catheters from the Dutch house Curan for intermittent catheterizations.

What is multiple sclerosis according to the Department of Health.

Multiple Sclerosis is not a contagious disease, it is not an inherited condition, it is not a mental disorder, it is not fatal.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Its etiology is not known and as in all autoimmune diseases, the body attacks itself, recognizing normal cells as "invaders".

More specifically in MS, the immune system attacks the myelin of the central nervous system, i.e. the layer that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers that are responsible for transmitting signals to other parts of the body. When myelin is worn or damaged nerve impulses are slowed down or not transmitted at all.

Myelin destruction can affect both the motor and sensory nerves of the central nervous system and thus can affect movement, touch or other senses. Some symptoms are obvious, but others, such as fatigue, mood swings, loss of recent memory, and difficulty concentrating, are usually vague or "hidden" symptoms that are difficult to describe.

MS therefore affects the brain and spinal cord, and is a multifactorial autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, which is encountered not only by neurologists, but also by many ophthalmologists, pathologists, general practitioners, orthopedics, as well as doctors of other specialties at its first manifestation. It occurs mainly between the ages of 20 and 40 (but possibly at younger or older ages), while the average age of onset is 30 and affects women more than men in a ratio of 2:1.

The condition can cause a variety of symptoms, such as visual disturbance (blurred vision, diplopia), motor disturbances (weakness in one or more limbs), balance disturbance, severe vertigo, sensory disturbance (hypesthesia, pain, dysesthesia in the limbs or trunk), voiding disorder (persistent urge to urinate). In the event of these phenomena, it would be good to visit a neurologist to assess the entire clinical picture and the necessary paraclinical examination.

Diagnosing the disease is not simple. It is necessary to precede a significant number of laboratory tests, as many diseases resemble MS, and for this reason they must be checked and excluded. The final diagnosis of the disease is made on the basis of specific scientific criteria that have been established, which include the characteristics of the clinical picture on the one hand, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord, detailed control of the cerebrospinal fluid and evoked potentials on the other .

MS is a chronic disease of unknown etiology. It manifests itself in different forms (recurrent, secondary progressive, primary progressive). Its treatment is still not radical. Corticosteroids are administered in case of recurrences. As a therapeutic intervention, with the aim of limiting relapses, immunomodulating or immunosuppressive preparations are administered systematically, which are individualized according to the severity and speed of the disease's progression. Symptoms can vary in intensity, from very mild to very severe, and can be alleviated or eliminated either with the help of complementary pain relievers or other therapeutic methods, such as physical rehabilitation.

Republication: https://www.moh.gov.gr/ | World Multiple Sclerosis DayWorld Multiple Sclerosis Day